CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS: 2026-2028
Moving beyond the grant cycle: Understanding and developing models of reciprocal and durable community-based coastal land care
PI: Leah Bremer
A growing number of community-based environmental stewardship groups (ESGs) whose work is essential for increasing resilience to extreme weather, are experiencing inconsistent funding. This project uses the Puʻulani agroforestry project as a case-study for applying two promising strategies: enhancing volunteer roles and dedication, and place-based revenue generation.
A growing number of community-based environmental stewardship groups (ESGs) whose work is essential for increasing resilience to extreme weather, are experiencing inconsistent funding. This project uses the Puʻulani agroforestry project as a case-study for applying two promising strategies: enhancing volunteer roles and dedication, and place-based revenue generation.
Weaving reef health perspectives of generational lawaiʻa, marine researchers, and resource managers to strengthen collaborative caretaking of Kāneʻohe Bay
PI: Rachel Dacks
Traditional practices have historically generated resilient reef ecosystems, but after centuries of external stressors and management changes, Hawaiian reefs are declining, threatening local community cultural practices. This project will build relationships and share knowledge between lawaiʻa (fishers), marine scientists, and resource managers of Kāneʻohe Bay to create robust environmental stewardship plans.
Traditional practices have historically generated resilient reef ecosystems, but after centuries of external stressors and management changes, Hawaiian reefs are declining, threatening local community cultural practices. This project will build relationships and share knowledge between lawaiʻa (fishers), marine scientists, and resource managers of Kāneʻohe Bay to create robust environmental stewardship plans.
Drivers and dynamics of emerging contaminants in urban island aquatic systems
PI: Aurora Kagawa-Viviani
Public interest in groundwater surged following major contaminant releases at Red Hill and PFAS detections in public waters have increased. This project will clarify relationships between land management practices and PFAS occurrence on Oʻahu, establish a baseline of coastal water contaminants, and map PFAS distribution across the island’s aquifers.
Public interest in groundwater surged following major contaminant releases at Red Hill and PFAS detections in public waters have increased. This project will clarify relationships between land management practices and PFAS occurrence on Oʻahu, establish a baseline of coastal water contaminants, and map PFAS distribution across the island’s aquifers.
Rapid detection and management of vibrio pathogens in shellfish hatcheries and coral nurseries in Hawaiʻi
PI: Marek Kirs
Vibrio outbreaks in shellfish hatcheries and coral nurseries across Hawaiʻi generate significant economic losses and are exacerbated by higher ocean temperatures, which increase pathogen virulence. To improve disease management, this project evaluates a new Vibrio monitoring method, a novel, monoclonal antibody-based test, the Vibriosis RapidTest, for local hatcheries and nurseries.
Vibrio outbreaks in shellfish hatcheries and coral nurseries across Hawaiʻi generate significant economic losses and are exacerbated by higher ocean temperatures, which increase pathogen virulence. To improve disease management, this project evaluates a new Vibrio monitoring method, a novel, monoclonal antibody-based test, the Vibriosis RapidTest, for local hatcheries and nurseries.
Optimizing fisheries regulations for a proposed Kailua Marine Managed Area
PI: Elizabeth Madin
Nearshore fisheries in Hawaiʻi, essential for food security, are often data-poor, making effective management against growing environmental threats challenging. This study uses surveys and modeling to evaluate management strategies at a proposed marine-managed area in Kailua Bay, Oʻahu, which aims to restore fish populations by integrating Hawaiian fishing practices with modern science.
Nearshore fisheries in Hawaiʻi, essential for food security, are often data-poor, making effective management against growing environmental threats challenging. This study uses surveys and modeling to evaluate management strategies at a proposed marine-managed area in Kailua Bay, Oʻahu, which aims to restore fish populations by integrating Hawaiian fishing practices with modern science.
Manipulating structural complexity to bolster restoration of Hawaiian coral reefs
PI: Joshua Madin
Coral reef ecosystems, foundational to tropical marine life, are severely impacted by marine heatwaves, sea-level rise, and pollution, making restoration efforts crucial. This project aims to improve the promising technique of micro-fragmentation by determining the optimal combinations of concrete-module design complexity and coral growth forms, to promote rapid fragment fusion and robust survival.
Coral reef ecosystems, foundational to tropical marine life, are severely impacted by marine heatwaves, sea-level rise, and pollution, making restoration efforts crucial. This project aims to improve the promising technique of micro-fragmentation by determining the optimal combinations of concrete-module design complexity and coral growth forms, to promote rapid fragment fusion and robust survival.
