Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Coral Community Structure at Baker and Howland Islands
| dc.contributor.advisor | Vargas-Angel, Bernardo | |
| dc.contributor.author | Jimenez, Winter | |
| dc.contributor.department | Oceanography | |
| dc.contributor.department | Global Environmental Science | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2020-04-25T01:37:11Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2020-04-25T01:37:11Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2018 | |
| dc.description.course | OCN 499 - Undergraduate Thesis | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10125/67755 | |
| dc.publisher.place | Honolulu | |
| dc.subject | corals | |
| dc.subject | marine biology | |
| dc.subject | biological oceanography | |
| dc.title | Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Coral Community Structure at Baker and Howland Islands | |
| dc.type | Thesis | |
| dcterms.abstract | Baker and Howland islands are located in the Central Pacific and preserve some of the most pristine coral reef ecosystems in the world. Due to their remote location, the islands have had minimal human contact, but they are still under threat. Surveys conducted by the Ecosystem Sciences Division of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center indicate that benthic composition and structure vary across space and time. Baker and Howland experienced mass coral bleaching following the 2009-2010 El Niño Southern Oscillation event that resulted in increased sea surface temperatures. This study has examined the coral reef community structure for the years 2012, 2015, and 2017 to assess changes in abundance and spatial distribution of the main benthic taxa in order to provide a general overview of the current status of the coral reef ecosystem surrounding these islands. Three different depth strata were used to understand the composition of the forereef communities. This study focuses on the main functional groups of coral, coralline algae, and macroalgae. Benthic composition varied with depth, as some species thrive with more sunlight while others can survive at lower light levels. The results of this study describe how the benthic cover of the reef has changed, specifically an overall decrease in coral cover and coralline algae and macroalgae equaling or exceeding coral cover. Analyzing the changes of the reef in the past five years will give insight on how the reef might change in the future if sea surface temperatures and widespread bleaching continue to occur. | |
| dcterms.extent | 46 pages | |
| dcterms.language | English | |
| dcterms.publisher | University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa | |
| dcterms.rights | All UHM dissertations and theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission from the copyright owner. | |
| dcterms.rightsholder | Jimenez, Winter | |
| dcterms.type | Text |
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