Abstract
Absorption of colored dissolved organic matter or detrital gelbstoff (aCDOM/ADG) and light attenuation coefficient (Kd490) parameters were studied at La Parguera Natural Reserve in southwestern Puerto Rico, before and following Hurricanes Irma (6–7 September) and María (20–21 September) in 2017. Water quality assessments involving Sentinel 3A ocean color products and field sample data was performed. The estimated mean of ADG in surface waters was calculated at >0.1 m−1 with a median of 0.05 m−1 and aCDOM443 ranged from 0.0023 to 0.1121 m−1 in field samples (n=21) in 2017. Mean ADG443 values increased from July to August at 0.167 to 0.353 m−1 in September–October over Turrumote reef (LP6) with a maximum value of 0.683 m−1. Values above 0.13 m−1 persisted at offshore waters off Guánica Bay and over coral reef areas at La Parguera for over four months. The ADG443 product presented values above the median and the second standard deviation of 0.0428 m−1 from September to October 2017 and from water sample measurement on 19 October 2017. Mean Kd490 values increased from 0.16 m−1 before hurricanes to 0.28 right after Hurricane Irma. The value remained high, at 0.34 m−1, until October 2017, a month after Hurricane María. Analysis of the Sentinel (S3) OLCI products showed a significant positive correlation (rs = 0.71, p = 0.0005) between Kd490_M07 and ADG_443, indicating the influence of ADG on light attenuation. These significant short-term changes could have ecological impacts on benthic habitats highly dependent on light penetration, such as coral reefs, in southwestern Puerto Rico.
Highlights
Hurricane María was recorded as the third costliest hurricane in USA history [1]
We analyzed the changes in Sentinel 3A (S3) products and complemented our records with surface water sample optical analysis to assess water quality in a natural reserve in southwestern Puerto Rico before and following Hurricanes Irma (6–7 September) and María (20–21 September) in 2017
Light penetration changes after hurricane events can affect seagrasses [11] and Caribbean Sea water is mostly oligotrophic with a high light penetration in the water column, it is seasonally influenced by the Orinoco and Amazon rivers from South America, seasonally [49,50,51]
Summary
Hurricane María was recorded as the third costliest hurricane in USA history [1]. It is considered the most damaging atmospheric event to have impacted the island in the past 90 years. The most critical water quality parameters that can be derived from satellite ocean color sensors are colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), the attenuation coefficient at 490 nm (Kd490), and total suspended matter (TSM). These factors have been historically monitored for water quality assessment and referenced as indicators of coastal and marine ecosystem health [4,7,8]. We analyzed the changes in Sentinel 3A (S3) products and complemented our records with surface water sample optical analysis to assess water quality in a natural reserve in southwestern Puerto Rico before and following Hurricanes Irma (6–7 September) and María (20–21 September) in 2017. The LP6 site data were used in the time frame to avoid negative values and other sensor issues previously mentioned
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