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From: Elizabeth Lackey
Date: 11/18/02
Time: 8:47:49 PM
Remote Name: 24.159.72.249
Biosphere and Hurricane Interactions
E>H>B: Hurricanes are an important part of the natural scheme of things because they help clean out species that might otherwise dominate an ecosystem. They also stir up much needed oxygen in oceanic "dead zones." They rekindle growth of opportunistic plants and provide critical food for animals. Their beneficial effects start before they ever get close to the shore. Hurricanes vertically mix up the water column which breaks up dead zones of oxygen-poor water. As hurricanes get closer to the shore, this mixing breaks up pockets of fresh water that are infested with bacteria from stream run-off. Along the coast, strong currents created by a hurricane's storm surge flush out sediment, rubble and weeds from coral reefs, and blast away fungal diseases that damage coral. The storms also draw up nutrient-rich water from below, which provides a major food source for sea life. (“http://www.explorezone.com/archives/99_09/20_hurricane_benefits.htm”)
E>H>A>B: Hurricanes bring with them huge amounts of rain. A big hurricane can dump dozens of inches of rain in just a day of two, much of it inland. That amount of rain can create inland flooding that can totally devastate a large area around the hurricane's center. High sustained winds cause structural damage. These winds can also roll cars, blow over trees and erode beaches (both by blowing sand and by blowing the waves into the beach).
The prevailing winds of a hurricane push a wall of water, called a storm surge, in front of it. If the storm surge happens to synchronize with a high tide, it causes beach erosion and significant inland flooding. Hurricane winds often spawn tornadoes, which are smaller, more intense cyclonic storms that cause additional damage. This combination of winds, rain and flooding can level a coastal town and cause significant damage to cities far from the coast. (“http://www.howstuffworks.com/hurricane5.htm”)
RESOURCES
(“http://www.explorezone.com/archives/99_09/20_hurricane_benefits.htm”)
(“http://www.howstuffworks.com/hurricane5.htm”)