scholarly journals Divergence of seafloor elevation and sea level rise in coral reef regions

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly K. Yates ◽  
David G. Zawada ◽  
Nathan A. Smiley ◽  
Ginger Tiling-Range
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Anthropogenic Impacts ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Coastal Hazards ◽  
Carbonate Production ◽  
Coral Reef Ecosystems ◽  
Study Sites

Abstract. Coral reefs serve as natural barriers that protect adjacent shorelines from coastal hazards such as storms, waves and erosion. Projections indicate global degradation of coral reefs due to anthropogenic impacts and climate change will cause a transition to net erosion by mid-century. Here, we provide a comprehensive assessment of the combined effect of all of the processes affecting seafloor accretion and erosion by measuring changes in seafloor elevation and volume for 5 coral reef ecosystems in the Atlantic, Pacific and Caribbean over the last several decades. Regional-scale mean elevation and volume losses were observed at all 5 study sites and in 78 % of the 59 individual habitats that we examined across all study sites. We estimate that 12 % to 65 % of seafloor elevation loss may be attributed to reduced carbonate production, bioerosion and carbonate dissolution and 35 % to 88 % may be attributed to physical erosion and export of sediment from these systems. Erosion of both coral-dominated substrate and non-coral substrate suggests that the current rate of carbonate production is no longer sufficient to support net accretion of coral reefs or adjacent habitats. We show that regional-scale loss of seafloor elevation and volume has accelerated the rate of relative sea level rise in these regions. Current water depths have increased to levels not predicted until near the year 2100, placing these ecosystems and nearby communities at elevated and accelerating risk to coastal hazards. Our results set a new baseline for projecting future impacts to coastal communities resulting from degradation of coral reef systems and associated losses of natural and socio-economic resources.

scholarly journals Divergence of seafloor elevation and sea level rise in coral reef ecosystems

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 1739-1772 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly K. Yates ◽  
David G. Zawada ◽  
Nathan A. Smiley ◽  
Ginger Tiling-Range
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Anthropogenic Impacts ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Coastal Hazards ◽  
Carbonate Production ◽  
Coral Reef Ecosystems ◽  
Study Sites

Abstract. Coral reefs serve as natural barriers that protect adjacent shorelines from coastal hazards such as storms, waves, and erosion. Projections indicate global degradation of coral reefs due to anthropogenic impacts and climate change will cause a transition to net erosion by mid-century. Here, we provide a comprehensive assessment of the combined effect of all of the processes affecting seafloor accretion and erosion by measuring changes in seafloor elevation and volume for five coral reef ecosystems in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Caribbean over the last several decades. Regional-scale mean elevation and volume losses were observed at all five study sites and in 77 % of the 60 individual habitats that we examined across all study sites. Mean seafloor elevation losses for whole coral reef ecosystems in our study ranged from −0.09 to −0.8 m, corresponding to net volume losses ranging from 3.4  ×  106 to 80.5  ×  106 m3 for all study sites. Erosion of both coral-dominated substrate and non-coral substrate suggests that the current rate of carbonate production is no longer sufficient to support net accretion of coral reefs or adjacent habitats. We show that regional-scale loss of seafloor elevation and volume has accelerated the rate of relative sea level rise in these regions. Current water depths have increased to levels not predicted until near the year 2100, placing these ecosystems and nearby communities at elevated and accelerating risk to coastal hazards. Our results set a new baseline for projecting future impacts to coastal communities resulting from degradation of coral reef systems and associated losses of natural and socioeconomic resources.

scholarly journals Threat of blast fishing on coral diversity in Peucang Island, Ujung Kulon National Park, Indonesia

Ocean Life ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-31
Author(s):  
RADEN WILLY WIGUNA GUMBIRA ◽  
FITRI RIZKIA ◽  
TRI DEWI KUSUMANINGRUM PRIBADI ◽  
MUHAMMAD SYAEFUL HIDAYAT
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
National Park ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Live Coral ◽  
Coral Coverage ◽  
High Concern ◽  
Coral Reef Ecosystems ◽  
Blast Fishing ◽  
Study Sites

