High-resolution observations of submarine groundwater discharge reveal the fine spatial and temporal scales of nutrient exposure on a coral reef: Faga'alu, AS
Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) can deliver substantial nutrient and contaminant loads to nearshore coral reefs. Correctly scaling SGD rates from a point source to a reef is generally a linear process involving simplified assumptions on the hydrogeology, bathymetry, and nearshore hydrodynamics that are essential to properly assess SGD scale and impact to individual coral heads. Here, we apply high-resolution SGD techniques to provide information at the scale of individual coral heads in Faga’alu Bay, American Samoa, where focused SGD delivers a plume of freshened and nutrient-rich water directly to the adjacent coral reef. Unoccupied Aerial System-based measurements were used to acquire remotely sensed, calibrated, high-resolution thermal infrared imagery that were coupled with traditional in-situ SGD observations. This approach permits a detailed assessment of SGD and associated nutrient loadings to individual coral heads as a function of time and enables a more realistic method to quantify SGD impact.
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Title | High-resolution observations of submarine groundwater discharge reveal the fine spatial and temporal scales of nutrient exposure on a coral reef: Faga'alu, AS |
| DOI | 10.1007/s00338-022-02245-8 |
| Authors | Ferdinand Oberle, Nancy G. Prouty, Segun B. Adebayo, Curt Storlazzi |
| Publication Type | Article |
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Series Title | Coral Reefs |
| Index ID | 70231405 |
| Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
| USGS Organization | Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center |
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