The Aftermath of Hurricanes

Figure 8.2

This figure appears in chapter 8 of the Climate Change Impacts in the United States: The Third National Climate Assessment report.

http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/report/sectors/ecosystems/graphics/aftermath-hurricanes

Hurricanes illustrate the links among precipitation, discharge and nutrient loading to coastal waters. Hurricanes bring intense rainfall to coastal regions, and ensuing runoff leads to blooms of algae. These blooms contribute to dead zone formation after they die and decompose. Photo above shows Pamlico Sound, North Carolina, after Hurricane Floyd. Note light green area off the coast, which is new algae growth. The graph on the left shows a steep drop in salinity of ocean water due to the large influx of freshwater from rain after a series of hurricanes. Red arrows indicate Hurricanes Dennis, Floyd, and Irene, which hit sequentially during the 1999 hurricane season. The graph on the right shows a steep rise in the amount of surface chlorophyll after these hurricanes, largely due to increased algae growth. (Figure source: (top) NASA SeaWiFS; (bottom) Paerl et al. 20035819afc3-b206-4954-bb40-720b27092350).

When citing this figure, please reference (top) NASA SeaWiFS; (bottom) Paerl et al. 20035819afc3-b206-4954-bb40-720b27092350.

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This figure was created on March 18, 2014.

This figure was derived from Phytoplankton Photopigments as Indicators of Estuarine and Coastal Eutrophication using the activity nca3-aftermath-hurricanes-activity-1.

References :

• Phytoplankton Photopigments as Indicators of Estuarine and Coastal Eutrophication (5819afc3)

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