Login / Signup

Coral reef structural complexity loss exposes coastlines to waves.

Jeremy CarlotMichalis I VousdoukasAlessio RovereTheofanis KarambasHunter S LenihanMohsen KayalMehdi AdjeroudGonzalo Pérez-RosalesLaetitia HédouinValeriano Parravacini
Published in: Scientific reports (2023)
Coral reefs offer natural coastal protection by attenuating incoming waves. Here we combine unique coral disturbance-recovery observations with hydrodynamic models to quantify how structural complexity dissipates incoming wave energy. We find that if the structural complexity of healthy coral reefs conditions is halved, extreme wave run-up heights that occur once in a 100-years will become 50 times more frequent, threatening reef-backed coastal communities with increased waves, erosion, and flooding.
Keyphrases
  • climate change
  • heavy metals
  • human health
  • risk assessment