Evaluation and Application of Wave and Ocean Circulation Models to Understand Coral Reef Processes

Coral reefs are important habitats because they provide the structure, nutrients, and overall environment to support an astonishing number and diversity of marine species. Additionally, by dissipating incident wave energy they act as natural barriers between island or mainland shorelines and the open ocean. The goals of our study are to provide a clearer understanding of the small and large-scale circulation patterns in this region, evaluate potential impacts of the reef on coastal vulnerability, and explore interconnected geological, chemical and biological processes within the reef system. By evaluating the wave and circulation dynamics across different reef zones (crest, intermediate zone and fore-reef), we can increase understanding of the small-scale processes that drive sediment transport and control the distribution of chemical and biological species. Here, we focus on the hydrodynamic processes at Crocker Reef, located in the upper portion of the Florida Reef Tract. The study couples wave and ocean circulation models and consists of four nested grids in order to both resolve small-scale processes and assess broad scale impacts (90km by 90km). To determine the accuracy of the model output at specific locations, the model was compared to field observations of waves, water levels, and currents collected during a 150-day period. We present results on the dynamics of wave transformation over the reef, and compare and contrast the wave and circulation dynamics between periods with different wave conditions.