Gumbira RWW, Rizkia F, Pribadi TDK, Hidayat MS. 2017. Threat of blast fishing on coral diversity in Peucang Island National Park, Indonesia. Ocean Life 1: 26-31. As a maritime country with high biodiversity, the health of Indonesian coral reefs is of high concern. Coral reef ecosystems are friable, and mortality occurs relatively quickly after disturbance, not only by nature but also by human activities such as fish bombing. Fish bombing is a big issue that has always threatened coral reefs, including in Peucang Island, part of Ujung Kulon National Park, a place that is protected by law to preserve its natural diversity. A study on coral coverage was conducted to observe the condition of corals and related biota in a coral reef ecosystem. Data was collected using Point Intercept Transect method in 2m and 8m depths. The results showed that coral coverage in 8-meter depth is only 44.02 percent of the live coral in 2-meter depth. The reduction in the value of Diversity Indices, Dominance Indices as well as the Evenness Index in all study sites led to low diversity, with no dominance by a particular species at any of the study sites. The results also showed that corals are well distributed in both depths. Over the past three years, the damage to corals in Peucang Island had generally increased by 0.7 percent due to fish bombing activities.

Submergence, nutrient enrichment, and tropical storm impacts on Spartina alterniflora in the microtidal northern Gulf of Mexico

2020 ◽  
Vol 644 ◽  
pp. 33-45
Author(s):  
JM Hill ◽  
PS Petraitis ◽  
KL Heck
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Spartina Alterniflora ◽  
Anthropogenic Impacts ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Relative Sea Level ◽  
Hurricane Disturbance ◽  
Submergence Stress ◽  
Relative Sea Level Rise

Salt marshes face chronic anthropogenic impacts such as relative sea level rise and eutrophication, as well as acute disturbances from tropical storms that can affect the productivity of these important communities. However, it is not well understood how marshes already subjected to eutrophication and sea level rise will respond to added effects of episodic storms such as hurricanes. We examined the interactive effects of nutrient addition, sea level rise, and a hurricane on the growth, biomass accumulation, and resilience of the saltmarsh cordgrass Spartina alterniflora in the Gulf of Mexico. In a microtidal marsh, we manipulated nutrient levels and submergence using marsh organs in which cordgrasses were planted at differing intertidal elevations and measured the impacts of Hurricane Isaac, which occurred during the experiment. Prior to the hurricane, grasses at intermediate and high elevations increased in abundance. After the hurricane, all treatments lost approximately 50% of their shoots, demonstrating that added nutrients and elevation did not provide resistance to hurricane disturbance. At the end of the experiment, only the highest elevations had been resilient to the hurricane, with increased above- and belowground growth. Added nutrients provided a modest increase in above- and belowground growth, but only at the highest elevations, suggesting that only elevation will enhance resilience to hurricane disturbance. These results empirically demonstrate that S. alterniflora in microtidal locations already subjected to submergence stress is less able to recover from storm disturbance and suggests we may be underestimating the loss of northern Gulf Coast marshes due to relative sea level rise.

scholarly journals Using Virtual Reality in Sea Level Rise Planning and Community Engagement—An Overview

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1142
Author(s):  
Juliano Calil ◽  
Geraldine Fauville ◽  
Anna Carolina Muller Queiroz ◽  
Kelly L. Leo ◽  
Alyssa G. Newton Mann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Community Outreach ◽  
Coastal Communities ◽  
Coastal Hazards ◽  
Multidisciplinary Teams ◽  
Simple Task ◽  
Coastal Risks

