|
Moloka'i Reef Study—Part 2
|
March 2000 |
 |
|
Moloka'i Reef Survey by USGS—Part 2
by Gerry Anderson
(Reprinted with permission, from the February 24, 2000 issue of
The Dispatch)
|
USGS scientists Kimberly Yates and Bob Halley stand
atop a platform full of instruments collecting data the scientists
will use to evaluate the quality and health of a reef off the south
coast of Moloka'i.
|
The waters off Hotel Moloka'i have been a bit more crowded during the
past two weeks. A team of four from the St. Petersburg, Florida, office
of the U.S. Geological Survey was on Moloka'i to gather additional data
on our reef, with the goal to evaluate its health. To gather these data,
a platform containing the monitoring and computer equipment was placed
on the reef a short boat ride off shore. At least one member of the team
was on the platform 24 hours a day to monitor the equipment, to correct
any problems that occur, and to refuel the generator when required. Bob
Halley is in charge of the group, and the other members of the team
are Kimberly Yates, Don Hickey, and Phil Thompson. Halley,
Yates, and
Hickey are reef specialists, and Thompson uses hydrophones
(underwater microphones) to monitor the sound environment of the reef.
Analytical equipment (used to measure dissolved oxygen and other
chemical parameters) is located on the platform and connected to
an incubation chamber (Submersible Habitat for Analyzing Reef
Quality, or SHARQ) on the sea floor over the reef.
|
|
Last Wednesday, we were lucky enough to meet with Halley and Yates
to discuss the project, and to take the short boat ride out to the
platform, where Halley and Yates were to relieve
Thompson, who had
spent the previous night on the platform. While the other nearby USGS
instrument package (see the 1/27/00 issue of The Dispatch) marked by
orange flags, is designed to measure suspended sediment and other
related parameters, the new platform collects data that enable the
scientists to evaluate the quality and health of the reef. The
measured quantities include dissolved oxygen, salinity, alkalinity
(dissolved carbon), and temperature. These quantities are measured
by the equipment every minute, but only one out of every ten measurements
is recorded on the computer equipment, which is adequate to determine
how these factors vary during the day and over longer periods.
For
example, during daylight hours, when algae are producing oxygen
by photosynthesis, the dissolved oxygen level is twice that at night
when no oxygen is being produced, but is being used by the live coral
and other reef animals. Thompson's experiments with recording sound
data using hydrophones shows promise in providing an additional measure
of the health of the reef. The sounds include the noise made by the water
as it flows over the live coral.
Although the team spent only two weeks
in this data gathering effort, they plan to return periodically to
gather the same data in different seasons. So when you see the platform
in the waters off Hotel Moloka'i, remember that it is contributing
valuable information to ensure that our reef remains healthy.
|
 |
March 2000
in this issue:
cover story:
Moloka'i Coral Reef Study Pt. 1
Moloka'i Coral Reef Study Pt. 2
Massachusetts Bay Cruise
Two New Web Sites
Sandwich High School
English & Metric Units
Tsunami Workshop
NOAA/USGS Benthic Habitat Initiative
Sustainable Seas
USGS/Geological Survey of Canada
MARGINS
Science Education Partnership
GD Safety
Thomas Jefferson Medal
CMG "Youngster" Wins Science Award
Winning Photo
Senate Commendation
Presentations
BRD in St. Pete
Woods Hole Community Activities
Dillon & Winters on BBC Radio
March Publications List
|
U. S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
previous story
