Abstract:

Marine ecosystems can be disturbed by hurricanes causing changes in storm-surge, erosion, freshwater inflow, material loads, or water quality. A notable example is Hurricane Harvey (25 August 2017), a category 4 storm that perturbed San Antonio Bay in south Texas. Sampling for benthic abundance, biomass, and diversity was done quarterly at four stations beginning in 2004. Within 8 months of Hurricane Harvey, bivalve mollusk recruitment event was started, and it lasted until July 2018. The data suggests that benthic communities were initially devastated but took less than one year to recover. Given that storms occur at geological time scales, they are possibly not responsible for enduring devastating disturbance to benthic communities. This data supports the publication of Montagna PA (2023) Benthic infauna are resistant and resilient to hurricane disturbance. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 707:1-13. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14263

Suggested Citation:

Montagna, Paul A.. 2023. Effects of Hurricane Harvey on benthos of San Antonio Bay, Texas from 2004-01-07 to 2018-10-26. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/s1qhhvz2

Publications:

Montagna, P. (2023). Benthic infauna are resistant and resilient to hurricane disturbance. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 707, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14263

Purpose:

Determine the effect of a hurricane on short- and long-term change in benthic macroinfauna communities.

Data Parameters and Units:

Sample Depth (m), Temperature (C), Salinity (psu), DO concentration (mg/L), pH (pH units), Sample vertical location (Surface/Bottom), Sample period relative to storm (Before/After), Days prior to storm (d), Days after storm (d), Richness, number of species (S) per sample (S/35.26 cm²), number extrapolated to g per meter-square (n/m²), mass extrapolated to meter-square (g/m²)

Methods:

Water samples were collected with sampling bottles from just below the surface and from the bottom. Using a Hydrolab 4000 instrument salinity was measured at each sampling station. Sediment sampling was done with core tubes by divers. Using a 1.8 cm diameter tube the meiofauna were sampled at depth intervals of 0-1 cm and 1-3 cm. A tube 6.7 cm in diameter was used to sample macrofauna at sediment intervals of 0-3 cm and 3-10 cm. 5% buffered formalin was used to preserve samples. Further details are provided in Montagna, P.A. and R.D. Kalke. 1992.

Provenance and Historical References:

Montagna PA (2023) Benthic infauna are resistant and resilient to hurricane disturbance. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 707:1-13. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14263 Montagna, P. A. and R. D. Kalke. 1992. The effect of freshwater inflow on meiofaunal and macrofaunal populations in the Guadalupe and Nueces Estuaries, Texas. Estuaries 15: 307-326. https://doi.org/10.2307/1352779 Patrick, C.J., Yeager, L., Armitage, A.R., Carvallo, F., Congdon, V., Dunton, K.H., Fisher, M., Hardison, A.K., Hogan, J.D., Hosen, J., Hu, X., Kiel Reese, B., Kinard, S., Kominoski, J.S., Lin, X., Liu, Z., Montagna, P.A., Pennings, S. C., Walker, L., Weaver, C.A., Wetz, M. 2020. A System level analysis of ecosystem responses to hurricane impacts on a coastal region. Estuaries and Coasts 43:943-959. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-019-00690-3 Walker, L.M., P.A. Montagna, X. Hu, M.S. Wetz. 2021. Timescales and magnitude of water quality change in three Texas estuaries induced by passage of Hurricane Harvey. Estuaries and Coasts 44: 960-971. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-020-00846-6

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