However, there's also evidence that tropical storms may provide a benefit to coral reefs. Just as natural disasters like lightening fires clear dead branches and grass from forest floors allowing new growth, violent winds and seas can actually enhance biodiversity in coral reefs. Early reports indicate that in some sections of the reef Hurricane Georges blasted off black band disease that threatens thriving colonies. Storms in previous years have cleared out branching corals leaving room for slower growing, more massive corals to flourish. In other instances, segments of branching corals, broken off and scattered by the waves, reproduce and start new colonies elsewhere.
Storms often clear the reef substrate, leaving new surfaces for the recruitment of coral larvae.
And broken corals many times become stronger than their original structures. This year's hurricane, while destructive, offers researchers an opportunity to learn more about the role natural events play on coral reefs ecosystems.