Do hurricanes and tropical storms damage seagrass beds?



Tropical cyclones often cause minimal and short-term damage to seagrass beds because the plants are protected by overlying waters. Each storm is unique and can directly and/or indirectly affect seagrasses. 

Direct effects often include immediate responses to wind, waves, and currents such as the shearing of leaves (much like cutting your grass), the ripping out of whole plants as sediments are eroded away, or their burial as sediments are moved and deposited. Fortunately, if the rhizomes and roots in the sediment remain intact, new leaves may emerge after the storm.

Indirect effects may reduce seagrass abundance over time and are often associated with elevated rainfall, reduced salinities, and impaired water quality and clarity. Storm runoff and prolonged high river flow linked to heavy rains on land can result in darkly colored waters in estuaries and coastal areas for weeks or months, reducing the amount of light available to seagrasses. Extended periods of reduced light availability may cause seagrass losses months after a storm. Additionally, stormwater runoff can deliver fresher and/or low oxygenated water which can inhibit seagrass growth and/or result in plant death.


Photos of seagrass burial (a & b) and erosion/blade removal (c & d) in the Florida Keys following the landfall of Hurricane Irma, Category 4, in 2017 (Wilson et al. 2020)












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