The Effects of Urban Pollution Upon a Coral Reef System: a Preliminary Report

Abstract

We, the authors, are presenting this preliminary paper on the changes in the benthic biota in Kaneohe Bay because of the urgency of community planning. Our subjective and roughly quantified survey of the reefs, together with a review of previous biological studies of the Bay, have shown that profound changes have occurred in the bottom flora and fauna. We present evidence to show that these changes are probably resultant from population growth and its concomitant land development in the Kaneohe Bay watershed: the eutrophication of the Bay from sewage discharge and the combined siltation and lowered salinity in times of storm. At this moment of writing, the city, county and state officials, as well as citizen's community groups are concerning themselves about the relocation of sewer out falls and more stringent control of land development. We wish this summation of present conditions in Kaneohe Bay to be available to them. Plainly this is a preliminary study. We plan to seek answers to many of the scientific questions that this paper raises during the coming year in a more exhaustive study under special research funds granted by the Honorable John A. Burns, Governor, State of Hawaii.