On the circulation in the Puerto Morelos fringing reef lagoon

• Published in: Coral reefs Vol. 26; no. 1; pp. 149 - 163
• Main Authors: Coronado, C., Candela, J., Iglesias-Prieto, R., Sheinbaum, J., López, M., Ocampo-Torres, F. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.03.2007; Berlin Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hurricanes; Lagoons; Marine; Sea level; Sea level changes; Sea water ecosystems; Synecology; Trade winds; Water currents; Wave height; ASW, Mexico, Yucatan, Puerto Morelos Lagoon; ASW, Caribbean Sea; ASW, Mexico Gulf, Yucatan Current; ASW, Mexico, Quintana Roo, Puerto Morelos; Fringing reef; Along shore current modulation; Surface waves; Residence time; Hydrodynamics; Coral reef; Fringing reef lagoon
• ISSN: 0722-4028; 1432-0975
• DOI: 10.1007/s00338-006-0175-9

For a period of 22 months beginning in September 2003, an array of four current profilers were deployed on the Puerto Morelos fringing reef lagoon, a microtidal Caribbean environment characterised by the influence of the Yucatan Current (YC) and a Trade Wind regime. The dataset includes water currents, bottom pressure, and surface waves complemented with coastal meteorological data and surface currents from an acoustic Doppler current profiler moored 12 km offshore. Normal circulation conditions consisted of a surface wave-induced flow entering the lagoon over a shallow reef flat and strong flows exiting through northern and southern channels. This wave induced flow was modulated by a low-frequency sea level change related to a geostrophic response to the YC variability offshore, with tidal and direct wind forcing playing additional minor roles. Under extended summer low-wave height conditions, together with a decrease in sea level from the intensification of the offshore current, the exchange of the lagoon with the adjacent ocean was drastically reduced. Under normal wave conditions (H ^sub S^ = 0.8 ± 0.4 m, mean ± SD), water residence time was on average 3 h, whereas during Hurricane Ivan's extreme swell (H ^sub S^ = 6 m) it decreased to 0.35 h.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]