You
are here: /main/research
expeditions/May-June 2006
NWHI
Ecosystem Connectivity, Apex Predator Movement, and
Coral Health
Assessment Expedition, May 2006
Mission
Overview and Objectives
Journals,
Reports and PodCasts from the Ship
Photo Gallery
From
May 19th through June 11th 2006, the NOAA (National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration) Ship Hi`ialakai
("embracing pathways to the sea," pictured to left),
will be conducting a research expedition to the Northwestern
Hawaiian Islands. The expedition includes ecosystem connectivity
research, apex predator (jacks, sharks, grey snapper) tagging
and movement
studies, as well as coral health assessment missions. The
ship will travel to Nihoa and French Frigate Shoals in the
NWHI, then 500 miles south to Johnston Atoll. Johnston Atoll
is
the
closest
shallow water habitat south of the isolated Northwestern
Hawaiian Islands and is believed to be a "stepping stone"
by which organisms from the South Pacific have spread to
the Hawaiian Archipelago. Many species, such as Acropora
table corals, common in the South Pacific are only found
at French Frigate Shoals and the surrounding areas in the
Hawaiian Archipelago.
During
the expedition, Dr. Malia Rivera, Outreach Specialist for
the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
will be sending back reports from the voyage. For the first
leg of the voyage to French Frigate Shoals, Honolulu
Advertiser Science Writer, Jan Tenbruggencate, will also
be reporting live from the ship.
Click here to see a map of the area covered by the voyage
Click
here for other maps of the region
Honolulu Advertiser Science Writer, Jan Tenbruggencate,
Reports:
Hawaiian monk seals in crisis
15-foot tiger shark gets mouthful of boat
Natural treasures require guarding
Sea life's larval secrets revealed
Northwestern sea life differs
Catching powerful sharks takes big hooks, lots of line
Tagging sharks a chilling task
Jaws of Gardner belong to ulua
Reader e-mails are answered
Scientist has a fish tale, with a twist
Amid extreme isolation, rarely seen life abounds
Sea
life suggests Hawai'i is not so isolated after all
Nihoa
seas make daredevils of scientists
Scientists
swap own tales of sea
Scientists
to dive for answers at sea
Greetings
from the Hi'ialakai
Podcasts
Quicktime
7 Required
Getting Ready
A
Day at Nihoa
Coral Reefs of French Frigate Shoals
Invertebrate Population Genetics
Apex Predator Migration
Green Sea Turtle Hatchlings Digging Out of a Nest
(credit Suzanne Canja, NMFS)
Reef Fish Population Genetics
Coral Disease Monitoring
Dr.
Malia Rivera, Outreach Specialist for the Hawaii Institute
of Marine Biology
Mission
Overview and Objectives
Journal
-
Day
1, Setting off for Nihoa
Journal - Day
2, The Rocky Island of Nihoa
Journal - Days
3-4, Arriving at French Frigate Shoals
Journal - Days
5-6, French Frigate Shoals & Gardner
Pinnacles
Journal - Days
7-8, Coral genetics at the small scale
Journal - Days
9-13, The long trek to Johnston Atoll
Journal - Days
14-16, Coral disease monitoring
Journal - Days
17-20, The endemic angelfish of Johnston Atoll
Journal - Day
21, The journey back from Johnston Atoll
|