Effects of Hurricane Sandy on Fire Island National Seashore (NY): Assessing seagrass-associated nekton communities (July 2018 update)
Tinoco AI and Peterson BJ. 2016. Effects of Hurricane Sandy on Fire Island National Seashore (NY): Assessing seagrass-associated nekton communities (July 2018 update). Natural Resource Report. NPS/NCBN/NRR—2018/1683. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
On October 29, 2012 Hurricane Sandy hit the south shore of Long Island (NY) causing a major breach on Fire Island. The new influx of ocean water has changed various physical and ecological aspects of Great South Bay (GSB), particularly those areas near the breach. In this study, we monitor fauna communities inhabiting the two seagrass species found in GSB, Zostera marina and Ruppia maritima. We quantified the impact of Hurricane Sandy on the fauna within the estuarine lagoon, examining temporal and spatial differences in seagrass-associated nekton as a function of a major disturbance event and the proximity to a new oceanic inlet. Fauna abundances were significantly higher in 2016 (four years post-Hurricane Sandy) as compared to 2013, immediately following the breach. Seagrass associated species, such as the pipefish (Syngnathus fuscus), increased in abundance following an increase in seagrass near the breach. Throw trap data suggest that predators presumably moving in and out of the new inlet are impacting the abundance of juvenile blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) at the sampling site near the breach. Further monitoring of fauna is critical in determining how GSB will ultimately respond to this new influx of ocean water. The value of seagrass as a foundation species is very clear, and effort toward restoration and conservation, while difficult, are of utmost importance. Update Summary The June 2017 version of this report has been updated. Figure 5 and Appendix A Table 1 were edited to reflect the correct data from 1996. The mistake made in the original submission was using the raw data from the 1996 report while not standardizing to replicate and m2 in order to accurately compare to the data collected post-Sandy. The statistics corresponding to the data corrections were also edited within the text.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Tinoco, Amanda; Peterson, Bradley
- Date of Issue
- 2016-07
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- FIIS , NCBN , NRSS
- Keywords
- FIIS, Fire Island National Seashore, Great South Bay, GSB, Hurricane Sandy, Long Island, NCBN, nekton, New York, Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network, seagrass