Human-enhanced impacts of a tropical storm on nearshore coral reefs

J S Nowlis; C Roberts; A Smith; E Siirila

Human-enhanced impacts of a tropical storm on nearshore coral reefs

J S Nowlis, C Roberts, A Smith, E Siirila

Environment and Geography

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Land development ranks among the most significant human threats to coral reefs, causing damage by promoting the erosion and transport of soil - called sediment once suspended in water. We studied the impacts of sediment on the coral communities of St. Lucia following a tropical storm. We found more sediment and coral damage on reefs closest to the mouths of large rivers. Coral mortality exceeded 50% at some sites, and the degree of coral mortality and bleaching depended on the amount of sediment at the site. Despite exemplary efforts by engineers to reduce erosion rates, we found more sediment at sites near a road under construction at the time of the storm. Collectively, our data demonstrated a major negative impact of land development on coral reefs, a problem likely to grow in scale given the growing demands for developed land and the recent frequency of large storms in the tropical Atlantic.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	515-521
Number of pages	7
Journal	AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment
Volume	26
Issue number	8
Publication status	Published - Dec 1997

Keywords

AUSTRALIAN SCLERACTINIAN CORALS
POCILLOPORA-DAMICORNIS
COSTA-RICA
SEDIMENT
FLORIDA
CAHUITA
STRESS
SEA

Cite this

@article{980e67d7eaa34ef3adb32f99e26e4011,

title = "Human-enhanced impacts of a tropical storm on nearshore coral reefs",

abstract = "Land development ranks among the most significant human threats to coral reefs, causing damage by promoting the erosion and transport of soil - called sediment once suspended in water. We studied the impacts of sediment on the coral communities of St. Lucia following a tropical storm. We found more sediment and coral damage on reefs closest to the mouths of large rivers. Coral mortality exceeded 50% at some sites, and the degree of coral mortality and bleaching depended on the amount of sediment at the site. Despite exemplary efforts by engineers to reduce erosion rates, we found more sediment at sites near a road under construction at the time of the storm. Collectively, our data demonstrated a major negative impact of land development on coral reefs, a problem likely to grow in scale given the growing demands for developed land and the recent frequency of large storms in the tropical Atlantic.",

keywords = "AUSTRALIAN SCLERACTINIAN CORALS, POCILLOPORA-DAMICORNIS, COSTA-RICA, SEDIMENT, FLORIDA, CAHUITA, STRESS, SEA",

author = "Nowlis, {J S} and C Roberts and A Smith and E Siirila",

year = "1997",

month = dec,

language = "English",

volume = "26",

pages = "515--521",

journal = "AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment",

issn = "0044-7447",

publisher = "Allen Press Inc.",

number = "8",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Human-enhanced impacts of a tropical storm on nearshore coral reefs

AU - Nowlis, J S

AU - Roberts, C

AU - Smith, A

AU - Siirila, E

PY - 1997/12

Y1 - 1997/12

N2 - Land development ranks among the most significant human threats to coral reefs, causing damage by promoting the erosion and transport of soil - called sediment once suspended in water. We studied the impacts of sediment on the coral communities of St. Lucia following a tropical storm. We found more sediment and coral damage on reefs closest to the mouths of large rivers. Coral mortality exceeded 50% at some sites, and the degree of coral mortality and bleaching depended on the amount of sediment at the site. Despite exemplary efforts by engineers to reduce erosion rates, we found more sediment at sites near a road under construction at the time of the storm. Collectively, our data demonstrated a major negative impact of land development on coral reefs, a problem likely to grow in scale given the growing demands for developed land and the recent frequency of large storms in the tropical Atlantic.

AB - Land development ranks among the most significant human threats to coral reefs, causing damage by promoting the erosion and transport of soil - called sediment once suspended in water. We studied the impacts of sediment on the coral communities of St. Lucia following a tropical storm. We found more sediment and coral damage on reefs closest to the mouths of large rivers. Coral mortality exceeded 50% at some sites, and the degree of coral mortality and bleaching depended on the amount of sediment at the site. Despite exemplary efforts by engineers to reduce erosion rates, we found more sediment at sites near a road under construction at the time of the storm. Collectively, our data demonstrated a major negative impact of land development on coral reefs, a problem likely to grow in scale given the growing demands for developed land and the recent frequency of large storms in the tropical Atlantic.

KW - AUSTRALIAN SCLERACTINIAN CORALS

KW - POCILLOPORA-DAMICORNIS

KW - COSTA-RICA

KW - SEDIMENT

KW - FLORIDA

KW - CAHUITA

KW - STRESS

KW - SEA

M3 - Article

SN - 0044-7447

VL - 26

SP - 515

EP - 521

JO - AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment

JF - AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment

IS - 8

ER -