The impacts of increasing temperatures and herbivore loss on Hawaiian intertidal community structure and ecosystem function
PI: Jamie McDevitt-Irwin
The intertidal zone in Hawaiʻi, a vital ecosystem for endemic species and sustenance fisheries, is threatened by increasing ocean and aerial temperatures. This project addresses a crucial knowledge gap by using large-scale field experiments to evaluate how atmospheric warming and the removal of culturally important herbivores jointly alter the Hawaiian intertidal.
The intertidal zone in Hawaiʻi, a vital ecosystem for endemic species and sustenance fisheries, is threatened by increasing ocean and aerial temperatures. This project addresses a crucial knowledge gap by using large-scale field experiments to evaluate how atmospheric warming and the removal of culturally important herbivores jointly alter the Hawaiian intertidal.
A water quality monitoring framework for traditional Hawaiian fishponds to advance nature-based solutions in aquaculture production
PI: Craig Nelson
Revitalization efforts for Hawaiian fishponds are thriving, but an important need exists for culturally grounded water quality monitoring frameworks to enable adaptive fishpond management. This project proposes to co-develop a bioculturally informed water quality monitoring approach that integrates Indigenous local knowledge with scientific methodologies for fishponds on Kauaʻi and Oʻahu.
Revitalization efforts for Hawaiian fishponds are thriving, but an important need exists for culturally grounded water quality monitoring frameworks to enable adaptive fishpond management. This project proposes to co-develop a bioculturally informed water quality monitoring approach that integrates Indigenous local knowledge with scientific methodologies for fishponds on Kauaʻi and Oʻahu.
Characterizing the ecological impacts, environmental drivers, and physiological tolerance of invasive upside-down jellyfish (Cassiopea spp.) in Heʻeia fishpond
PI: Aimee Sato
The invasive upside-down jellyfish, Cassiopea spp., poses a threat to restoration and productivity of loko iʻa (Hawaiian fishponds), necessitating extensive manual removal efforts at fishponds. This study will integrate field surveys at Heʻeia Fishpond with controlled laboratory experiments to determine the jellyfish’s tolerance to manipulation of water quality parameters, like salinity and suspended sediment.
The invasive upside-down jellyfish, Cassiopea spp., poses a threat to restoration and productivity of loko iʻa (Hawaiian fishponds), necessitating extensive manual removal efforts at fishponds. This study will integrate field surveys at Heʻeia Fishpond with controlled laboratory experiments to determine the jellyfish’s tolerance to manipulation of water quality parameters, like salinity and suspended sediment.
Employing traditional practices to protect coastal infrastructure and enhance nearshore fisheries in Hawaiʻi
PI: Robert Toonen
Coral reef ecosystems in Hawaiʻi face profound degradation from multiple, interacting stressors, causing losses of coral cover, fish biomass, and coastal protection, threatening ecological health and undermining food security. This project integrates the Indigenous management strategy of imu/umu kai (fish houses) with conventional fish-habitat research to test this strategy for bolstering coastal resilience.
Coral reef ecosystems in Hawaiʻi face profound degradation from multiple, interacting stressors, causing losses of coral cover, fish biomass, and coastal protection, threatening ecological health and undermining food security. This project integrates the Indigenous management strategy of imu/umu kai (fish houses) with conventional fish-habitat research to test this strategy for bolstering coastal resilience.
ʻĀina Kupu: Mapping movements of community network and collaborative care
PI: Mehana Vaughan
Island resilience in Hawaiʻi depends on the health of human communities and their dedicated, traditional care of ʻāina (lands and waters). This project will map and document the growth and impacts of ʻāina hui (community groups) efforts to revive stewardship, illuminating their collective movement and ultimately co-developing policy-relevant materials to strengthen their efforts.
Island resilience in Hawaiʻi depends on the health of human communities and their dedicated, traditional care of ʻāina (lands and waters). This project will map and document the growth and impacts of ʻāina hui (community groups) efforts to revive stewardship, illuminating their collective movement and ultimately co-developing policy-relevant materials to strengthen their efforts.
Characterization and quantification of contaminants of emerging concern in nearshore waters of three coastal communities with known onsite sewage disposal systems’ contamination
PI: Tracy Wiegner
Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are chemicals with known or suspected adverse human and ecological health effects. CEC awareness and research is growing, but details are limited for Hawai‘i. This project will monitor CECs at three coastal communities on Hawaiʻi Island, tracking their release from onsite sewage disposal systems into groundwaters and nearshore coral reefs.
Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are chemicals with known or suspected adverse human and ecological health effects. CEC awareness and research is growing, but details are limited for Hawai‘i. This project will monitor CECs at three coastal communities on Hawaiʻi Island, tracking their release from onsite sewage disposal systems into groundwaters and nearshore coral reefs.
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