What Can I Do?

With all this talk about the hurricanes destroying corals you may be wondering (I hope), “But what can little old me do to stop such a monstrous creation?”

You may think it impossible but action can be taken to protect our reefs. Of course you can't physically, directly stop a hurricane, but rather inadvertently reduce the effects of it.

By simply planting a tree, you reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the air, which reduced global warming and thus the rise in ocean temperature.

Carpool to destinations so that less carbon dioxide is produced by the engines, or even using public transport.

Picking up rubbish or not littering can reduce the amount of pollution in the sea. When you properly dispose of your litter, they don't enter darain and oceans which can get stuck on coral or damage it due to the force of waves.

Photo Credit: Kathryn Berry

If you're in the Caribbean, avoid stepping/ touching the coral reefs when diving. And DO NOT break off pieces as souvenirs.

Also avoid using products such as sunscreens that contain Benzophenone-2 as it was found to stop coral reproduction [1]

By preserving red mangrove trees (Rhizophora mangle), the most common type found in the Caribbean, the amount of litter entering the sea can be reduced. These trees are found in swamps, or brackish water (mixture of salt and fresh water) along coastlines, with long roots that act as a filter for rubbish and litter and as a means of preventing coastal erosion. It also creates an area for fresh water to mix with the sea so there would not be a drastic salinity change. The large area the trees occupy also cools down the water when they block the sun. [2]

Photo Credit: Emma Camp

To find out what further action you can take visit:

https://www.epa.gov/coral-reefs/what-you-can-do-help-protect-coral-reefs

Reference:

[1]http://www.haereticus-lab.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/ecotox-sunscreen-chemicals.pdf

[2]https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/02/150210-mangrove-protect-coral-bleaching-science/

A Hurricane's Purpose

Many see hurricanes as only destructive forces of nature that reck property, ruin crops and overall destroy 

livelihoods. The task of rebuilding is always a long and challenging one, be it a human community or wildlife. But there is always some good in the bad, as nature has a way of balancing everything.

Believe it or not hurricanes actually help corals around its vicinity by reducing the Earth’s temperature. 

According to the article “Hurricanes and their Effects on Coral Reefs” published by the Global Coral Reef 

Monitoring Network, there are three ways in which hurricanes can do this [1]. They are:

1) Hurricanes use heat as an energy source. As stated in a previous post, hurricanes need certain conditions to form, one being warm waters. They take up heat from the upper water column and surface water through latent heat of vapourization, where energy is absorbed to change its physical state while maintaining it temperature.[2]. The heat energy absorbed, fuels the hurricane, while the energy lost from the ocean, cools it.

Image Credit: Yiqi Shao

2)Turbulent waves bring up cooler water. The massive disturbance that a hurricane creates can change the sea surface temperature, which is the temperature of the ocean’s surface millimeter [3]. The wind created by the hurricane turns the water creating waves, which can turn the water, bringing cooler water to the surface. This mixing of temperatures, reduces the sea surface temperature. Of course the extent of this depends on the wind speed and depth of ocean.

Image Credit: EOSC 114

3)Clouds shade the ocean from the sun. The cloud of a hurricane can stretch for miles, covering a significant portion of the Earth. This cloud cover prevents the Sun’s UV light from reaching the ocean’s surface. This gives the water a chance to cool by releasing heat into the atmosphere. The clouds also reflect the sunlight back out into space so the atmosphere cools as well [4].  

Photo Credit: NASA Satelites 

Image Credit: NASA ClimateKids

Once the temperature of the water is decreased, it removes thermal stress from the coral, stopping coral 

bleaching [5]

Next time you wonder why something as destructive as a hurricane existe, imagine if hurricanes were not 

here to regulate ocean temperature. The seas would boil. All the coral in the tropics would begin bleaching, 

and eventually die. Many reef species would be left without shelter or food, leading to the extinction of some 

species. This would then cause a collapse in the marine food web and the starvation of millions of people 

who depend on the ocean for food. Not to mention, if oceans ever reach their limit of heat absorption, it 

would remain trapped in the atmosphere, slowly baking the Earth.

