Kimberly Yates, Ph.D.
Dr. Kimberly Yates is a senior research oceanographer at the U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg Center for Coastal and Marine Science (SPCMSC).
Dr. Yates is also a member of the U.S. Interagency Work Group on Ocean Acidification (IWG-OA), the Executive and founding Steering Committees of the Southeast Ocean and Coastal Acidification Network (SOCAN), and served as Co-Chair of the Ocean Carbon & Biogeochemistry – Ocean Acidification Subcommittee (OCB-OA). She specializes in integrated science studies that examine how changes in coastal ecosystem processes may impact or mitigate risks from coastal hazards, using a whole system perspective that considers the interactions and linkages among chemistry, biology and the physical environment. Much of her recent work has focused on how coral reef seafloor erosion changes risks from sea level rise, waves and storms; impacts on coral reefs and estuaries from coastal and ocean acidification; and identifying and characterizing coastal climate change refuges.
Professional Experience
Senior Research Oceanographer, U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg, FL 2007 – Present
Research Oceanographer, U.S. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg, FL 1998 – 2007
Research Assistant, University of South Florida, Department of Geology 1989 – 1997
Education and Certifications
University of South Florida (USF), Honors Program & Geology, B.A., 1992
University of South Florida, Geology (Biogeochemistry), Ph.D., 1996
Affiliations and Memberships*
Executive Committee Member and Steering Committee Member, Southeast Ocean and Coastal Acidification Network, 2015-present
Committee Member, Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification, National Ocean Science and Technology Subcommittee, 2009-present
Co-Chair, Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry Program – Ocean Acidification Subcommittee, 2011-2016
Committee Member, Gulf of Mexico Coastal Acidification Network, 2016-present
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 68
Grain-Size Data from Upper Florida Keys: Crocker Reef, FL
Sediment samples were collected from undisturbed sections of the seafloor around Crocker Reef, Florida which is a senile, degrading barrier reef located in the northern portion of the Florida Reef Tract (Figure 1). Samples were collected from November 2017 to April 2019. The sediment sample locations were near instruments deployed during the same period to record time series of ocean currents, wav
Seafloor Elevation and Volume Change Analyses from 2016 to 2019 Along the Florida Reef Tract, USA
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center conducted research to quantify bathymetric changes along the Florida Reef Tract (FRT) from Miami to Key West within a 939.4 square-kilometer area. USGS staff calculated changes in seafloor elevation and volume from 2016 to 2019 using light detection and ranging (lidar)-derived digital elevation models (DEMs) acquire
Flooding extent polygons for modelled wave-driven water levels in Florida with and without projected coral reef degradation
This data release presents projected flooding extent polygon (flood masks) shapefiles based on wave-driven total water levels for the State Florida (the Florida Peninsula and the Florida Keys). There are 12 associated flood mask shapefiles: one for each of four nearshore wave energy return periods (rp; 10-, 50-, 100-, and 500-years), the current scenario (base) and each of the degradation scenario
Looe Key, Florida, 2016-2017 Seafloor Elevation Stability Models, Maps, and Tables
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted research to identify areas of seafloor elevation stability and instability based on elevation changes between the years of 2016 and 2017 at Looe Key coral reef near Big Pine Key, Florida, within a 19.74 square-kilometer area. USGS SPCMSC staff used seafloor elevation-change data from Yates and oth
Upper Florida Keys 1930s-2002 Seafloor Elevation Stability Models, Maps, and Tables
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted research to identify areas of seafloor elevation stability and instability based on elevation changes between the 1930s and 2002 in the Upper Florida Keys (UFK) from Triumph Reef to Pickles Reef within a 234.2 square-kilometer area. USGS SPCMSC staff used seafloor elevation-change data from Yates
Crocker Reef, Florida, 2017-2018 Seafloor Elevation Stability Models, Maps, and Tables
