Cyclones

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Tropical Cyclones

What is a tropical cyclone?

  • intense cells of low pressure with a central eye surrounded by a circular wind system
  • storm surges, strong winds
  • unpredictable directions [1]

What Kind of Damage does it do to coral reefs?

  • erosion:
    • destruction and removal of coral
    • removal of surface sand and soil
    • storm ridges [2]
  • biodiversity [3]

Recovery

  • time needed to return to original state
  • greater damage can take anywhere between 5 to 40 years to recover [4]

History of Cyclones

  • Impacts on the Great Barrier Reef
    • Case study: Cyclone Ingrid [5]
      • intensity
      • damages
    • Case study: Cyclone Yasi [6]
      • intensity
      • damages

How to Protect against Tropical Cyclones

  • Marine protected areas [7]
    • NTAs provide protection and act as sources of recovery after natural disasters

Notes

  1. Harmelin-Vivien, Mireille L. "The Effects of Storms and Cyclones on Coral Reefs: A Review." Journal of Coastal Research (1994): 211-31. JSTOR. Coastal Education & Research Foundation, Inc. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.
  2. Scoffin, T.P. "The Geological Effects of Hurricanes on Coral Reefs and the Interpretation of Storm Deposits - Springer." Coral Reefs 12.3-4 (1993): 203-21. Springer Link. Springer-Verlag, 01 Nov. 1993. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.
  3. Harmelin-Vivien, Mireille L. "The Effects of Storms and Cyclones on Coral Reefs: A Review." Journal of Coastal Research (1994): 211-31. JSTOR. Coastal Education & Research Foundation, Inc. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.
  4. Hughes, T.P., A.H. Baird, D.R. Bellwood, M. Card, S.R. Connolly, C. Folke, R. Grosberg, O. Hoegh-Guldberg, J.B.C. Jackson, J. Kleypas, J.M. Lough, P. Marshall, M. Nystrom, S.R. Palumbi, J.M. Pandolfi, B. Rosen, and J. Roughgarden. "Climate Change, Human Impacts, and the Resilience of Coral Reefs." Science 301.5635 (2003): 929-33. Science Magazine. 15 Aug. 2003. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.
  5. Fabricius, Katharina E., Glenn De'ath, Marji Lee Puotinen, Terry Done, Timothy F. Cooper, and Scott C Burgess. "Disturbance Gradients on Inshore and Offshore Coral Reefs Caused by a Severe Tropical Cyclone." Diss. N.d. Abstract. Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography. N.p., 2010. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.
  6. "ABC Rural." Long-term Coral Damage from Cyclone Yasi. ABC, 22 Mar. 2011. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.
  7. Hughes, T.P., A.H. Baird, D.R. Bellwood, M. Card, S.R. Connolly, C. Folke, R. Grosberg, O. Hoegh-Guldberg, J.B.C. Jackson, J. Kleypas, J.M. Lough, P. Marshall, M. Nystrom, S.R. Palumbi, J.M. Pandolfi, B. Rosen, and J. Roughgarden. "Climate Change, Human Impacts, and the Resilience of Coral Reefs." Science 301.5635 (2003): 929-33. Science Magazine. 15 Aug. 2003. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.