References:

[1] HURRICANES, BACKGROUND TO. “3 Hurricanes and their effects on coral reefs.” Status of 

Caribbean coral reefs after bleaching and hurricanes in 2005 31 (2008).

https://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/status_carib_corals.pdf#page=39

[2] https://www.britannica.com/science/latent-heat

[3] https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/global-maps/MYD28M

[4] https://climatekids.nasa.gov/review/greenhouse-effect/clouds-cool.html [5]https://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/bleachingoutlook/descriptions/demo_background_stress.php

How Hurricanes Attack the Reef

Hurricanes are forces of nature that cause destruction wherever they go. In an earlier post, the effect of  

hurricanes on land were discussed, but now we focus on the actually point of this blog, their effects on coral 

reefs.

When a hurricane approaches land the force of the wind and sea push water unto to the land in what is 

known as a “storm surge”. This water can erode the land near the sea and change the mineral content of the soil. The effects of storm surges on land can be reduced by coral reefs [1]. The coral act as a 

surf break, where the force of the waves is dissipated when the water has to flow against/around the structures. This reduces the energy the wave possesses so that the height and inland intrusion would be reduced.

Image Credit: The Pew Charitable Trusts

According to the article “ Hurricanes and their effect on coral reefs” by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring 

Network, the force of the waves can often be too strong for the corals to withstand so branches and whole 

coral colonies are broken or uprooted from the reef. This can further add to the destruction when these loose pieces are picked up by the wave and thrown against the reef. In the Caribbean, mainly branching elkhorn (Acropora palmata) and staghorn (Acropora cervicornis) coral are broken by intense wave action. Whole tubular colonies are often broken at the base, where it then acts like a wrecking ball on the other coral. [2]

Photo Credit: ESI

The article further went on to say that, the rolling motion of the wave also picks up sand and other debris 

from the ocean floor, carrying it with the waves. The heavier particles containing sand and nutrients, would 

settle on corals causing algae growth [3]. This can be further aided by agricultural runoff, where nutrients from fertilizers are washed into the sea enriching the water with minerals needed to help the algae grow. The algae rapidly grows over the coral surface smothering it, blocking nutrients, oxygen and light, eventually killing the coral [4]. The lighter particles can remain suspended turning the water opaque. This can prevent light from reaching the remaining coral, stopping zooxanthellae (organisms that share a mutualistic symbiotic relationship with the polyps) from photosynthesising. This reduces the amount of oxygen the coral receives, which suffocates it.[5]

Photo Credit: Reef Assessment Monitoring Program

Hurricanes also bring large amounts of rainfall. This addition of fresh water to the environment may be good for land plants but it has devastating effects on marine life. The large quantity of  fresh water added to the sea changes the salinity of the water [6]. This reduction of salt content causes the osmotic pressure in corals to change. More fresh water is taken in creating stress on the corals. [7]

This stress in turn can causes mass coral bleaching. The mechanical damage and chemical composition of the water affects the coral so much they release all their zooxanthellae (microorganisms that give corals their characteristic colour) turning them white. They do this in an effort to recover but if the damage is to severe the zooxanthellae will not be accepted back and the polyp will eventually died. [8]

References:

[1]https://blog.nature.org/conservancy/2011/12/08/coral-reef-wave-break-attenuation-mike-beck/

[2]https://ambergriscaye.com/reefbriefs/briefs31.html

[3]https://link-springer-com.ezproxygateway.sastudents.uwi.tt/article/10.1007/s003380000129

[4]https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/science/nature/article/2016/04/27/weakened-coral-reefs-are-facing-

threat-algae-colonisation

[5]HURRICANES, BACKGROUND TO, “3. Hurricanes and their effects on coral reefs.” Status of 

Caribbean coral reefs after bleaching and hurricanes in 2005 31 (2008)

https://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/status_carib_corals.pdf#page=39

[6]Jackson, J. B. C., M. K. Donovan, K. L. Cramer, and V. V. Lam. “Status and trends of Caribbean coral 

reefs.” Gland: Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, IUCN.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sara_Rivero-