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted research to identify areas of seafloor elevation stability and instability based on elevation changes between the years of 2017 and 2018 at Crocker Reef near Islamorada, Florida, within a 6.11 square-kilometer area. USGS SPCMSC staff used seafloor elevation-change data from Yates and others (2019)
Crocker Reef, Florida, 2016-2017 Seafloor Elevation Stability Models, Maps, and Tables
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted research to identify areas of seafloor elevation stability and instability based on elevation changes between the years of 2016 and 2017 at Crocker Reef near Islamorada, Florida, within a 33.62 square-kilometer area. USGS SPCMSC staff used seafloor elevation-change data from Yates and others (2019
Florida Reef Tract 1930s-2016 Seafloor Elevation Stability Models, Maps, and Tables
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted research to identify areas of seafloor elevation stability and instability based on elevation changes between the 1930s and 2016 along the Florida Reef Tract (FRT) from Miami to Key West within a 982.4 square-kilometer area. USGS SPCMSC staff used seafloor elevation-change data from Yates and othe
Looe Key, Florida, 2004-2016 Seafloor Elevation Stability Models, Maps, and Tables
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted research to identify areas of seafloor elevation stability and instability based on elevation changes between the years of 2004 and 2016 at Looe Key coral reef near Big Pine Key, Florida, within a 16.37 square-kilometer area. USGS SPCMSC staff used seafloor elevation-change data from Yates and oth
Looe Key, Florida, 1938-2004 Seafloor Elevation Stability Models, Maps, and Tables
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted research to identify areas of seafloor elevation stability and instability based on elevation changes between the years of 1938 and 2004 at Looe Key coral reef near Big Pine Key, Florida, within a 19.06 square-kilometer area. USGS SPCMSC staff used seafloor elevation-change data from Yates and oth
Upper Florida Keys 2002-2016 Seafloor Elevation Stability Models, Maps, and Tables
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted research to identify areas of seafloor elevation stability and instability based on elevation changes between the years of 2002 and 2016 in the Upper Florida Keys (UFK) from Triumph Reef to Pickles Reef within a 242.4 square-kilometer area. USGS SPCMSC staff used seafloor elevation-change data fro
Florida Reef Tract 2016-2019 Seafloor Elevation Stability Models, Maps, and Tables
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted research to identify areas of seafloor elevation stability and instability based on elevation changes between the years of 2016 and 2019 along the Florida Reef Tract (FRT) from Miami to Key West within a 939.4 square-kilometer area. USGS SPCMSC staff used seafloor elevation-change data from Fehr a
Filter Total Items: 56
Acidification in the U.S. Southeast: Causes, potential consequences and the role of the Southeast Ocean and Coastal Acidification Network
Coastal acidification in southeastern U.S. estuaries and coastal waters is influenced by biological activity, run-off from the land, and increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Acidification can negatively impact coastal resources such as shellfish, finfish, and coral reefs, and the communities that rely on them. Organismal responses for species located in the U.S. Southeast document large ne
Authors
Emily R. Hall, Leslie Wickes, Louis Burnett, Geoffrey I. Scott, Debra Hernandez, Kimberly K. Yates, Leticia Barbero, Janet J. Reimer, Mohammed Baalousha, Jennifer Mintz, Wei-Jun Cai, J. Kevin Craig, M. Richard DeVoe, William S. Fisher, Terri K. Hathaway, Elizabeth B. Jewett, Zackary Johnson, Paula Keener, Rua S. Mordecai, Scott Noakes, Charlie Phillips, Paul Sandifer, Astrid Schnetzer, Jay Styron
Accurate bathymetric maps from underwater digital imagery without ground control
Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry can be used with digital underwater photographs to generate high-resolution bathymetry and orthomosaics with millimeter-to-centimeter scale resolution at relatively low cost. Although these products are useful for assessing species diversity and health, they have additional utility for quantifying benthic community structure, such as coral growth and fine
Authors
