Keywords
hurricanes
sediment transport
How to Cite
Abstract
It has been widely documented that coral reefs play a very important role in the dissipation of wave energy. Observations of beach morphology, made before and after a major hurricane that hit SE Mexico in October 2005 (Wilma), show widespread erosion at an exposed beach (Cancun), but unexpected beach accretion 25 km south at a beach fronted by a fringing reef (Puerto Morelos). The DELFT 3D morphodynamic model is used at a regional scale to explain the divergent morphological behavior of both beaches and explore the processes involved at both sites. A combination of offshore transport at the exposed beach, large scale southward sediment transport and onshore transport along the reef protected beaches seems to be the main explanation for the observed morphological behavior. Dune erosion and beach face sand relocation are also partially responsible for the beach progradation at the reef protected site.References
Coronado, C., Candela, J., Iglesias-Prieto, R., Sheinbaum, J., López, M. and Ocampo-Torres, F.J., 2007. On the circulation in the Puerto Morelos fringing reef lagoon. Coral Reefs, 26, 149-163.
Done, T. J. 1992. Phase shifts in coral reef communities and their ecological significance. Hydrobiologia 247: 121-132.
De'ath, G., Lough, J.M., Fabricius, K.E. 2009. Declining coral calcification on the Great Barrier Reef. Science vol 323:116 -119. doi:10.1126/science.1165283.
Escalante, E., Silva, R., Mendoza, E., Mariño-Tapia, I. Ruiz, F., 2009. Análisis de la variación del nivel del mar y de las corrientes inducidas por el huracán Wilma en Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México. Revista Ingeniería Hidráulica en México. Vol. XXIV, número 2 pp. 111-126. ISSN 0186-4076.
Ferrario, F., Beck, M.W., Storlazzi, C.D., Micheli,F., Shepard, C.C., Airoldi,L. 2014. The effectiveness of coral reefs for coastal hazard risk reduction and adaptation. Nature 15:3794, doi:10.1038/ncomms4794.
Franklin, G.L., Mariño-Tapia, I. and Torres-Freyermuth, A. 2013. Effects of reef roughness on wave setup and surf zone currents. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 65, pp. 2005-2010, ISSN 0749-0208.
Gonzalez-Leija, M., Mariño-Tapia, I., Silva-Casarin, R, Enriquez, C., Mendoza, E., Escalante-Mancera, E., Ruiz-Renteria, F. & Uc-Sanchez, E. 2013. Morphodynamic evolution and sediment transport processes of Cancun beach. Journal of Coastal Research. 29 (5) 1146-1157
.
Gourlay, M.R. and Colleter, G. 2005. Wave-generated flow on coral reefs: An analysis for two dimensional horizontal reef-tops with steep faces. Coastal Engineering, 52, 353-387.
Halpern, B.S., Walbridge, S., Selkoe, K.A., Kappel, C.V., Micheli, F., D'Agrosa, C., Bruno, J.F., Casey, K.S., Ebert, C., Fox, H.E., Fujita, R., Heinemann, D., Lenihan, H.S., Madin, E.M.P., Perry, M.T., Selig, E.R., Spalding, M., Steneck, R.S., and Watson, R., 2008. A global map of human impact on marine ecosystems. Science 319(5865), 948-952.
Hearn, C.J. 1999. Wave-breaking hydrodynamics within coral reef systems and the effect of changing relative sea level. Journal of Geophysical Research, 104, 30007-30019.
Longuet-Higgins, M. S. 1983.Wave set-up, percolation and undertow in the surf zone. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. 390(1799):283-291. doi: 10.1098/rspa.1983.0132.
Mariño-Tapia, I., Silva, R., Enriquez, C., Mendoza, E. Escalante, E. Ruiz, F. 2008. Extreme conditions induced by hurricane Wilma in intermediate water depth at Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico. ICCE Proceedings, Hamburg Germany. 573-583.
Odériz, I., Mendoza, E., Leo, C., Santoyo, G., Silva, R., Martínez, R., Grey E. and López, R., 2014. An Alternative Solution to Erosion Problems at Punta Bete-Punta Maroma, Quintana Roo, Mexico: Conciliating Tourism and Nature. In: Silva, R., and StrusiÅ,,ska-Correia, A. (eds.), Coastal Erosion and Management along Developing Coasts: Selected Cases, Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 71, pp. 75-85.
Pandolfi, J. M., Connolly, S.R., Marshall, D.J. and Cohen, A.L. 2011. Projecting Coral Reef Futures Under Global Warming and Ocean Acidification. Science 333, 418. doi: 10.1126/science.1204794
Ruiz de Alegría-Arzaburu, A., Mariño-Tapia, I., Enriquez, C., Silva, R., González-Leija, M. 2013. The role of fringing coral reefs on beach morphodynamics. Geomorphology, GEOMOR-3597R1.
Silva, R., Mariño-Tapia, I., Enriquez, C., Mendoza, E., Escalante, E. & Ruiz, F. 2006. Monitoring shoreline changes at Cancun beach, Mexico: effects of hurricane Wilma. Word Scientific Publishing, ICCE Proceedings, San Diego. Vol 4. 3491-3503.
Silva, R., Martínez, M.L., Hesp, P., Catalan, P., Osorio, A. F., Martell, R., Fossati, M., Miot da Silva, G., Mariño-Tapia, I., Pereira, P., Cienfuegos, R., Klein, A., Govaere, G., 2014. Present and future challenges of coastal erosion in Latin America. In: Silva, R., and StrusiÅ,,ska-Correia, A. (eds.), Coastal Erosion and Management along Developing Coasts: Selected Cases, Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue, No. 71, pp. 1-16.
Silva, R., Mendoza, E., Escalante, E., Mariño-Tapia, I., Ruiz, F. 2009. Oleaje inducido por el huracán Wilma en Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México. Revista Ingeniería Hidráulica en México. Vol. XXIV, número 2 pp. 93-110. ISSN 0186-4076
Silva, R., Ruiz, G., Mariño-Tapia, I., Posada, G., Mendoza, E. Escalante, E. 2012. Man-made vulnerability of the Cancun beach system: The case of hurricane Wilma. Clean-Soil, Air, Water. 40(9): 911-919.
Thornton, E. B., Humiston, R. T. and Birkemeier, W. 1996. Bar/trough generation on a natural beach, Journal of Geophysical Research, 101(C5), 12097-12110, doi: 10.1029/96JC00209.