Ocean Science
Ocean Science
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Articles | Volume 20, issue 3
Articles | Volume 20, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-661-2024
Copyright waived. This work has been dedicated to the public domain (Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication).
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-20-661-2024
Copyright waived. This work has been dedicated to the public domain (Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication).
Articles | Volume 20, issue 3
Research article
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24 May 2024
Research article | Highlight paper |  | 24 May 2024

Impact of Hurricane Irma on coral reef sediment redistribution at Looe Key Reef, Florida, USA

Kimberly K. Yates, Zachery Fehr, Selena Johnson, and David Zawada

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Editorial statement
This paper, using pre-storm, immediate post-storm and recovery data, quantifies seafloor elevation and volume change within the Looe Key Reef system of the Florida Keys Reef Tract over a 2.5-year period from 2016–2019 and to examine impacts from category-4 Hurricane Irma and post-storm re-equilibration of seafloor sediments. The study highlights the need to data collected over seasonal and annual time periods to improve characterization and understanding of short-term (event-driven, seasonal, interannual) and long-term (decadal to multi-decadal) rates and processes of seafloor change and help guide benthic habitat post-storm recovery and restoration efforts in topographically complex coral reef systems.
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Short summary
Global understanding of storm-driven sediment transport along coral reefs and its impact on species and habitats is limited. Measurement of seafloor elevation and volume change due to a category 4 hurricane showed rapid burial of coral reef habitats and migration of large seafloor features due to the storm. Post-storm erosion rates were 2 orders of magnitude greater than historical rates, indicating areas of seafloor instability that could be less suitable for restoration of benthic species.
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