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Lugo-Fernandez, A., & Gravois, M. (2010). Understanding impacts of tropical storms and hurricanes on submerged bank reefs and coral communities in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. Continental Shelf Research, 30(10), 1226-1240.
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Central America/ Caribbean: Mexico
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Moderate storms have been shown to affect the Flower Garden Banks (FGB) coral reefs positively.The wave-current flows transports sediment particles, uplifting the near-bottom nepheloid layer to the banks tops but without breaking coral skeletons. Storm-driven turbulence induces cooling by heat extraction, mixing, and upwelling, which reduces coral bleaching potential and deepens the mixed layer by about 20 m. Tropical storms also aid larvae dispersal from and onto the FGB reefs.The FGB reefs and neighbouring reef banks act as coral refugia because of their offshore location and deep position in the water column, which shields them from the negative effects of all but the strongest hurricanes. Low storm activity in 1994-2004 actually contributed to an 18% coral cover increase.
Very strong storms, however, have negative effects. Hurricane Rita for example, which hit FGB in 2005, reduced coral cover by 11% to nearly pre-1994 levels due to severe damages from high-force waves, turbidity, and sedimentation.
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