Gerry Hatcher, Jonathan Warrick, Andrew C. Ritchie, Evan T. Dailey, David G. Zawada, Christine J. Kranenburg, Kimberly K. Yates
Underwater photographic reconnaissance and habitat data collection in the Florida Keys—A procedure for ground truthing remotely sensed bathymetric data
Bathymetric geoprocessing analyses of the Florida Reef Tract have provided insights into trends of seafloor accretion and seafloor erosion over time and following major storm events. However, bathymetric surveys sometimes capture manmade structures and vegetation, which do not represent the desired bare-earth data. Therefore, ground truthing is essential to maintain the most accurate bathymetric d
Authors
Zachery W. Fehr, Kimberly K. Yates
Tampa Bay Ocean and Coastal Acidification Monitoring Quality Assurance Project Plan
Coastal acidification caused by eutrophication, freshwater inflow, and upwelling is already affecting many estuaries worldwide and can be exacerbated by ocean acidification that is caused by increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Effective management, mitigation, and (or) adaptation to the effects of coastal and ocean acidification require careful monitoring of the resulting changes in seawa
Authors
Kimberly K. Yates, Christopher S. Moore, Nathan H. Goldstein, Edward T. Sherwood
Hydrodynamics and sediment mobility processes over a degraded senile coral reef
Coral reefs can influence hydrodynamics and morphodynamics by dissipating and refracting incident wave energy, modifying circulation patterns, and altering sediment transport pathways. In this study, the sediment and hydrodynamic response of a senile (dead) barrier reef (Crocker Reef, located in the upper portion of the Florida Reef Tract) to storms and quiescent conditions was evaluated using fie
Authors
Legna M. Torres-Garcia, P. Soupy Dalyander, Joseph W. Long, David G. Zawada, Kimberly K. Yates, Christopher Moore, Maitane Olabarrieta
Carbonate system parameters of an algal-dominated reef along west Maui
Constraining coral reef metabolism and carbon chemistry dynamics are fundamental for understanding and predicting reef vulnerability to rising coastal CO2 concentrations and decreasing seawater pH. However, few studies exist along reefs occupying densely inhabited shorelines with known input from land-based sources of pollution. The shallow coral reefs off Kahekili, West Maui, are exposed to nutri
Authors
Nancy G. Prouty, Kimberly K. Yates, Nathan A. Smiley, Christopher Gallagher, Olivia Cheriton, Curt D. Storlazzi
Vulnerability of coral reefs to bioerosion from land-based sources of pollution
Ocean acidification (OA), the gradual decline in ocean pH and [ ] caused by rising levels of atmospheric CO2, poses a significant threat to coral reef ecosystems, depressing rates of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) production, and enhancing rates of bioerosion and dissolution. As ocean pH and [ ] decline globally, there is increasing emphasis on managing local stressors that can exacerbate the vulnerabi
Authors
Nancy G. Prouty, Anne Cohen, Kimberly K. Yates, Curt D. Storlazzi, Peter W. Swarzenski, Darla White
Divergence of seafloor elevation and sea level rise in coral reef ecosystems
Coral reefs serve as natural barriers that protect adjacent shorelines from coastal hazards such as storms, waves, and erosion. Projections indicate global degradation of coral reefs due to anthropogenic impacts and climate change will cause a transition to net erosion by mid-century. Here, we provide a comprehensive assessment of the combined effect of all of the processes affecting seafloor accr
Authors
Kimberly K. Yates, David G. Zawada, Nathan A. Smiley, Ginger Tiling-Range
Community metabolism in shallow coral reef and seagrass ecosystems, lower Florida Keys
Diurnal variation of net community production (NEP) and net community calcification (NEC) were measured in coral reef and seagrass biomes during October 2012 in the lower Florida Keys using a mesocosm enclosure and the oxygen gradient flux technique. Seagrass and coral reef sites showed diurnal variations of NEP and NEC, with positive values at near-seafloor light levels >100–300 µEinstein m-2 s-1
Authors
Daniela Turk, Kimberly K. Yates, Maria Vega-Rodriguez, Gerardo Toro-Farmer, Chris L'Esperance, Nelson Melo, Deanesch Ramsewak, S. Cerdeira Estrada, Frank E. Muller-Karger, Stan R. Herwitz, Wade McGillis
How can present and future satellite missions support scientific studies that address ocean acidification?
