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Mangrove Damage, Delayed Mortality, and Early Recovery Following Hurricane Irma at Two Landfall Sites in Southwest Florida, USA

  • Special issue: Impact of 2017 Hurricanes
  • Published:
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Abstract

Mangrove forests along the coastlines of the tropical and sub-tropical western Atlantic are intermittently impacted by hurricanes and can be damaged by high-speed winds, high-energy storm surges, and storm surge sediment deposits that suffocate tree roots. This study quantified trends in damage, delayed mortality, and early signs of below- and aboveground recovery in mangrove forests in the Lower Florida Keys and Ten Thousand Islands following direct hits by Hurricane Irma in September 2017. Mangrove trees suffered 19% mortality at sites in the Lower Florida Keys and 11% in the Ten Thousand Islands 2–3 months post-storm; 9 months post-storm, mortality in these locations increased to 36% and 20%, respectively. Delayed mortality of mangrove trees was associated with the presence of a carbonate mud storm surge deposit on the forest floor. Mortality and severe branch damage were more common for mangrove trees than for mangrove saplings. Canopy coverage increased from 40% cover 1–2 months post-storm to 60% cover 3–6 months post-storm. Canopy coverage remained the same 9 months post-storm, providing light to an understory of predominantly Rhizophora mangle (red mangrove) seedlings. Soil shear strength was higher in the Lower Florida Keys and varied with depth; no significant trends were found in shear strength between fringe or basin plots. Rates of root growth, as assessed using root in-growth bags, were relatively low at 0.01–11.0 g m−2 month−1 and were higher in the Ten Thousand Islands. This study demonstrated that significant delayed mangrove mortality can occur 3–9 months after a hurricane has passed, with some mortality attributable to smothering by storm surge deposits.

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Acknowledgments

Field assistance and laboratory support were provided by B Halavik, J Jacobs, B Rosenheim, C Schafer, JM Smoak, S Snader, J Walker, and E Wennick. Site access and research permission were provided by B Jessen for the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, M Danaher for the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge (Special Use Permit 41555-2017-R2), and K Watts for the Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges Complex (Special Use Permit #FFO4RFKD-2015-020). We are grateful for assistance with study design and logistical support provided by SE Engelhart, BP Horton, and AC Kemp, as well as the helpful reviews and comments provided by the Estuaries and Coasts special issue editors and two anonymous reviewers. N.S.K. is supported by Singapore Ministry of Education Academic Research Fund Tier 2 MOE 2018-T2-1-030.

Funding

Funding was provided through grants to RP Moyer by the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (Grant ID: 2320.17.059025) and BP Horton by the National Science Foundation (OCE-1458903) and in-kind services by the US Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, 100 Eighth Avenue Southeast, Saint Petersburg, FL, 33701, USA

    Kara R. Radabaugh, Ryan P. Moyer, Amanda R. Chappel, Emma E. Dontis & Christine E. Russo

  2. Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Rutgers University, 610 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA

    Kristen M. Joyse

  3. University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA

    Melissa W. Bownik & Audrey H. Goeckner

  4. Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 14625 County Road 672, Wimauma, FL, 33598, USA

    Audrey H. Goeckner

  5. Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, N1.3 B1-15, Singapore, 639798, Singapore

    Nicole S. Khan

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  1. Kara R. Radabaugh
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  2. Ryan P. Moyer
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Correspondence to Kara R. Radabaugh.

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Radabaugh, K.R., Moyer, R.P., Chappel, A.R. et al. Mangrove Damage, Delayed Mortality, and Early Recovery Following Hurricane Irma at Two Landfall Sites in Southwest Florida, USA. Estuaries and Coasts 43, 1104–1118 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-019-00564-8

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