NORTHWESTERN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS MAPPING

Mapping Support

This quarter was devoted to integrating data sets from many sources onto our primary platform which is a GIS Work Station (64 bit, Xenon Dual Processor with 8 Gig RAM, 1.2 Terabytes of storage) suited to handle the demands of the mapping work. Available data are being integrated into GIS layers needed for any future ecosystem work. A major portion of the work this quarter was directed at pulling together all available benthic data from various sources so that we can provide synthesized summary data relevant to the management of the NWHI Marine National Monument. For example, Figure 1 presents a chart of area at each 1 meter (m) depth increment at depths shallower than 30 meters. This type of chart reveals that the total shallow area is dominated by habitats at 2m–5m in depth. Such data will be used to define many ecological characteristics of the NWHI marine ecosystem.

Figure 1. Hypsometric curve showing amount of real estate at each 1 m increment of depth from surface to 30 m. (Click on the image to open a larger version.)

Other activities initiated during the fourth quarter include further compilation of all GIS watershed, boundary, population, bathymetric and other data into the system. An analysis of NMFS tow-board data is being undertaken by Ben Richards in collaboration with the CRED and Dr. Jerry Ault. A major socioeconomic investigation of the “existence” value of the NWHI Marine National Monument is being initiated in collaboration with Pieter van Beukering (Institute for Environmental Studies, Vrije University, Amsterdam) who is a leading expert on coral reef valuation, and Dr. Wolfgang Haider (Simon Frazer University, Canada) who is a leader in choice analysis for establishing coral reef value. We will also combine information in the habitat maps with information based on climate change scenarios to identify possible changes in ecosystem health and value.

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