As coastal communities around the globe contend with the impacts of climate change including coastal hazards such as sea level rise and more frequent coastal storms, educating stakeholders and the general public has become essential in order to adapt to and mitigate these risks. Communicating SLR and other coastal risks is not a simple task. First, SLR is a phenomenon that is abstract as it is physically distant from many people; second, the rise of the sea is a slow and temporally distant process which makes this issue psychologically distant from our everyday life. Virtual reality (VR) simulations may offer a way to overcome some of these challenges, enabling users to learn key principles related to climate change and coastal risks in an immersive, interactive, and safe learning environment. This article first presents the literature on environmental issues communication and engagement; second, it introduces VR technology evolution and expands the discussion on VR application for environmental literacy. We then provide an account of how three coastal communities have used VR experiences developed by multidisciplinary teams—including residents—to support communication and community outreach focused on SLR and discuss their implications.

scholarly journals Quantifying Uncertainty in Exposure to Coastal Hazards Associated with Both Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies: A U.S. Pacific Northwest Alternative Coastal Futures Analysis

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 545
Author(s):  
Alexis K. Mills ◽  
Peter Ruggiero ◽  
John P. Bolte ◽  
Katherine A. Serafin ◽  
Eva Lipiec
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Coastal Flooding ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Coastal Hazards ◽  
Policy Decisions ◽  
Management Decisions ◽  
Quantifying Uncertainty

Coastal communities face heightened risk to coastal flooding and erosion hazards due to sea-level rise, changing storminess patterns, and evolving human development pressures. Incorporating uncertainty associated with both climate change and the range of possible adaptation measures is essential for projecting the evolving exposure to coastal flooding and erosion, as well as associated community vulnerability through time. A spatially explicit agent-based modeling platform, that provides a scenario-based framework for examining interactions between human and natural systems across a landscape, was used in Tillamook County, OR (USA) to explore strategies that may reduce exposure to coastal hazards within the context of climate change. Probabilistic simulations of extreme water levels were used to assess the impacts of variable projections of sea-level rise and storminess both as individual climate drivers and under a range of integrated climate change scenarios through the end of the century. Additionally, policy drivers, modeled both as individual management decisions and as policies integrated within adaptation scenarios, captured variability in possible human response to increased hazards risk. The relative contribution of variability and uncertainty from both climate change and policy decisions was quantified using three stakeholder relevant landscape performance metrics related to flooding, erosion, and recreational beach accessibility. In general, policy decisions introduced greater variability and uncertainty to the impacts of coastal hazards than climate change uncertainty. Quantifying uncertainty across a suite of coproduced performance metrics can help determine the relative impact of management decisions on the adaptive capacity of communities under future climate scenarios.

National guidance for adapting to coastal hazards and sea-level rise: Anticipating change, when and how to change pathway

2018 ◽  
Vol 82 ◽  
pp. 100-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judy Lawrence ◽  
Rob Bell ◽  
Paula Blackett ◽  
Scott Stephens ◽  
Sylvia Allan
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Coastal Hazards ◽  
National Guidance ◽  
And Sea Level

scholarly journals Recolonization of Marginal Coral Reef Flats in Response to Recent Sea‐Level Rise

2018 ◽  
Vol 123 (10) ◽  
pp. 7618-7628 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tianran Chen ◽  
George Roff ◽  
Laurence McCook ◽  
Jianxin Zhao ◽  
Shu Li
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level

scholarly journals Measuring Sound at a Cold-Water Coral Reef to Assess the Impact of COVID-19 on Noise Pollution

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurence H. De Clippele ◽  
Denise Risch
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reef ◽  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Noise Pollution ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Level Height ◽  
Water Coral

