Seagrass in Mosquito Lagoon recovered after 2022 hurricanes

What the study found: Seagrass in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida, declined after Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in fall 2022, but it recovered rapidly in 2023 and returned to pre-collapse levels in summer 2023 and beyond. The study also found that seagrass density varied across dates, from 0% at the lowest to 20.32% at the peak.
Why the authors say this matters: The authors suggest that constant seagrass monitoring is needed in Mosquito Lagoon to support conservation of the ecosystem. They also note that the recovery may be linked to the hurricanes, but they say more research is needed to determine why the recovery happened to this extent.
What the researchers tested: The researchers used a Random Forest Classification model, a machine-learning method that combines many decision trees, with Harmonized Landsat Sentinel imagery collected semi-monthly from September 2022 to January 2024. They built a model for each date in the study period to track seagrass change.
What worked and what didn't: The method was successful in identifying seagrass in limited quantities, and the average model accuracy was 84%, with performance depending on how much seagrass was present. The study reports that seagrass was still in significant decline until March 2023, then recovered to pre-collapse levels in summer 2023 and later.
What to keep in mind: The abstract says the cause of the recovery is not known, and more research is needed. The available summary does not describe other limitations beyond the note that model accuracy varied with seagrass amount.

Key points

• Seagrass in Mosquito Lagoon declined after Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in fall 2022.
• The study reports seagrass returned to pre-collapse levels in summer 2023 and beyond.
• A Random Forest Classification model was used with Harmonized Landsat Sentinel imagery from September 2022 to January 2024.
• Average model accuracy was 84%, and performance varied with the amount of seagrass present.
• The authors say more research is needed to explain why the recovery happened.