Moloka'i, Hawai'i rapid assessment of hydrology, soils, and vegetation in coastal wetlands 2022

In this project, we assessed the potential for twelve coastal wetland sites on the island of Molokaʻi, Hawaiʻi, to provide socio-cultural resources and habitat for flora and fauna following restoration. In April 2022, a rapid field assessment of hydrology, soils, and vegetation was carried out at each of the wetland sites. The data provided here were collected in order to inform a prioritization protocol for ranking wetlands on Molokaʻi for restoration. Soil samples were collected at each of the sites at three different depth ranges (0-2, 24-26, and 48-50 cm). Samples from 0-2 cm and 24-26 cm were analyzed for % organic carbon and soil texture. These two measures provide a basic understanding of the status of coastal wetland soils on the island. Two different hydrologic parameters were measured in each of the two soil pits dug at each site. First the distance from the soil surface to the water table was measured. Second, the salinity of the groundwater was measured. These two measurements provide a snapshot of the wetland condition of each site. The vegetation data include plot data, a species list, and percent cover of vegetation in order to provide a snapshot of the current plant community structure of each site.