Global warming and local eutrophication simultaneously lower oxygen (O₂) saturation and increase biological O₂ demands to cause deoxygenation. Tropical shallow waters, and their coral reefs, are particularly vulnerable to extreme low O₂ (hypoxia) events. These events can drive mass mortality of reef biota; however, they currently remain unaccounted for when considering coral reef persistence under local environmental alterations and global climatic change. In this Perspective, we integrate existing biological, ecological and geochemical evidence to consider how O₂ availability and hypoxia affect reef biota, with particular focus on the ecosystem architects, reef-building corals, that operate as both O₂ consumers and producers. We pinpoint fundamental knowledge gaps and highlight the need to understand sub-lethal hypoxia effects that are likely already in play.

全球变暖和局部富营养化同时降低了氧气（O ₂）的饱和度，并增加了生物O ₂需求以引起脱氧。热带浅水区及其珊瑚礁特别容易遭受极低的O ₂（低氧）事件。这些事件可导致珊瑚礁生物群大量死亡。但是，在考虑当地环境变化和全球气候变化下珊瑚礁的持久性时，目前尚无定论。在此观点中，我们整合了现有的生物，生态和地球化学证据，以考虑O _2的可获得性和缺氧如何影响礁石生物群，特别关注生态系统设计师，造礁珊瑚，它们都以O _2的形式运作。消费者和生产者。我们指出了基础知识的空白，并强调需要了解可能已经发挥作用的亚致死性缺氧效应。