This study compares the noise levels at the cold-water coral Tisler reef, before and after the closure of the border between Norway and Sweden, which occurred as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tisler reef is a marine protected area located under a ferry “highway” that connects Norway and Sweden. Cold-water coral reefs are recognised as being important hotspots of both biodiversity and biomass, they function as breeding and nursing grounds for commercially important fish and are essential in providing ecosystem functions. Whilst studies have shown that fishery, ocean warming, and acidification threaten them, the effects of noise pollution on cold-water coral reefs remains unstudied. To study the severity of noise pollution at the Tisler reef, a long-term acoustic recorder was deployed from 29 January 2020 until 26 May 2020. From 15 March COVID-19 lockdown measures stopped passenger vessel traffic between Norway and Sweden. This study found that the overall noise levels were significantly lower after border closure, due to reduced ferry traffic, wind speeds, and sea level height. When comparing the median hourly noise levels of before vs. after border closure, this study measured a significant reduction in the 63–125 Hz 1/3 octave band noise levels of 8.94 ± 0.88 (MAD) dB during the day (07:00:00–19:59:59) and 1.94 ± 0.11 (MAD) dB during the night (20:00:00–06:59:59). Since there was no ferry traffic during the night, the drop in noise levels at night was likely driven by seasonal changes, i.e., the reduction in wind speed and sea level height when transitioning from winter to spring. Taking into account this seasonal effect, it can be deduced that the COVID-19 border closure reduced the noise levels in the 63–125 Hz 1/3 octave bands at the Tisler reef by 7.0 ± 0.99 (MAD) dB during the day. While the contribution of, and changes in biological, weather-related and geophysical sound sources remain to be assessed in more detail, understanding the extent of anthropogenic noise pollution at the Tisler cold-water coral reef is critical to guide effective management to ensure the long-term health and conservation of its ecosystem functions.

scholarly journals The biostratigraphic record of Cretaceous to Paleogene tectono-eustatic relative sea-level change in Jamaica

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Patrick Gold ◽  
James P. G. Fenton ◽  
Manuel Casas-Gallego ◽  
Vibor Novak ◽  
Irene Pérez-Rodríguez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level Rise ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Carbonate Platform ◽  
Caribbean Region ◽  
Level Curve ◽  
Relative Sea Level ◽  
Carbonate Production ◽  
Platform Drowning ◽  
Relative Sea Level Rise ◽  
Strong Control

The island of Jamaica forms the northern extent of the Nicaraguan Rise, an elongate linear tectonic feature stretching as far as Honduras and Nicaragua to the south. Uplift and subaerial exposure of Jamaica during the Neogene has made the island rare within the Caribbean region, as it is the only area where rocks of the Nicaraguan Rise are exposed on land. Biostratigraphic dating and palaeoenvironmental interpretations using larger benthic foraminifera, supplemented by planktonic foraminifera, nannopalaeontology and palynology of outcrop, well and corehole samples has enabled the creation of a regional relative sea-level curve through identification of several depositional sequences. This study recognises ten unconformity-bounded transgressive-regressive sequences which record a complete cycle of relative sea level rise and fall. Sequences are recognised in the Early to ‘Middle’ Cretaceous (EKTR1), Coniacian-Santonian (STR1), Campanian (CTR1), Maastrichtian (MTR1-2), Paleocene-Early Eocene (PETR1), Eocene (YTR1-3) and Late Eocene-Oligocene (WTR1). These transgressive-regressive cycles represent second to fourth order sequences, although most tie with globally recognised third order sequences. Comparisons of the Jamaican relative sea-level curve with other published global mean sea-level curves show that local tectonics exerts a strong control on the deposition of sedimentary sequences in Jamaica. Large unconformities (duration >1 Ma) are related to significant regional tectonic events, with minor overprint of a global eustatic signal, while smaller unconformities (duration <1 Ma) are produced by global eustatic trends. The relatively low rates of relative sea-level rise calculated from the regional relative sea-level curve indicate that carbonate production rates were able to keep pace with the rate of relative sea-level rise accounting for the thick successions of Maastrichtian carbonates and those of the Yellow and White Limestone Groups. Carbonate platform drowning within the White Limestone Group during the Oligocene to Miocene is attributed to environmental deterioration given the low rates of relative sea-level rise.

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