More Like this

1. Evaluating a Steady-State Model of Soil Accretion in Everglades Mangroves (Florida, USA)

   https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-020-00883-1  

   Chambers, Randolph M. ; Gorsky, Adrianna L. ; Castañeda-Moya, Edward ; Rivera-Monroy, Victor H. ( January 2021 , Estuaries and Coasts)

   To determine whether mangrove soil accretion can keep up with increasing rates of sea level rise, we modeled the theoretical, steady-state (i.e., excluding hurricane impacts) limits to vertical soil accretion in riverine mangrove forests on the southwest coast of Florida, USA. We measured dry bulk density (BD) and loss on ignition (LOI) from mangrove soils collected over a period of 12 years along an estuarine transect of the Shark River. The plotted relationship between BD and LOI was fit to an idealized mixing model equation that provided estimates of organic and inorganic packing densities in the soils. We used these estimates in combination with measures of root production and mineral deposition to calculate their combined contribution to steady-state, vertical soil accretion. On average, the modeled rates of accretion (0.9 to 2.4 mm year−1) were lower than other measured rates of soil accretion at these sites and far less than a recent estimate of sea level rise in south Florida (7.7 mm year−1). To date, however, no evidence of mangrove “drowning” has been observed in this region of the Everglades, indicating that assumptions of the linear accretion model are invalid and/or other contributions to soil accretion (e.g., additional sources of organicmore »matter; feedbacks between physical sedimentation processes and biological responses to short-term environmental change) make up the accretion deficit. This exercise highlights the potential positive impacts of hurricanes on non-steady-state soil accretion that contribute to the persistence of neotropical mangroves in regions of high disturbance frequency such as the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean region.« less
2. Hydroperiod and Salinity Interactions Control Mangrove Root Dynamics in a Karstic Oceanic Island in the Caribbean Sea (San Andres, Colombia)

   https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.598132  

   Medina-Calderón, Jairo Humberto ; Mancera-Pineda, José Ernesto ; Castañeda-Moya, Edward ; Rivera-Monroy, Víctor H. ( January 2021 , Frontiers in Marine Science)

   Mangroves sustain high soil accretion and carbon sequestration rates, yet it is still unknown if they can keep pace with increasing sea level rise (SLR) across a wider range of coastal geomorphic settings. Because accretion rates are controlled by mineral sediment inputs and organic matter accumulation, it is paramount to assess the relative contribution of root productivity to soil formation. Here, we evaluated root biomass, production, and turnover in three mangrove ecotypes to evaluate the role of soil nutrient limitation, stressors, and hydroperiod in controlling root dynamics in San Andres Island (SAI), a karstic oceanic island in the Caribbean Sea. Root production was modulated by soil stress conditions and not by nutrient availability as it has been reported for other karstic environments. The lowest root biomass allocation, and both production and turnover of fine roots were measured under low flooding duration, and low salinity (<20 PSU) and sulfide concentrations (0.84 ± 0.4 mM). Yet, when soil stress conditions increased during high flooding duration (6207 h y –1 ) and low oxygen conditions (Eh), root tissues reached the highest biomass and production values, including a relative fast turnover of fine roots (<2 mm; 0.75 y –1 ). Our results follow themore »predictions of the plant root longevity cost-benefit hypothesis where plants maintain roots only until the efficiency of resource acquisition is maximized by water and nutrient acquisition. Because of the importance of groundwater in controlling porewater salinity and mangrove root productivity in karstic oceanic islands such as SAI, water use and coastal development should be regulated in the short term to avoid the loss of mangrove area and concomitant ecosystem services.« less
3. Widespread Deposition in a Coastal Bay Following Three Major 2017 Hurricanes (Irma, Jose, and Maria)

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-43062-4  

   Browning, Trevor N. ; Sawyer, Derek E. ; Brooks, Gregg R. ; Larson, Rebekka A. ; Ramos-Scharrón, Carlos E. ; Canals-Silander, Miguel ( May 2019 , Scientific Reports)

