Unified Interior Regions
Region 12: Pacific Islands (American Samoa, Hawaii, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands)
Regions L2 Landing Page Tabs
Coral Reef Facts
These facts about coral reefs are presented in conjunction with the USGS Coral Reef Project.
Guam (GUA)
The Guam observatory was established in 1957. The observatory is situated on property owned by the U.S. Air Force according to terms of an agreement with the USGS and the Geomagnetism Program. The facility is shared with the USGS Fort Collins Science Center (FORT) ...
Bird Banding Laboratory
The Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) is an integrated scientific program established in 1920 supporting the collection, archiving, management and dissemination of information from banded and marked birds in North America. This information is used to monitor the status and trends of resident and migratory bird populations. Because birds are good indicators of the health of the environment, the...
Stillaguamish Emerging Contaminants
Emerging contaminants are a group of chemical compounds that generally include pharmaceuticals, personal-care products, surfactants, industrial and household chemicals, and food additives. Their presence in the environment is typically associated with discharges from wastewater treatment-plants (WWTP), on-site septic systems, and some animal production operations. They are of particular...
Biology, Impacts and Control of Invasive Reptiles in the Everglades
Invasive species are considered to be second only to habitat degradation in terms of negative impacts on the Earth’s ecosystems, and our scientists make up a significant proportion of the global expertise in the rapidly-growing problem of invasive reptiles.
USGS Brown Treesnake Laboratory and Rapid Response Facility - Guam
USGS scientists and staff associated with the Brown Treesnake Project are co-located at the Guam National Wildlife Refuge at the northern end of Guam in the western Pacific Ocean. Project staff work on developing and testing control tools for invasive brown treesnakes, as well as understanding their impacts on Guam's ecosystems. Project staff also lead the multi-agency Brown Treesnake Rapid...
Ecology of Insect-eating Bats
Bats are the only flying mammals that are active mostly at night and occur on all continents except Antarctica. Bats are ecologically diverse, with a range of species that specialize in feeding on fruit, nectar, blood, fish, small mammals, and insects. However, of the more than 1,100 known species of bats on Earth, the majority specialize in feeding on insects. In the United States for example...
HDgov: Multi-agency Website for Human Dimensions of Natural Resources
HDgov is an interactive and mobile-responsive online portal to interagency, academic, and non-government resources focused on the human dimensions of natural resource management. The web portal provides easy access to tools, publications, data, and methods that help ensure that the people side of natural resources is considered throughout the entire natural resource management process. The...
National Park Service Visitor Spending Effects
The National Park Service (NPS) manages the Nation’s most iconic destinations that attract millions of visitors from across the Nation and around the world. Trip-related spending by NPS visitors generates and supports a considerable amount of economic activity within park gateway communities. USGS economists collaborate with the National Park Service social science program to estimate NPS...
North American Waterfowl Management Plan
The ultimate success of North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) depends on maintaining relevance to stakeholders and society. In order to be relevant, a first step is to better understand what people value in regard to waterfowl and their habitats.
Brown Treesnake Rapid Response Team
Brown Treesnakes continue to cause major problems for the ecology, economy, and quality of life on Guam. Our scientists conduct research on this snake species, including control tool development and testing, ecological impacts, and early detection methods. We hold Brown Treesnake Rapid Response Team training courses on Guam throughout the year to develop the skills needed to effectively...
Development of an Environmental Assessment and Eradication Plan to Remove Tilapia from Ponds and Wetlands in National Parks on the Island of Hawai’i
Mozambique tilapia, a highly invasive non-native fish of the family Cichlidae, were discovered in a wetland in Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park on the Big Island of Hawai'i. As the U.S. National Park Service works to restore the natural communities and functions of wetland ecosystems on the island, the eradication of the tilapia population is considered necessary to fully achieve...
Tsunami evacuation time map for American Samoa predicted maximum tsunami (PMT) inundation zone and slow walk speed
The travel time map was generated using the Pedestrian Evacuation Analyst model (version 1.0.1 for ArcGIS 10.5) from the USGS (https://geography.wr.usgs.gov/science/vulnerability/tools.html). The travel time analysis uses ESRI's Path Distance tool to find the shortest distance across a cost surface from any point in...
Tsunami evacuation time map for American Samoa predicted maximum tsunami (PMT) inundation zone and fast run speed
The travel time map was generated using the Pedestrian Evacuation Analyst model (version 1.0.1 for ArcGIS 10.5) from the USGS (https://geography.wr.usgs.gov/science/vulnerability/tools.html). The travel time analysis uses ESRI's Path Distance tool to find the shortest distance across a cost surface from any point in...
Tsunami evacuation time map for American Samoa 2009 tsunami inundation zone and fast run speed
The travel time map was generated using the Pedestrian Evacuation Analyst model (version 1.0.1 for ArcGIS 10.5) from the USGS (https://geography.wr.usgs.gov/science/vulnerability/tools.html). The travel time analysis uses ESRI's Path Distance tool to find the shortest distance across a cost surface from any point in...
Tsunami evacuation time map for American Samoa predicted maximum tsunami (PMT) inundation zone and slow run speed
The travel time map was generated using the Pedestrian Evacuation Analyst model (version 1.0.1 for ArcGIS 10.5) from the USGS (https://geography.wr.usgs.gov/science/vulnerability/tools.html). The travel time analysis uses ESRI's Path Distance tool to find the shortest distance across a cost surface from any point in...
Tsunami evacuation time map for American Samoa 2009 tsunami inundation zone and slow run speed
The travel time map was generated using the Pedestrian Evacuation Analyst model (version 1.0.1 for ArcGIS 10.5) from the USGS (https://geography.wr.usgs.gov/science/vulnerability/tools.html). The travel time analysis uses ESRI's Path Distance tool to find the shortest distance across a cost surface from any point in...
