High-resolution observations of submarine groundwater discharge reveal the fine spatial and temporal scales of nutrient exposure on a coral reef: Faga'alu, AS

Coral Reefs
By: , and 

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Abstract

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.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
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
Series title Coral Reefs
DOI 10.1007/s00338-022-02245-8
Volume 41
Year Published 2022
Language English
Publisher Springer
Contributing office(s) Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Description 6 p.
First page 849
Last page 854
Country American Samoa
Other Geospatial Faga’alu Bay
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