Publications by authors named "Olivia M Cheriton"
Article Synopsis
- Land-based groundwater pollution poses a significant threat to coral reefs, highlighting the need for improved "ridge-to-reef" water movement understanding for effective management.
- Researchers conducted a detailed analysis of geochemical and geophysical data on the Kalaupapa peninsula in Hawai'i, revealing a groundwater connection influenced by tides and precipitation between Kauhakō Crater lake and submarine groundwater discharge (SGD).
- Findings showed an average SGD discharge rate of 190 cm per day and identified pathways for nutrient-rich water from cesspools that contribute to nutrient loading near coral reef habitats, emphasizing the importance of managing anthropogenic nutrients.
Hurricanes are extreme storms that affect coastal communities, but the linkages between hurricane forcing and ocean dynamics remain poorly understood. Here, we present full water column observations at unprecedented resolution from the southwest Puerto Rico insular shelf and slope during Hurricane María, representing a rare set of high-frequency, subsurface, oceanographic observations collected along an island margin during a hurricane. The shelf geometry and orientation relative to the storm acted to stabilize and strengthen stratification.
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- - Ocean temperatures are rising due to climate change, leading to a significant increase in coral bleaching events since the 1980s, with predictions that these events could become annual occurrences for most reefs in 30-50 years.
- - Internal waves can help cool reef waters, which may delay severe coral bleaching by over a decade in some cases, depending on the level of carbon emissions.
- - The study presents global maps showing how these cooler water effects could be important for predicting coral health and could influence the establishment of marine protected areas for coral reefs.
Sea levels are rising, with the highest rates in the tropics, where thousands of low-lying coral atoll islands are located. Most studies on the resilience of these islands to sea-level rise have projected that they will experience minimal inundation impacts until at least the end of the 21st century. However, these have not taken into account the additional hazard of wave-driven overwash or its impact on freshwater availability.
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