Space-based observations offer unique capabilities for studying spatial and temporal dynamics of the upper ocean inorganic carbon cycle and, in turn, supporting research tied to ocean acidification (OA). Satellite sensors measuring sea surface temperature, color, salinity, wind, waves, currents, and sea level enable a fuller understanding of a range of physical, chemical, and biological phenomena
Authors
Joseph Salisbury, Douglas Vandemark, Bror Jonsson, William Balch, Sumit Chakraborty, Steven Lohrenz, Bertrand Chapron, Burke Hales, Antonio Mannino, Jeremy T. Mathis, Nicolas Reul, Sergio Signorini, Rik Wanninkhof, Kimberly K. Yates
Characterization of available light for seagrass and patch reef productivity in Sugarloaf Key, Lower Florida Keys
Light availability is an important factor driving primary productivity in benthic ecosystems, but in situ and remote sensing measurements of light quality are limited for coral reefs and seagrass beds. We evaluated the productivity responses of a patch reef and a seagrass site in the Lower Florida Keys to ambient light availability and spectral quality. In situ optical properties were characterize
Authors
Gerardo Toro-Farmer, Frank E. Muller-Karger, Maria Vega-Rodriguez, Nelson Melo, Kimberly K. Yates, Elizabeth Johns, Sergio Cerdeira-Estrada, Stan R. Herwitz
Ocean acidification buffering effects of seagrass in Tampa Bay
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has identified ocean acidification as a critical threat to marine and estuarine species in ocean and coastal ecosystems around the world. However, seagrasses are projected to benefit from elevated atmospheric pCO2, are capable of increasing seawater pH and carbonate mineral saturation states through photosynthesis, and may help buffer against the chemi
Authors
Kimberly K. Yates, Ryan P. Moyer, Christopher Moore, David A. Tomasko, Nathan A. Smiley, Legna Torres-Garcia, Christina E. Powell, Amanda R. Chappel, Ioana Bociu
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 68
Grain-Size Data from Upper Florida Keys: Crocker Reef, FL
Sediment samples were collected from undisturbed sections of the seafloor around Crocker Reef, Florida which is a senile, degrading barrier reef located in the northern portion of the Florida Reef Tract (Figure 1). Samples were collected from November 2017 to April 2019. The sediment sample locations were near instruments deployed during the same period to record time series of ocean currents, wav
Seafloor Elevation and Volume Change Analyses from 2016 to 2019 Along the Florida Reef Tract, USA
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center conducted research to quantify bathymetric changes along the Florida Reef Tract (FRT) from Miami to Key West within a 939.4 square-kilometer area. USGS staff calculated changes in seafloor elevation and volume from 2016 to 2019 using light detection and ranging (lidar)-derived digital elevation models (DEMs) acquire
Flooding extent polygons for modelled wave-driven water levels in Florida with and without projected coral reef degradation
This data release presents projected flooding extent polygon (flood masks) shapefiles based on wave-driven total water levels for the State Florida (the Florida Peninsula and the Florida Keys). There are 12 associated flood mask shapefiles: one for each of four nearshore wave energy return periods (rp; 10-, 50-, 100-, and 500-years), the current scenario (base) and each of the degradation scenario
Looe Key, Florida, 2016-2017 Seafloor Elevation Stability Models, Maps, and Tables
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted research to identify areas of seafloor elevation stability and instability based on elevation changes between the years of 2016 and 2017 at Looe Key coral reef near Big Pine Key, Florida, within a 19.74 square-kilometer area. USGS SPCMSC staff used seafloor elevation-change data from Yates and oth
Upper Florida Keys 1930s-2002 Seafloor Elevation Stability Models, Maps, and Tables
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted research to identify areas of seafloor elevation stability and instability based on elevation changes between the 1930s and 2002 in the Upper Florida Keys (UFK) from Triumph Reef to Pickles Reef within a 234.2 square-kilometer area. USGS SPCMSC staff used seafloor elevation-change data from Yates
Crocker Reef, Florida, 2017-2018 Seafloor Elevation Stability Models, Maps, and Tables
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted research to identify areas of seafloor elevation stability and instability based on elevation changes between the years of 2017 and 2018 at Crocker Reef near Islamorada, Florida, within a 6.11 square-kilometer area. USGS SPCMSC staff used seafloor elevation-change data from Yates and others (2019)
Crocker Reef, Florida, 2016-2017 Seafloor Elevation Stability Models, Maps, and Tables
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted research to identify areas of seafloor elevation stability and instability based on elevation changes between the years of 2016 and 2017 at Crocker Reef near Islamorada, Florida, within a 33.62 square-kilometer area. USGS SPCMSC staff used seafloor elevation-change data from Yates and others (2019
