As part of the USGS Coral Reef Project, the USGS is working on the Kona (west) coast of Hawaiʻi to evaluate geologic resources at two historical parks.
Overview
The island of Hawaiʻi, known as the Big Island, is the largest in the Hawaiian Islands chain. Greater than twice the area of the remaining main eight Hawaiian Islands combined, Hawaiʻi encompasses 10,432 sq km (4,028 sq mi). The island was formed from five major volcanoes. The volcano of Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain on Earth, reaching nearly 9 km (5.5 mi) from the seafloor to the summit. Although shorter, Mauna Loa's massive size makes it the largest volcano in the world. Kīlauea, long thought to be part of Mauna Loa, is the only currently active subaerial volcano in the Hawaiian Island chain and is home to Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess.
Motivation
Live coral growth on the Big Island is typically limited to scattered aggregate corals on volcanic boulders and pavement. The USGS is working with the National Park Service on the Kona (west) coast of Hawaiʻi to evaluate the geologic resources at Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site, Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park, and at Puʻuhonua O Hōnaunau (City of Refuge) National Historical Park, including benthic habitat mapping of the nearshore coral ecosystem and nutrient flux from groundwater sources. Other partners involved in this work include the University of Hawaiʻi, Stanford University, and the University of California, Santa Cruz.
The island of Hawaiʻi is just one of the USGS Coral Reef Project's study locations.
Hawai'i data sets produced by the Coral Reef Project
Below are publications associated with this project.
Submarine groundwater discharge and fate along the coast of Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Island of Hawai`i: Part 3, spatial and temporal patterns in nearshore waters and coastal groundwater plumes, December 2003-April 2006
Science-Based Strategies for Sustaining Coral Ecosystems
Submarine ground-water discharge and fate along the coast of Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Island of Hawai'i: Part 2, spatial and temporal variations in salinity, radium-isotope activity, and nutrient concentrations in coastal waters, Decembe
Submarine groundwater discharge and nutrient addition to the coastal zone and coral reefs of leeward Hawai'i
Geologic resource evaluation of Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Hawai'i: Geology and coastal landforms
Geologic resource evaluation of Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site, Hawai'i; Part I, geology and coastal landforms
Submarine ground water discharge and fate along the coast of Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Hawaii Part I: Time-series measurements of currents, waves, salinity and temperature: November 2005 – July 2006
Benthic habitats and offshore geological resources of Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Hawai‘i
Geologic resource evaluation of Pu‘uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park, Hawai‘i. Part II: Benthic habitat mapping
Geologic resource evaluation of Pu‘ukoholā Heiau National Historic Site, Hawai‘i, part II: Benthic habitat mapping
Coastal change rates and patterns: Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Hawai'i
Coastal circulation and water column properties along Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Hawaii. Part 1: Measurements of waves, currents, temperature, salinity and turbidity, April-October 2004
As part of the USGS Coral Reef Project, the USGS is working on the Kona (west) coast of Hawaiʻi to evaluate geologic resources at two historical parks.
Overview
The island of Hawaiʻi, known as the Big Island, is the largest in the Hawaiian Islands chain. Greater than twice the area of the remaining main eight Hawaiian Islands combined, Hawaiʻi encompasses 10,432 sq km (4,028 sq mi). The island was formed from five major volcanoes. The volcano of Mauna Kea is the tallest mountain on Earth, reaching nearly 9 km (5.5 mi) from the seafloor to the summit. Although shorter, Mauna Loa's massive size makes it the largest volcano in the world. Kīlauea, long thought to be part of Mauna Loa, is the only currently active subaerial volcano in the Hawaiian Island chain and is home to Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess.
Motivation
Live coral growth on the Big Island is typically limited to scattered aggregate corals on volcanic boulders and pavement. The USGS is working with the National Park Service on the Kona (west) coast of Hawaiʻi to evaluate the geologic resources at Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site, Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park, and at Puʻuhonua O Hōnaunau (City of Refuge) National Historical Park, including benthic habitat mapping of the nearshore coral ecosystem and nutrient flux from groundwater sources. Other partners involved in this work include the University of Hawaiʻi, Stanford University, and the University of California, Santa Cruz.
The island of Hawaiʻi is just one of the USGS Coral Reef Project's study locations.
Hawai'i data sets produced by the Coral Reef Project
Below are publications associated with this project.