Forecasting the Future of Ongeim’l Tketau (Jellyfish Lake), Palau in a Changing Climate
Palau’s Jellyfish Lake, locally known as Ongeim’l Tketau (OTM), is an iconic tourism site and an important area of biodiversity. This landlocked marine lake is part of the Rock Island Southern Lagoon UNESCO World Heritage Site, representing an expression of Palauan national pride, and has brought in millions of dollars to the local Koror State economy. OTM is also home to the unique Golden jellyfish, Mastigias papua etpisoni, a subspecies found nowhere else in the world. Populations of the Golden jellyfish within OTM have fluctuated extensively over past decades, with numbers sometimes hovering around a high of 30 million to periods of total population collapse that can last for multiple years. Scientific monitoring of OTM has produced a basic understanding of the climate conditions associated with the natural variation of Golden jellyfish numbers, finding linkages to the El Niño and La Niña cycles. The additional threat of invasive species puts the isolated marine lake at risk, with the first introduction documented in 2003. The risk increases as more people visit OTM.
The goal of this project is to develop a “Conditions Assessment and Forecast” (CAF) tool for Jellyfish Lake. The tool will allow Koror State and the National Government of Palau to present a unified message to the public regarding the lake's current Golden jellyfish status and its forecasted status, six months into the future. This is especially timely as tourists return to Palau post-Covid, and tour operators and Palau Visitor’s Authority will be able to use the tool for market planning. Researchers will also develop a culturally sensitive, place-based “Invasive Alien Species Educational Outreach Strategy” for OTM to help preserve the resilience of the lake and its jellyfish population from the threat of invasive species. The strategy will outline actions that local communities, tour operators, and tourists can take to control and prevent the introduction of non-native species into the lake. Together, these products will support the adaptive management of Jellyfish Lake in a changing climate, ultimately contributing to the resilience of this biologically, economically, and cultural important site.
- Source: USGS Sciencebase (id: 64822f80d34eac007b580e31)
Palau’s Jellyfish Lake, locally known as Ongeim’l Tketau (OTM), is an iconic tourism site and an important area of biodiversity. This landlocked marine lake is part of the Rock Island Southern Lagoon UNESCO World Heritage Site, representing an expression of Palauan national pride, and has brought in millions of dollars to the local Koror State economy. OTM is also home to the unique Golden jellyfish, Mastigias papua etpisoni, a subspecies found nowhere else in the world. Populations of the Golden jellyfish within OTM have fluctuated extensively over past decades, with numbers sometimes hovering around a high of 30 million to periods of total population collapse that can last for multiple years. Scientific monitoring of OTM has produced a basic understanding of the climate conditions associated with the natural variation of Golden jellyfish numbers, finding linkages to the El Niño and La Niña cycles. The additional threat of invasive species puts the isolated marine lake at risk, with the first introduction documented in 2003. The risk increases as more people visit OTM.
The goal of this project is to develop a “Conditions Assessment and Forecast” (CAF) tool for Jellyfish Lake. The tool will allow Koror State and the National Government of Palau to present a unified message to the public regarding the lake's current Golden jellyfish status and its forecasted status, six months into the future. This is especially timely as tourists return to Palau post-Covid, and tour operators and Palau Visitor’s Authority will be able to use the tool for market planning. Researchers will also develop a culturally sensitive, place-based “Invasive Alien Species Educational Outreach Strategy” for OTM to help preserve the resilience of the lake and its jellyfish population from the threat of invasive species. The strategy will outline actions that local communities, tour operators, and tourists can take to control and prevent the introduction of non-native species into the lake. Together, these products will support the adaptive management of Jellyfish Lake in a changing climate, ultimately contributing to the resilience of this biologically, economically, and cultural important site.
- Source: USGS Sciencebase (id: 64822f80d34eac007b580e31)