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.
Reef Hydrodynamics and Sediment Processes
Role of Reefs in Coastal Protection
Reef Resource Assessments - Planning for the Future
Hydrogeology and Reef Health
Climate Change and Land-use Histories
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.