Calle/publication/272611622_GCRMN_Caribbean_report_Status_and_Trends_of_Caribbean_Coral_Reef

s_1970-2012_Puerto_Rico_Chapter/links/55195fa60cf2d241f3564ae4/GCRMN-Caribbean-report-

Status-and-Trends-of-Caribbean-Coral-Reefs-1970-2012-Puerto-Rico-Chapter.pdf

[7]http://www.reefresilience.org/coral-reefs/stressors/climate-and-ocean-change/changes-in-storm-

patterns/

[8]https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/corals/coral08_naturalthreats.html

Struggling with Assignments

So this week was a busy one. Natural disasters paired with midterm exams and assignments, you start thinking it was a month rather than seven days. However, this week helped me realize that my country really needs environmentalist to step forward and help the overall development. This surprisingly gave me a lot of motivation to finish my “scientific poster” for a course I’m doing. This was obviously based on none other than (you guessed it), ”Hurricanes and Corals”

At this point, with all the research I am doing, I think myself an expert in this topic. I have spent weeks researching, reading, and struggling to change words so I don't get accused of plagiarism. All this built up knowledge was meant for me to share with the public in anyway possible. Unfortunately, a scientific poster is nothing like a blog.

For a scientific poster, you need to use short bulleted points to convey your message. How am I supposed to fit my vast knowledge into a few words. The impact a hurricane has on the marine environment it so detailed, it needs paragraphs to explain. A couple words per point does not do it justice.

There must be a certain understanding to the way a hurricane works to know how it could affect a reef. Then you have to be aware of the type of coral that exist in the Caribbean to know the level of destruction that could take place. Basically I felt all my posts should be included in some way to give the necessary information.

Of course it ended up being really lengthy, which was NOT aesthetically pleasing. Even when I cut it down to a few paragraphs, it was still too wordy and couldn't fit on the page. I think the most difficult part, was determining which point should be excluded or was not necessary. It's so hard to determine what should be there. Either way there is still time for me to fix what I can and maybe when I'm done (and not ashamed of the marks) I may post it up here.

Caribbean Coral Colonies

When you think of the Caribbean, you imagine sun, sand and surf. Many come to our region just to enjoy our warm waters and amazing reefs (others stay for the food).

The Caribbean reefs only make up 8% of the world coral reefs which is not surprising considering our small size. It is composed of [1]:

• Mainly Fringing Reefs (Shore Reefs) which are reefs that extend from the shore with no true lagoon (deep water channel) between them.
• Two Barrier Reefs, which are reefs that run parallel to the shore and are separated by a lagoon, near Belize and island of Providencia.
• One Atoll Reef, which is a circular oceanic reef system containing a large lagoon, called Glover's Reef off the coast of Belize.

Image Credit: World Resources Institute 

The Caribbean Sea contains approximately 65 species of hard coral (reefs builders) and 700 reef associated fish species [1]. Most reefs are mainly dominated by [2]:

• Clubtip Finger Coral (Porites porites)

• Lobed Star Coral (Montastrea annularis)

• Staghorn Coral (Acropora cervicornis)

• Elkhorn Coral (Acropora palmata).

These stony corals are colonial corals which secrete calcium carbonate to make its skeleton. Because of their tough outer structure, when the coral dies, it provides a stable place for other polyps to settle an grow. These hard corals make up the base of many coral reefs, when it provides structural support and a suitable environment for juvenile fish to live and evade predators [3].

Since the majority of Caribbean Islands have Fringing Reefs, the population tends to utilize it as much as it can. Many people have grown to depend on the reefs for income, through tourism and the fishing industry, for food and even medicine. We even use reefs for protection against hurricanes to reduce storm surges that could destroy coastal areas. With the amount of activity involved in and around reefs it is no wonder that reefs are slowly being destroyed either naturally or man-made. Even though policies are being made to improve the treatment of coral reefs it may be a long time before the reefs begin to properly heal.