Tsunami evacuation time map for American Samoa 2009 tsunami inundation zone and fast walk speed
The travel time map was generated using the Pedestrian Evacuation Analyst model (version 1.0.1 for ArcGIS 10.5) from the USGS (https://geography.wr.usgs.gov/science/vulnerability/tools.html). The travel time analysis uses ESRI's Path Distance tool to find the shortest distance across a cost surface from any point in...
Tsunami evacuation time map for American Samoa 2009 tsunami inundation zone and slow walk speed
The travel time map was generated using the Pedestrian Evacuation Analyst model (version 1.0.1 for ArcGIS 10.5) from the USGS (https://geography.wr.usgs.gov/science/vulnerability/tools.html). The travel time analysis uses ESRI's Path Distance tool to find the shortest distance across a cost surface from any point in...
Mariana swiftlet (Aerodramus bartschi) survey data from O'ahu, Hawai'i, 2005-2010
The data set contains Mariana swiftlet (Aerodramus bartschi) population survey data that were collected via evening arrival surveys on the island of O'ahu, Hawaiian Islands. Data were collected at a roosting/nesting tunnel used by Mariana swiftlets in North Halawa Valley.
Habitat characterization around standard brown treesnake traps on Guam, 2004 - 2017
Data were collected in association with locations of standard brown treesnake traps on Guam at location prior to suppression or control efforts and after control had occurred. In all cases study sites were closed or semi-closed populations of brown treesnakes. Habitat data focused on type and structure of the habitat within 10-m of the trap.
Nest success and predation data for Mariana swiftlets (Aerodramus bartschi), Hawai'i, USA, 2006-2010
This study examined the reproductive biology of the Mariana Swiftlet over five annual cycles on the island of O‘ahu in the Hawaiian Islands. This introduced population used a human-made tunnel for roosting and nesting, and was studied as a surrogate to negate interference with the endangered populations in the Mariana Islands. Active nests (N = 478) were observed in every month of
Dataset: Forest growth in and around an ungulate enclosure on Northern Guam, 2005-2011
On an island largely devoid of native vertebrate seed dispersers, we monitored forest succession for seven years following ungulate exclusion from a 5-hectare area and adjacent plots with ungulates still present.
National Water Information System web interface (NWISweb)
The National Water Information System (NWIS) web application provides access to real-time and historical surface-water, groundwater, water-quality, and water-use data collected at approximately 1.5 million sites across all 50 states.
A brown treesnake in a tree in Guam.
This is an image of a brown treesnake in a tree in Guam, taken in 2009.
A brown treesnake in a tree in Guam.
A brown treesnake in a tree in Guam. Photo by Bob Reed, USGS, 2009.
Fish and coral in Tumon Bay Marine Reserve, Guam
Underwater photograph of Tumon Bay Marine Reserve, Guam, showing some of the amazing biologic diversity of coral reefs.
Guam Geomagnetic Observatory
Variations building at Guam geomagnetic observatory.
First-of-its-kind survey shows that algal toxins are found nationwide
Two recent reports of two brown treesnakes on Saipan is prompting federal and state officials to urge citizens of Hawaii, Guam and other Pacific Islands to report any sightings of these invasive snakes to authorities. Snakes can be reported by calling (671) 777-HISS or (670) 28-SNAKE.
A newly published, three-volume “Remote Sensing Handbook” is a comprehensive coverage of all remote sensing topics written by over 300 leading global experts.
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — A new study shows that the combined effect of storm-induced wave-driven flooding and sea level rise on island atolls may be more severe and happen sooner than previous estimates of inundation predicted by passive “bathtub” modeling for low-lying atoll islands, and especially at higher sea levels forecasted for the future due to climate change.
Islands used by tropical seabirds are highly vulnerable to sea level rise according to a new study released today.
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — The projected upsurge of severe El Niño and La Niña events will cause an increase in storm events leading to extreme coastal flooding and erosion in populated regions across the Pacific Ocean, according to a multi-agency study published today in Nature Geoscience.
MENLO PARK, Calif.— Smartphones and other personal electronic devices could, in regions where they are in widespread use, function as early warning systems for large earthquakes according to newly reported research.
MENLO PARK, California — Los teléfonos móviles y otros dispositivos electrónicos personales podrían ayudar en las regiones donde se encuentran en uso generalizado, y pueden funcionar como sistemas de alerta para terremotos mayor según la nueva investigación científica recien publicada.
The U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Program will be hosting an annual workshop to facilitate communication and research collaboration among scientists from the USGS and other institutions studying earthquakes in northern California.
Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced today that Interior’s Pacific Islands Climate Science Center is awarding over $600,000 to universities and other partners for research to guide managers of parks, refuges and other cultural and natural resources in planning how to help communities, species and ecosystems adapt to climate change.
Stronger storms, rising seas, and flooding are placing hundreds of millions people at risk around the world, and big part of the solution to decrease those risks is just off shore. A new study finds that coral reefs reduce the wave energy that would otherwise impact coastlines by 97 percent.
David Helweg has been selected as the first permanent director of the U.S. Department of the Interior'sPacific Islands Climate Science Center, headquartered at the University of Hawai'i, Manoa.
Contacts
Locations
Pacific Islands Water Science Center
Phone: 808-690-9600
Fax: 808-690-9599
Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center
Phone: (808) 985-6420
Fax: (808) 967-8568
Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center
USGS Brown Treesnake Laboratory and Rapid Response Facility
Phone: 671-637-7834