Florida Reef Tract 1930s-2016 Seafloor Elevation Stability Models, Maps, and Tables
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted research to identify areas of seafloor elevation stability and instability based on elevation changes between the 1930s and 2016 along the Florida Reef Tract (FRT) from Miami to Key West within a 982.4 square-kilometer area. USGS SPCMSC staff used seafloor elevation-change data from Yates and othe
Looe Key, Florida, 2004-2016 Seafloor Elevation Stability Models, Maps, and Tables
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted research to identify areas of seafloor elevation stability and instability based on elevation changes between the years of 2004 and 2016 at Looe Key coral reef near Big Pine Key, Florida, within a 16.37 square-kilometer area. USGS SPCMSC staff used seafloor elevation-change data from Yates and oth
Looe Key, Florida, 1938-2004 Seafloor Elevation Stability Models, Maps, and Tables
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted research to identify areas of seafloor elevation stability and instability based on elevation changes between the years of 1938 and 2004 at Looe Key coral reef near Big Pine Key, Florida, within a 19.06 square-kilometer area. USGS SPCMSC staff used seafloor elevation-change data from Yates and oth
Upper Florida Keys 2002-2016 Seafloor Elevation Stability Models, Maps, and Tables
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted research to identify areas of seafloor elevation stability and instability based on elevation changes between the years of 2002 and 2016 in the Upper Florida Keys (UFK) from Triumph Reef to Pickles Reef within a 242.4 square-kilometer area. USGS SPCMSC staff used seafloor elevation-change data fro
Florida Reef Tract 2016-2019 Seafloor Elevation Stability Models, Maps, and Tables
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center (SPCMSC) conducted research to identify areas of seafloor elevation stability and instability based on elevation changes between the years of 2016 and 2019 along the Florida Reef Tract (FRT) from Miami to Key West within a 939.4 square-kilometer area. USGS SPCMSC staff used seafloor elevation-change data from Fehr a
Filter Total Items: 56
Acidification in the U.S. Southeast: Causes, potential consequences and the role of the Southeast Ocean and Coastal Acidification Network
Coastal acidification in southeastern U.S. estuaries and coastal waters is influenced by biological activity, run-off from the land, and increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Acidification can negatively impact coastal resources such as shellfish, finfish, and coral reefs, and the communities that rely on them. Organismal responses for species located in the U.S. Southeast document large ne
Authors
Emily R. Hall, Leslie Wickes, Louis Burnett, Geoffrey I. Scott, Debra Hernandez, Kimberly K. Yates, Leticia Barbero, Janet J. Reimer, Mohammed Baalousha, Jennifer Mintz, Wei-Jun Cai, J. Kevin Craig, M. Richard DeVoe, William S. Fisher, Terri K. Hathaway, Elizabeth B. Jewett, Zackary Johnson, Paula Keener, Rua S. Mordecai, Scott Noakes, Charlie Phillips, Paul Sandifer, Astrid Schnetzer, Jay Styron
Accurate bathymetric maps from underwater digital imagery without ground control
Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry can be used with digital underwater photographs to generate high-resolution bathymetry and orthomosaics with millimeter-to-centimeter scale resolution at relatively low cost. Although these products are useful for assessing species diversity and health, they have additional utility for quantifying benthic community structure, such as coral growth and fine
Authors
Gerry Hatcher, Jonathan Warrick, Andrew C. Ritchie, Evan T. Dailey, David G. Zawada, Christine J. Kranenburg, Kimberly K. Yates
Underwater photographic reconnaissance and habitat data collection in the Florida Keys—A procedure for ground truthing remotely sensed bathymetric data
Bathymetric geoprocessing analyses of the Florida Reef Tract have provided insights into trends of seafloor accretion and seafloor erosion over time and following major storm events. However, bathymetric surveys sometimes capture manmade structures and vegetation, which do not represent the desired bare-earth data. Therefore, ground truthing is essential to maintain the most accurate bathymetric d
Authors
Zachery W. Fehr, Kimberly K. Yates
Tampa Bay Ocean and Coastal Acidification Monitoring Quality Assurance Project Plan
Coastal acidification caused by eutrophication, freshwater inflow, and upwelling is already affecting many estuaries worldwide and can be exacerbated by ocean acidification that is caused by increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Effective management, mitigation, and (or) adaptation to the effects of coastal and ocean acidification require careful monitoring of the resulting changes in seawa
Authors
Kimberly K. Yates, Christopher S. Moore, Nathan H. Goldstein, Edward T. Sherwood
Hydrodynamics and sediment mobility processes over a degraded senile coral reef
