As part of the USGS Coral Reef Project, recent USGS work on Molokaʻi includes looking into the coral record to find clues to past sedimentation events.
Overview
The Friendly Isle of Molokaʻi encompasses 673 sq km (260 sq mi), making it the fifth largest of the main eight Hawaiian Islands. The north and west coasts of the island have little coral growth due to impact from northwest swell. However, protected from the southern swell waves by the islands of Lānaʻi and Kahoʻolowe, the south shore of Molokaʻi boasts the longest continuous fringing reef of the U.S. and its holdings. Studies by scientists at the University of Hawaiʻi's Coral Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program have shown that Molokaʻi has sites with the best coral coverage in the main eight Hawaiian Islands. Yet impacts from sediment run-off into the nearshore ecosystem have also caused areas of degradation of the south Molokaʻi reef.
Motivation
The USGS has used the south Molokaʻi reef as its test ground for developing benthic habitat mapping methods including remote sensing and underwater videography. Investigations into sedimentation along the south coast involve deployment of instrument packages to measure oceanographic conditions such as turbidity, currents, waves, temperature, and salinity. Recent work on Molokaʻi includes looking into the coral record to find clues to past sedimentation events.
The USGS has many cooperators on Molokaʻi including the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) Hawaiian Local Action Strategy (HI-LAS) for Land-Based Pollution (LBP), University of Hawaiʻi, University of Washington, University of California, Santa Cruz, Australian National University, and The Nature Conservancy.
The Hawaiian island of Molokaʻi is just one of the USGS Coral Reef Project's study locations.
Below are data releases associated with this project.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Characterization of sediment trapped by macroalgae on a Hawaiian reef flat
CO32- concentration and pCO2 thresholds for calcification and dissolution on the Molokai reef flat, Hawaii
Summary and preliminary interpretations of USGS cruise A-2-02-HW: Underwater video surveys collected off of Oahu, Molokai, and Maui, Hawaii, June-July 2002
A model for wave control on coral breakage and species distribution in the Hawaiian Islands
Possible modes of coral-reef development at Molokai, Hawaii, inferred from seismic-reflection profiling
Biological survey in support of the USGS turbidity and sediment baseline survey on South Moloka’i reef flat, April 2005
Holocene reef accretion: southwest Molokai, Hawaii, U.S.A.
Sediment resuspension and transport patterns on a fringing reef flat, Molokai, Hawaii
El Nino influence on Holocene reef accretion in Hawai'i
Wave- and tidally-driven flow and sediment flux across a fringing coral reef: Southern Molokai, Hawaii
Quantitative morphology of a fringing reef tract from high-resolution laser bathymetry: Southern Molokai, Hawaii
Below are news stories associated with this project.
Below are partners associated with this project.
As part of the USGS Coral Reef Project, recent USGS work on Molokaʻi includes looking into the coral record to find clues to past sedimentation events.
Overview
The Friendly Isle of Molokaʻi encompasses 673 sq km (260 sq mi), making it the fifth largest of the main eight Hawaiian Islands. The north and west coasts of the island have little coral growth due to impact from northwest swell. However, protected from the southern swell waves by the islands of Lānaʻi and Kahoʻolowe, the south shore of Molokaʻi boasts the longest continuous fringing reef of the U.S. and its holdings. Studies by scientists at the University of Hawaiʻi's Coral Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program have shown that Molokaʻi has sites with the best coral coverage in the main eight Hawaiian Islands. Yet impacts from sediment run-off into the nearshore ecosystem have also caused areas of degradation of the south Molokaʻi reef.
Motivation
The USGS has used the south Molokaʻi reef as its test ground for developing benthic habitat mapping methods including remote sensing and underwater videography. Investigations into sedimentation along the south coast involve deployment of instrument packages to measure oceanographic conditions such as turbidity, currents, waves, temperature, and salinity. Recent work on Molokaʻi includes looking into the coral record to find clues to past sedimentation events.
The USGS has many cooperators on Molokaʻi including the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) Hawaiian Local Action Strategy (HI-LAS) for Land-Based Pollution (LBP), University of Hawaiʻi, University of Washington, University of California, Santa Cruz, Australian National University, and The Nature Conservancy.
The Hawaiian island of Molokaʻi is just one of the USGS Coral Reef Project's study locations.
Below are data releases associated with this project.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Characterization of sediment trapped by macroalgae on a Hawaiian reef flat
CO32- concentration and pCO2 thresholds for calcification and dissolution on the Molokai reef flat, Hawaii
Summary and preliminary interpretations of USGS cruise A-2-02-HW: Underwater video surveys collected off of Oahu, Molokai, and Maui, Hawaii, June-July 2002
A model for wave control on coral breakage and species distribution in the Hawaiian Islands
Possible modes of coral-reef development at Molokai, Hawaii, inferred from seismic-reflection profiling
Biological survey in support of the USGS turbidity and sediment baseline survey on South Moloka’i reef flat, April 2005
Holocene reef accretion: southwest Molokai, Hawaii, U.S.A.
Sediment resuspension and transport patterns on a fringing reef flat, Molokai, Hawaii
El Nino influence on Holocene reef accretion in Hawai'i
Wave- and tidally-driven flow and sediment flux across a fringing coral reef: Southern Molokai, Hawaii
Quantitative morphology of a fringing reef tract from high-resolution laser bathymetry: Southern Molokai, Hawaii
Below are news stories associated with this project.
Below are partners associated with this project.