Interconnections between Coastal Sediments, Hydrodynamics, and Ecosystem Profiles on the Mexican Caribbean Coast

Juan Carlos Alcérreca-Huerta, Cesia J. Cruz-Ramírez, Laura R. de Almeida, Valeria Chávez and Rodolfo Silva
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Juan Carlos Alcérreca-Huerta: Departamento de Observación y Estudio de la Tierra, la Atmósfera y el Océano, Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT-ECOSUR), Chetumal 77014, Mexico
Cesia J. Cruz-Ramírez: Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Laura R. de Almeida: Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Valeria Chávez: Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
Rodolfo Silva: Instituto de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 4, 1-22

Abstract: The interconnections between hydrodynamics, coastal sediments, and ecosystem distribution were analysed for a ~250 km strip on the northern Mexican Caribbean coast. Ecosystems were related to the prevailing and extreme hydrodynamic conditions of two contrasting coastal environments in the study area: Cancun and Puerto Morelos. The results show that the northern Mexican Caribbean coast has fine and medium sands, with grain sizes decreasing generally, from north of Cancun towards the south of the region. Artificial beach nourishments in Cancun have affected the grain size distribution there. On beaches with no reef protection, larger grain sizes (D 50 > 0.46 mm) are noted. These beaches are subject to a wide range of wave-induced currents (0.01–0.20 m/s) and have steeper coastal profiles, where sediments, macroalgae and dune-mangrove systems predominate. The coastline with the greatest amount of built infrastructure coincides with beaches unprotected by seagrass beds and coral reefs. Where islands or coral reefs offer protection through less intense hydrodynamic conditions, the beaches have flatter profiles, the dry beach is narrow, current velocities are low (~0.01–0.05 m/s) and sediments are finer (D 50 < 0.36 mm). The results offer a science-based description of the interactions between physical processes and the role played by land uses for other tropical coastal ecosystems.

Keywords: sediment transport; sedimentary environments; ecosystem distribution; coastal dynamics; coastal profiling; physical processes; anthropogenic pressure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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