Research Project – Page 2 – Hawaii Sea Grant

Ronsted_Pandanus forest_CCby4.0_Ji-Elle_square

By Rachel Lentz Coastal and Climate Science Research Project

30 May: Biocultural management of coastal Pandanus forests to mitigate the effects of climate change in Hawai‘i

PI: Nina Rønsted
Pandanus forests, that once provided cultural resources and protection to Hawaiian coastlines, have been partly cleared or mixed with invasive or introduced coastal trees. This project will work with forest stewards to develop a community-based biocultural management plan that provides a robust framework of recommendations for coastal Hawaiian Pandanus forest conservation and management.

By Rachel Lentz Coastal and Climate Science Research Project Smart Building and Community Design

30 May: Developing design flood elevations and envisioning sea-level rise adaptation strategies for a densely developed coastal community, Waikīkī, Hawai‘i for improved outcomes for communities, economy, and the stewardship of marine resources

PI: Wendy Meguro
Sea-level rise is a critical issue worldwide, and Hawaiʻi faces billions of dollars in losses of land and structures, particularly in Waikīkī, the economic hub of Hawai‘i’s tourism industry. This project continues efforts to inform policy on the future built environment, and produce, with public input, improved conceptual architectural renderings of building SLR adaptation.

McManus_coralscape Guam_Dave Burdick_square

By Rachel Lentz Coastal and Climate Science Research Project

30 May: A framework to elucidate historical dynamics and support adaptive management on Hawaiian coral reefs

PI: Lisa McManus
The global decline of coral reef environments poses complex challenges for researchers, managers, and coastal communities that depend on the ecosystem services they provide. This project will produce a modeling framework that incorporates historical ecological dynamics and human-environment interactions, allowing for a more effective evaluation of possible management strategies for maintaining healthy coral reefs.

By Rachel Lentz Aquaculture-Hawaii Aquaculture Collaborative Research Project

30 May: Effects of loko i‘a (fishpond) restoration on climate-dependent ecosystem dynamics in Kāneʻohe Bay, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i

PI: Lisa McManus
Recent loko iʻa (Hawaiian fishpond) restoration projects aim to rebuild their previously large role in an integrated agroecology system, increasing local fish stocks inside ponds and via beneficial spillover effects in adjacent estuaries and bays. However, with the specter of climate change, this work explores possible detrimental effects on restoration efforts and fishpond ecosystem productivity.

A few healthy corals are scattered across a landscape of unhealthy encrusted and porous reef structures

By Rachel Lentz Coastal and Climate Science Research Project

30 May: Assessing the sensitivity of coral reef accretion and bioerosion to acidification and eutrophication

PI: Andrea Kealoha
Coral reefs are threatened by a range of stressors, including those related to global climate change and local land-use, that increase dissolution and bioerosion of the reef structure. This project aims to quantify accretion and erosion rates to determine the relative impacts of different scale stressors on coral reefs.

By Rachel Lentz Coastal and Climate Science Research Project

30 May: Effects of climate-driven increases in sediment delivery on coral reef ecosystem productivity and accretion: Developing predictive models for management priorities across Maui

PI: Andrea Kealoha
Climate change is increasing sediment delivery to Hawaiian coral reefs, but differences in the source, composition, and ecological impacts of sediments require research to inform management strategies. This project will investigate sediment delivery impacts on coral reef ecosystem metabolism to improve the understanding of reef resilience to multiple climate stressors and ecosystem tipping points.

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