Coral reefs depend on local hydrodynamics, including mean currents, turbulence, and waves, for nutrient acquisition, larval dispersal, thermal regulation, and waste removal. By interacting with these flows, corals actively shape their environment to improve their chances of survival. Accurately modeling the hydrodynamics in biogeochemical models of coral reefs is therefore essential for predicting their response to environmental changes. This dissertation presents results from a set of three laboratory experiments designed to better understand how corals both influence and are influenced by their environment.

First, we assessed the consequences of substituting coral heads with simplified geometric shapes, aiming to identify modeling scenarios when the replacement is acceptable. The second part of this work investigates the impact of waves on the transport and mixing of chemical concentrations such as dissolved oxygen and nutrients. We found that the mechanisms responsible for chemical dispersion change when waves are added to a background current. Finally, we used the laboratory observations to assess the accuracy and reliability of field measurement techniques aimed at monitoring coral reef health.

Jeffrey Koseff (advisor), Stephen Monismith (co-advisor),Leif Thomas (chair)