Storm‐induced changes in coastal geomorphology control estuarine secondary productivity

Abstract

Estuarine ecosystems are highly sensitive not only to projected effects of climate change such as ocean warming, acidification, and sea-level rise but also to the incidence of nor'easter storms and hurricanes. The effects of storms and hurricanes can be extreme, with immediate impact on coastal geomorphology and water circulation, which is integral to estuarine function and consequently to provision of ecosystem services. In this article, we present the results of a natural estuarine-scale experiment on the effects of changes in coastal geomorphology on hydrodynamics and aquaculture production. A bay in Prince Edward Island, Canada, was altered when a nor'easter storm eroded a second tidal inlet through a barrier island. Previous field and modeling studies allowed a comparison of prestorm and post-storm circulation, food limitation by cultured mussels, and aquaculture harvest. Dramatic increases in mussel production occurred in the year following the opening of the new inlet. Model studies showed that poststorm circulation reduced food limitation for cultured mussels, allowing greater growth. Climate change is expected to have severe effects on the delivery of marine ecosystem services to human populations by changing the underlying physical-biological coupling inherent to their functioning.

Physical sedimentary controls on subtropical coastal and shelf sedimentary systems: Initial application in conceptual models and computer visualizations to support archaeology

“…Major and rapid change is intrinsic to many coastlines, sometimes linked to El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) or some other atmospheric-ocean interaction (Woodroffe & Murray-Wallace, 2014) as well as changes in the delivery and the coastal configuration of sediments (e.g., Lewis, Olley, Furuichi, Sharma, & Burton, 2014;Stanley & Clemente, 2017). Storms, tropical cyclones and other ENSO-related events can have an immediate impact on coastal geomorphology, water circulation, and ecology in coastal estuarine systems, because of inundation, barrier overwash or breaching (Hopley, 1974;Filgueira et al, 2013;May et al, 2017). In terms of coastal dynamics, key parameters include the intensity and repetition of those events that dictate whether the change is short-term or chronic.…”

Ecosystem Models of Bivalve Aquaculture: Implications for Supporting Goods and Services

“…The ultimate field experiment in Tracadie Bay was conducted in December 2009 when a winter storm opened a new tidal inlet along the barrier island (Filgueira et al 2014). Water renewal time for the whole bay was reduced by 1/3 or more.…”

“…Even though new remote sensing technologies and remotely operated in situ sensors are likely to provide relevant data for assessing some of these impacts, we emphasize that ecosystem modelling will remain the main tool for interpreting these processes, assessing ecological carrying capacity and providing management scenarios in the context of global drivers, such as climate change. The Tracadie Bay case of a new inlet is a graphic example (Filgueira et al 2014).…”

Depositional stages of the Eğribucak inner basin (terrestrial to marine evaporite and carbonate) from the Sivas Basin (Central Anatolia, Turkey)

“…The facies attributes are consistent with the environment of an estuarine or restricted coast, temporally affected by storms, presumably generated from driven tides (Filgueira et al, 2014). The facies can be also classified as a restricted platform (FZ 8) (Wilson, 1975;Flügel, 2004) that is periodically an open sea connection.…”