Coral reefs can influence hydrodynamics and morphodynamics by dissipating and refracting incident wave energy, modifying circulation patterns, and altering sediment transport pathways. In this study, the sediment and hydrodynamic response of a senile (dead) barrier reef (Crocker Reef, located in the upper portion of the Florida Reef Tract) to storms and quiescent conditions was evaluated using fie
Authors
Legna M. Torres-Garcia, P. Soupy Dalyander, Joseph W. Long, David G. Zawada, Kimberly K. Yates, Christopher Moore, Maitane Olabarrieta
Carbonate system parameters of an algal-dominated reef along west Maui
Constraining coral reef metabolism and carbon chemistry dynamics are fundamental for understanding and predicting reef vulnerability to rising coastal CO2 concentrations and decreasing seawater pH. However, few studies exist along reefs occupying densely inhabited shorelines with known input from land-based sources of pollution. The shallow coral reefs off Kahekili, West Maui, are exposed to nutri
Authors
Nancy G. Prouty, Kimberly K. Yates, Nathan A. Smiley, Christopher Gallagher, Olivia Cheriton, Curt D. Storlazzi
Vulnerability of coral reefs to bioerosion from land-based sources of pollution
Ocean acidification (OA), the gradual decline in ocean pH and [ ] caused by rising levels of atmospheric CO2, poses a significant threat to coral reef ecosystems, depressing rates of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) production, and enhancing rates of bioerosion and dissolution. As ocean pH and [ ] decline globally, there is increasing emphasis on managing local stressors that can exacerbate the vulnerabi
Authors
Nancy G. Prouty, Anne Cohen, Kimberly K. Yates, Curt D. Storlazzi, Peter W. Swarzenski, Darla White
Divergence of seafloor elevation and sea level rise in coral reef ecosystems
Coral reefs serve as natural barriers that protect adjacent shorelines from coastal hazards such as storms, waves, and erosion. Projections indicate global degradation of coral reefs due to anthropogenic impacts and climate change will cause a transition to net erosion by mid-century. Here, we provide a comprehensive assessment of the combined effect of all of the processes affecting seafloor accr
Authors
Kimberly K. Yates, David G. Zawada, Nathan A. Smiley, Ginger Tiling-Range
Community metabolism in shallow coral reef and seagrass ecosystems, lower Florida Keys
Diurnal variation of net community production (NEP) and net community calcification (NEC) were measured in coral reef and seagrass biomes during October 2012 in the lower Florida Keys using a mesocosm enclosure and the oxygen gradient flux technique. Seagrass and coral reef sites showed diurnal variations of NEP and NEC, with positive values at near-seafloor light levels >100–300 µEinstein m-2 s-1
Authors
Daniela Turk, Kimberly K. Yates, Maria Vega-Rodriguez, Gerardo Toro-Farmer, Chris L'Esperance, Nelson Melo, Deanesch Ramsewak, S. Cerdeira Estrada, Frank E. Muller-Karger, Stan R. Herwitz, Wade McGillis
How can present and future satellite missions support scientific studies that address ocean acidification?
Space-based observations offer unique capabilities for studying spatial and temporal dynamics of the upper ocean inorganic carbon cycle and, in turn, supporting research tied to ocean acidification (OA). Satellite sensors measuring sea surface temperature, color, salinity, wind, waves, currents, and sea level enable a fuller understanding of a range of physical, chemical, and biological phenomena
Authors
Joseph Salisbury, Douglas Vandemark, Bror Jonsson, William Balch, Sumit Chakraborty, Steven Lohrenz, Bertrand Chapron, Burke Hales, Antonio Mannino, Jeremy T. Mathis, Nicolas Reul, Sergio Signorini, Rik Wanninkhof, Kimberly K. Yates
Characterization of available light for seagrass and patch reef productivity in Sugarloaf Key, Lower Florida Keys
Light availability is an important factor driving primary productivity in benthic ecosystems, but in situ and remote sensing measurements of light quality are limited for coral reefs and seagrass beds. We evaluated the productivity responses of a patch reef and a seagrass site in the Lower Florida Keys to ambient light availability and spectral quality. In situ optical properties were characterize
Authors
Gerardo Toro-Farmer, Frank E. Muller-Karger, Maria Vega-Rodriguez, Nelson Melo, Kimberly K. Yates, Elizabeth Johns, Sergio Cerdeira-Estrada, Stan R. Herwitz
Ocean acidification buffering effects of seagrass in Tampa Bay
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has identified ocean acidification as a critical threat to marine and estuarine species in ocean and coastal ecosystems around the world. However, seagrasses are projected to benefit from elevated atmospheric pCO2, are capable of increasing seawater pH and carbonate mineral saturation states through photosynthesis, and may help buffer against the chemi
Authors
Kimberly K. Yates, Ryan P. Moyer, Christopher Moore, David A. Tomasko, Nathan A. Smiley, Legna Torres-Garcia, Christina E. Powell, Amanda R. Chappel, Ioana Bociu
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government