UF researchers studying impacts of Hurricane Dean

September 27, 2007

Many Gators go to the Mexican state of Quintana Roo for a relaxing Spring Break vacation. Assistant professors Eric Keys and Corene Matyas went there for a different reason on September 10.

Keys and Matyas, both from the University of Florida’s department of Geography, were part of a team which received a grant from the National Science Foundation to study the effects of Hurricane Dean. The team, representing a number of universities and Mexico, spent six days studying the resiliency of both people and ecosystems in the wake of the natural disaster in southern Mexico.

Some of the greatest damage affected the tourist areas near the ocean, Keys said.

“The tourist areas were devastated,” Keys said. “The beach is gone, and the 100-yard cruise ship pier was destroyed. It shows just how powerful this storm really was.”

In more interior areas such as the Calakmul Municipality, money is scarce, buildings are not storm resistant and people rely on their crops for survival, Keys said. Although the locals have lost their crops, the government has stepped in to distribute rations and repair housing, while the farmers attempt to grow more maize – despite drought conditions.

“People are waiting for seed to grow a new crop in the next three months or so, but the drought has to end,” Keys said.

Although the situation has been less than ideal for the residents of the area, in terms of study value, the storm has been a great resource in learning about responses to events like this.

“What’s compelling about this event happening in this place is that a number of researchers have been working on social and ecological questions in the region, so we have good baseline data to work from,” said Keys.

As our environment changes in coming years, this research could have a great impact on future generations, Keys said.

“With the possibility of increased climate change, events like this could happen more and more. We have to figure out how to make community and social structures that can withstand events like this.”