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#           The potential for coral reef restoration to mitigate coastal flooding as sea levels rise      

      April 21, 2023    

The ability of reefs to protect coastlines from storm-driven flooding hinges on their capacity to keep pace with sea-level rise. Here, we show how and whether coral restoration could achieve the often-cited goal of reversing the impacts of coral-reef degradation to preserve this essential function. We combined coral-growth measurements and carbonate-budget assessments of reef-accretion potential at Buck Island Reef, U.S. Virgin Islands, with hydrodynamic modeling to quantify future coastal flooding under various coral-restoration, sea-level rise, and storm scenarios. Our results provide guidance on how restoration of Acropora palmata, if successful, could mitigate the most extreme impacts of coastal flooding by reversing projected trajectories of reef erosion and allowing reefs to keep pace with the ~0.5 m of sea-level rise expected by 2100 with moderate carbon-emissions reductions. This highlights the potential long-term benefits of pursuing coral-reef restoration alongside climate-change mitigation to support the persistence of essential coral-reef ecosystem services.

## Citation Information

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link

June 27, 2022

####                 Coral Reef Project              

Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

link

June 27, 2022

####   Coral Reef Project

Learn More

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October 5, 2018

####                 Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies (CREST)              

Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Coral Microbial Ecology Laboratory

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October 5, 2018

####   Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies (CREST)

Learn More

#### Lauren Toth, Ph.D.

##### Research Physical Scientist

St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

ltoth@usgs.gov

727-502-8029

#### Curt Storlazzi, PhD

##### Research Geologist

Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

cstorlazzi@usgs.gov

831-460-7521

#### Ilsa B Kuffner, Ph.D.

##### Research Marine Biologist

St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

ikuffner@usgs.gov

727-502-8048

#### Anastasios Stathakopoulos

##### Oceanographer

St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

astathakopoulos@usgs.gov

727-502-8136

## Related Content

link

June 27, 2022

####                 Coral Reef Project              

Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

link

June 27, 2022

####   Coral Reef Project

Learn More

link

October 5, 2018

####                 Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies (CREST)              

Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Coral Microbial Ecology Laboratory

link

October 5, 2018

####   Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies (CREST)

Learn More

#### Lauren Toth, Ph.D.

##### Research Physical Scientist

St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

ltoth@usgs.gov

727-502-8029

#### Curt Storlazzi, PhD

##### Research Geologist

Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

cstorlazzi@usgs.gov

831-460-7521

#### Ilsa B Kuffner, Ph.D.

##### Research Marine Biologist

St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

ikuffner@usgs.gov

727-502-8048

#### Anastasios Stathakopoulos

##### Oceanographer

St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center

astathakopoulos@usgs.gov

727-502-8136

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####               St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center          

600 4th Street SouthSt. Petersburg, FL33701United States

727-502-8000

727-502-8181

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