For a better understanding of Coral Reefs in general you can check out the video below:

video.nationalgeographic.com/video/101-videos/coral-reefs-101

References:

[1] https://www.coral-reef-info.com/caribbean-coral-reefs.html

[2] https://scubadiverlife.com/basic-caribbean-coral-identification-part-1-hard-corals/

[3] https://www.thoughtco.com/stony-corals-hard-corals-2291834

On a Scale of 1-5

Everything in our world for some reason can be given a number. From our national identification card to meal options. It is used to clearly identify specific objects and even arrange into a scale. This was the concept that lead to the creation of the popular Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (SSHWS) which is mostly used in the Atlantic and North and Central Pacific basins. (Personally this was the easiest scale to remember as the other scales were coded and had to depend on a computer to interpret. Granted, the computer was more accurate with all the factors considered.)

As the name suggest it was created by Herbert Saffir and Robert Simpson in 1971 to easily identify the levels of a hurricane. In the original scale rated 1-5, it categorized a hurricane based on the wind speed to the destruction of the surroundings, effects of storm surges and flooding. In the last decade, improvements were made to the scale to increase accuracy, by removing flood ranges, storm surges, rainfall and location [1]. The improved SSHWS only measures the wind speed and the potential destruction on infrastructure.

Image credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Category 1:

Usually can destroy flimsy homes, tear off unsecured galvanized roofs, uproot shallow trees and snap tree branches. Can topple power lines.

Category 2:

Can destroy wooden structures and parts of buildings, uproot numerous trees (can block roads) and destroy power lines.

Category 3:

Considered a major hurricane. Can destroy parts of well made buildings, blow away roofs, uproot trees, destroy power lines and cut off water lines. Roads may become impassable.

Category 4:

Considered a major hurricane. Can destroy external walls of buildings and rip off roofs, destroy trees, power lines and water lines. Roads may be impassable and the area can become extremely dangerous to live in.

Category 5:

Considered a major hurricane. Can destroy whole buildings. Flaten trees, power lines, cut off water lines. Roads will become unusable and the area unfit to live in for several months [2].

The damage caused by hurricane force wind is perfectly shown in the video [3]:

Video credit: The COMET Program/MetEd

References:

[1] http://www.nws.noaa.gov/infoservicechanges/sshws.pdf

[2] https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshws.php

[3] https://youtu.be/W3ghU4e2OKY

How To Build A Hurricane

Everyone at one point in their lives has heard about hurricanes. It may be called a tropical storm, 
typhoon, tropical depression or cyclone depending on where you live. In the Caribbean we refer 
to this destructive force of nature as a hurricane.

What is a hurricane?

A hurricane is an intense tropical weather system of strong thunderstorms with a well-defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 74 mph (64 kt) or higher. [1] In the Northern Hemisphere it usually rotates counterclockwise and in the Southern Hemisphere it rotates clockwise. This is due to the rotation of the earth, called the Coriolis Effect, whereby the rotation of the Earth creates air currents along the surface at the equator which is then pushed outwards.

Photo Credit:Lisa Gardiner/Windows to the Universe

How do they form?

Hurricanes need warm water and low steady air currents to form. The optimum temperature for the formation of hurricanes is around 26͐°C. At this temperature, water starts evaporating from the surface of the sea, creating warm moist air. This warm air would then expand and rapidly rise upwards, while cool air would sink to take its place. The process is then repeated creating currents from the surface of the ocean to the atmosphere. This vortex with a warm core consisting of ascending moist air and inside it another still warmer, but much drier air originally produced by strong subsidence [2]. If high winds are present it can disturb the flow of air. For a hurricane to form  there must be low wind speeds so that the level of moisture remains relatively the same creating the rotating motion of the system.

How are hurricanes built?

Tropical disturbances 

(rain clouds build over warm water)

Tropical depressions 

(rotating thunderstorms with 38 mph or less wind speeds)

Tropical storm 

(wind speed passes 39 mph)

Hurricane 

(wind speed passes 74mph)

References:

[1] http://www.hurricane.com/what-is-a-hurricane.php

[2] http://www.geophysica.fi/pdf/geophysica_1948_3_1_026_palmen.pdf
[Palmen, Erik. "On the formation and structure of tropical hurricanes." Geophysica 3, no. 1 (1948): 26-38. (pg10, para 5)]