Extreme
natural events like hurricanes, floods, and droughts can wreak havoc on coastal
communities over just a matter of hours or days. They can cause long-lasting harm
to coastal ecosystems and their economies.
Strong winds and waves that result from storms can degrade habitats by altering freshwater
flow and nutrient concentrations. They can also lead to increased pollution. NCCOS is applying better forecasting
and monitoring methods to help protect human health and save lives, thus lessening
the trauma that coastal communities experience.
CCEHBR’s Coastal Ecology Program has worked in close partnership with other parts
of NOAA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and coastal States throughout
the past several years to assess status and trends in ecological conditions of coastal
ecosystems in response to a variety of human and natural stressors, including extreme
natural events such as major hurricanes. Examples include assessments of environmental
impacts in northern Gulf of Mexico coastal waters following Hurricane Katrina in
August 2005 (Macauley et al. 2007) and in the Neuse River estuary, NC following
three sequential hurricanes (Dennis, Floyd, and Irene) in fall 1999 (Balthis et
al. 2006). While storm-related ecological impacts were detectable in both of these
studies, an important point to keep in perspective were the enormous losses of human
lives, property, and industries resulting from the massive winds and flooding associated
with these events.
CCEHBR, through the
Estuaries and Land Use branch, is also conducting research and developing
risk assessment models for both the east and west coasts to predict the effects
of coastal storms on movement of pesticides and other contaminants into coastal
waters.
Marine Biotoxins'
research at
CCEHBR resolves complex and novel problems to reduce the impact of
harmful algal blooms (HABs) and their toxins on marine animals, human health, and
the quality of coastal ecosystems. The science and technology development are national
and international, multidisciplinary, and state-of-the-art, providing critical scientific
data where information is limited or unavailable.
Research addresses all classes of harmful algae in the U.S. and includes taxonomy
and genomics, HAB growth and termination,
toxin purification and structure determination, toxin transfer and adverse effects,
and biomonitoring and remote detection. Community efforts include award-winning
teams for response to unusual mortality events, volunteer phytoplankton monitoring
network, and technology transfer for toxin detection.