The effect of coral degradation on the wave transformation and runup near Whitehouse beach, Jamaica

Abstract

Coral reefs can protect low-altitude coastal areas against wave runup, flooding, and erosion by dissipating wave energy at some distance from the shoreline. Degraded reefs from bleaching events or physical damage can lead to a reduction in bottom friction and roughness. This is also true for the fringing reef at Whitehouse bay in Jamaica. For this research I did an observational study on the current state of coral reefs in the study area, using structure for motion. In addition to this, I did numerical simulations of the wave propagation over the coral reefs in both their current state and in a further degraded state, using Xbeach.