The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary advisory council will meet virtually on Friday, Jan. 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The meeting is open to the public.
Only trained site leaders will be able to participate in the first count Jan. 29, but the following surveys on Feb. 26 and March 26 may reopen to “a small number of general volunteers.”
Oahu’s marine protected areas do not adequately protect herbivorous reef fishes
Marine protected areas (MPAs) around Oahu do not adequately protect populations of herbivorous reef fishes that eat algae on coral reefs. That is the primary conclusion of a study published in
Coral Reefs by researchers from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST).
There are over 20 species of herbivorous fishes and ten species of herbivorous urchins commonly observed on Hawaiian reefs. These species eat algae that grows on reefs, a process called herbivory, that contributes to the resilience of coral reefs by preventing algae dominance that can lead to overgrowth of corals.
Sea Urchin Mortality in the Hawaiian Islands
Sea Urchin in Coastal Waters of Hawaii Science Center Objects
Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), University of Hawaii, the State of Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources, and The Nature Conservancy are investigating unusual mortality of collector urchins (
Tripneustes gratilla) that has been ongoing since February 2014. As grazers, urchins play a critical role in preventing overgrowth of algae on tropical coral reefs. Awareness of the linkage between urchins and coral health became apparent in the early 1980s when 80 percent of the Caribbean coral cover and the biodiversity it supported was lost following a 90-percent decline in the urchin population over the 3.5 million square kilometer area within about 12 months.
The Arizona State University Global Airborne Observatory on a coral reef mapping mission over the northern coast of Maui, Hawaii. (Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science)
(CN) New technological advancements have allowed scientists to create detailed maps of the beautiful and highly endangered coral reefs of Hawaii, paving the way for important developments in conserving them.
In a study published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers made groundbreaking progress by developing a new method of mapping corals from an airborne observatory.
Coral reefs are richly biodiverse hotspots, home to more than 25% of marine species, and are some of the oldest ecosystems we have today. They thrive in warm, sunny waters, and are nourished by the algae that lives in their soft tissue. The algae provides important nutrients, giving them their vibrant colors and attracting tons of sea creatures.