A HURRICANE'S EFFECT ON CORALS When Hurricane Georges smashed into the Florida Keys last month, residents had the option to evacuate to safer grounds. The sanctuary's natural inhabitants -- its bird and coral reef colonies -- had to hunker down while the Category 2 storm continued its path of destruction. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary staff now assessing the effects of the devastating storm on the coral reefs are discovering that the news may not be all bad. Hurricane winds and waves can shatter branching elkhorn and staghorn corals. Sand driven by winds can sandblast living coral heads or smother entire communities of corals, sponges, gorgonians and seagrass. However, there's also evidence that tropical storms may provide a benefit to coral reefs. Just as natural disasters like lightening fires clear dead branches and grass from forest floors allowing new growth, violent winds and seas can actually enhance biodiversity in coral reefs. Early reports indicate that in some sections of the reef Hurricane Georges blasted off black band disease that threatens thriving colonies. Storms in previous years have cleared out branching corals leaving room for slower growing, more massive corals to flourish. In other instances, segments of branching corals, broken off and scattered by the waves, reproduce and start new colonies elsewhere. Storms often clear the reef substrate, leaving new surfaces for the recruitment of coral larvae. And broken corals many times become stronger than their original structures. This year's hurricane, while destructive, offers researchers an opportunity to learn more about the role natural events play on coral reefs ecosystems. For more information contact Justin Kenney at (301) 713-3140, ext. 153. YEAR OF THE OCEAN CALENDAR OF EVENTS October 6 - November 10 Smithsonian Forum — The Ocean: Earth's Last Frontier November 16 - 19, 1998 Ocean Community Conference '98 - Annual meeting of the Marine Technology Society (MTS), Baltimore, Maryland

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