Coral Restoration versus relative sea-level rise for Buck Island, St, Croix

If restoration efforts can increase coverage of Acropora palmata by ~30% cover at Buck Island Reef National Monument, resulting reef growth rates could be high enough for the reef to keep pace with moderate projections of sea-level rise (~0.5 m) by the end of the century. This reef recovery would decrease the potential flooding associated with major hurricanes (Category-5) to levels projected for more minor tropical storms.