2023/04/21 by Lauren T. Toth, Curt D. Storlazzi, Ilsa B. Kuffner +10 · 1 voice · 2 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Coastal and Marine Dynamics #Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies #Tropical and Extratropical Cyclones Research
paper · pdf · doi:10.1038/s41467-023-37858-2
openalex publication_date 2023/04/21 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
The ability of reefs to protect coastlines from storm-driven flooding hinges on their capacity to keep pace with sea-level rise. Here, we show how and whether coral restoration could achieve the often-cited goal of reversing the impacts of coral-reef degradation to preserve this essential function. We combined coral-growth measurements and carbonate-budget assessments of reef-accretion potential at Buck Island Reef, U.S. Virgin Islands, with hydrodynamic modeling to quantify future coastal flooding under various coral-restoration, sea-level rise, and storm scenarios. Our results provide guidance on how restoration of Acropora palmata, if successful, could mitigate the most extreme impacts of coastal flooding by reversing projected trajectories of reef erosion and allowing reefs to keep pace with the ~0.5 m of sea-level rise expected by 2100 with moderate carbon-emissions reductions. This highlights the potential long-term benefits of pursuing coral-reef restoration alongside climate-change mitigation to support the persistence of essential coral-reef ecosystem services.