enlarged viewIn March 2001, a cyclone struck the islands of Fiji. Extensive flooding and damage occurred on the western side of the main island (Viti Levu), but the coral on a smaller island to the west was also affected. This mile long island supports a giant clam mariculture facility as well as a small boat marina.
Cyclone Paula destroyed part of the boat marina . The area between the yellow lines was demolished by wave crests reported to be about a foot or more above the wharf. The boat was removed before the cyclone struck and was not damaged.
enlarged view
Directly outside the marina is a giant clam mariculture facility. Tridacna squamosa clams as well as several types of corals in a pristine state, especially the branched coral Acropora formosa are here. The clam bed is approximately 20 meters wide and 45 meters long. It extends from a depth of three meters to approximately ten meters depending on the tide.
In 1994 an ecology study was started in and around the clam bed. The study was designed to investigate the symbiotic relationships between corals and clams. Observations were made on a yearly basis. Each clam in the bed was marked on a map, so that any changes could be observed and noted. Some of the clams never formed a relationship between coral species, yet others served as a base for several types of coral such as the host and corals in the picture on the right. In documenting the study many photos and videos of the area were made. Also temperature, depth and time charts were constructed of the clam bed and adjacent surroundings. I mention this to show that the area had been under documented investigation for a long time before the cyclone struck. The question then is, "How did the cyclone affect the area, especially in regard to the corals and clams ?"
But first, let's look at the extent of damage caused by Cyclone Paula to the marina facility, so you will gain an appreciation for the power of the cyclone. The marina was composed of cement railroad ties supported by many large rocks in a multi-decked sandwich configuration. The top was then covered with a thick layer of cement that serves as a walk along the top of the marina. This makes for an economical and relatively strong structure. However, it could not withstand the waves produced by the cyclone. The levy broke with ties and rocks falling into the clam area. To rebuild, the clams were moved so there wouldn't be further damage to them during the rebuilding process. Several large empty clam shells were discovered, and the coral in the surrounding area was damaged extensively, especially branch type coral.
The coral was primarily damaged by wave action and not by the marina breakup. It was out of the strike zone of ties and rocks.
Note how the Acropora is pointing in different directions, is covered by algae and obviously broken with much of it laying in a helter-skelter arrangement (picture taken May 2001). Lots of the area is like this, whereas before the cyclone it resembles the other photo. The boulder type coral and coral below 15 meters was largely unaffected.
Half the world away a devastating tropical storm wrecked havoc on a popular island in the Netherland Antilles, namely Bonaire.
"Lennie" pounded the west coast of bonaire in 2000 and destroyed much of the shallow water arboreal coral. Corals like the staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) and the elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) were knocked down and tumbled into piles of debris that were virtually unrecognizable.
Some of the devastation can be seen in the photos below. Only hardy specimens like brain corals and the flexible gorgonians offered the best resistance to "Lennie".
Future follow up studies will be reported on this page in subsequent publications.