Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Relationship Between Tropical Cyclone Activity, Nutrient Loading, And Algal Blooms Over The Great Barrier Reef, Chelsea L. Parker, Amanda H. Lynch, Stephanie A. Spera, Keith R. Spangler

Geography and the Environment Faculty Publications

The Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem, is subject to many environmental stressors. This study utilizes remotely sensed Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) chlorophyll a concentration data to explore statistically significant relationships between local-scale tropical cyclone disturbance and relative water quality between 2004–2014. The study reveals that tropical cyclone activity reduces water quality at 8- and 16-day time lags. Relationships suggest that at early stages (during and just after cyclone activity) algal response is induced primarily through wind-driven sediment re-suspension. However, wind speed in isolation only increases minimum levels of chlorophyll a, rather than mean or …