   In 2017, three major hurricanes (Irma, Jose, and Maria) impacted the Northeastern Caribbean within a 2-week span. Hurricane waves can cause physical damage to coastal ecosystems, re-suspend and transport antecedent seafloor sediment, while the associated intense rainfall can yield large influxes of land-derived sediment to the coast (e.g. burial of ecosystems). To understand sedimentation provenance (terrestrial or marine) and changes induced by the hurricanes, we collected bathymetry surveys and sediment samples of Coral Bay, St. John, US Virgin Islands in August 2017, (pre-storms) and repeated it in November 2017 (post-storms). Comparison reveals morphologic seafloor changes and widespread aggradation with an average of ~25 cm of sediment deposited over a 1.28 km²benthic zone. Despite an annual amount of precipitation between surveys, sediment yield modeling suggests watersheds contributed <0.2% of the total depositional volume. Considering locally established accumulation rates, this multi-hurricane event equates to ~1–3 centuries of deposition. Critical benthic communities (corals, seagrasses) can be partially or fully buried by deposits of this thickness and previous studies demonstrate that prolonged burial of similar organisms often leads to mortality. This study illuminates how storm events can result in major sediment deposition, which can significantly impact seafloor morphology and composition and benthic ecosystems.
4. Mangrove Damage, Delayed Mortality, and Early Recovery Following Hurricane Irma at Two Landfall Sites in Southwest Florida, USA

   https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-019-00564-8  

   Radabaugh, Kara R. ; Moyer, Ryan P. ; Chappel, Amanda R. ; Dontis, Emma E. ; Russo, Christine E. ; Joyse, Kristen M. ; Bownik, Melissa W. ; Goeckner, Audrey H. ; Khan, Nicole S. ( April 2019 , Estuaries and Coasts)

   Mangrove forests along the coastlines of the tropical and sub-tropical western Atlantic are intermittently impacted by hurricanes and can be damaged by high-speed winds, high-energy storm surges, and storm surge sediment deposits that suffocate tree roots. This study quantified trends in damage, delayed mortality, and early signs of below- and aboveground recovery in mangrove forests in the Lower Florida Keys and Ten Thousand Islands following direct hits by Hurricane Irma in September 2017. Mangrove trees suffered 19% mortality at sites in the Lower Florida Keys and 11% in the Ten Thousand Islands 2–3 months post-storm; 9 months post-storm, mortality in these locations increased to 36% and 20%, respectively. Delayed mortality of mangrove trees was associated with the presence of a carbonate mud storm surge deposit on the forest floor. Mortality and severe branch damage were more common for mangrove trees than for mangrove saplings. Canopy coverage increased from 40% cover 1–2 months post-storm to 60% cover 3–6 months post-storm. Canopy coverage remained the same 9 months post-storm, providing light to an understory of predominantly Rhizophora mangle (red mangrove) seedlings. Soil shear strength was higher in the Lower Florida Keys and varied with depth; no significant trends were found in shearmore »strength between fringe or basin plots. Rates of root growth, as assessed using root in-growth bags, were relatively low at 0.01–11.0 g m−2 month−1 and were higher in the Ten Thousand Islands. This study demonstrated that significant delayed mangrove mortality can occur 3–9 months after a hurricane has passed, with some mortality attributable to smothering by storm surge deposits.« less
5. Comparing the Biogeochemistry of Storm Surge Sediments and Pre-storm Soils in Coastal Wetlands: Hurricane Irma and the Florida Everglades

   https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-019-00607-0  

   Breithaupt, Joshua L. ; Hurst, Nia ; Steinmuller, Havalend E. ; Duga, Evan ; Smoak, Joseph M. ; Kominoski, John S. ; Chambers, Lisa G. ( January 2019 , Estuaries and Coasts)

   Hurricanes can alter the rates and trajectories of biogeochemical cycling in coastal wetlands. Defoliation and vegetation death can lead to increased soil temperatures, and storm surge can variously cause erosion or deposition of sediment leading to changes in soil bulk density, nutrient composition, and redox characteristics. The objective of this study was to compare the biogeochemistry of pre-storm soils and a carbonate-rich sediment layer deposited by Hurricane Irma that made landfall in southwest Florida as a category 3 storm in September 2017. We predicted that indicators of biogeochemical activity (e.g., potential soil respiration rates, microbial biomass (MBC), and extracellular enzyme activities) would be lower in the storm sediment layer because of its lower organic matter content relative to pre-storm soils. There were few differences between the storm sediment and pre-storm soils at two of the sites closest to the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). This suggests that marine deposition regularly influences soil formation at these sites and is not something that occurs only during hurricanes. At a third site, 8 km from the GOM, the pre-storm soils had much greater concentrations of organic matter, total N, total P, MBC, and higher potential respiration rates than the storm layer. At this samemore »site, CO2 fluxes from intact soil cores containing a layer of storm sediment were 30% lower than those without it. This suggests that sediment deposition from storm surge has the potential to preserve historically sequestered carbon in coastal soils through reduced respiratory losses.« less