Researchers from HIMB take a non-lethal DNA biopsy sample. (D. Smith)

Researchers at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB), the Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research (JIMAR), organized research units in the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, and Rutgers University have disproven the secondary outbreak hypothesis in the Central Pacific.

One of the greatest biological threats to tropical coral reefs can be a population outbreak of crown-of-thorns (COT) sea stars (Acanthaster planci). Outbreaks can consume live corals over large areas, a change that can promote algal growth, alter reef fish populations, and reduce the aesthetic value of coral reefs, which in turn negatively affects tourism. Despite more than 30 years of research, the triggers and spread of COT outbreaks are not fully understood. Human impacts such as urbanization, runoff, and fishing have been correlated with outbreaks, but some outbreaks continue to occur in the absence of known
anthropogenic triggers. Waves of a spreading outbreak that moves southerly along the Great Barrier Reef are termed secondary outbreaks because they are thought to be seeded from dispersing larvae of a primary outbreak upstream.

This secondary outbreak hypothesis has been widely accepted as the mechanism by which

In March 2010 an outbreak of a disease called acute Montipora White Syndrome
(MWS) was discovered affecting coral reefs in Kāneʿohe Bay, Oʿahu.  Follow-up surveys found that the disease left trails of rubble in its wake.  It was estimated that over 100 colonies of rice coral (Montipora capitata) died during that initial outbreak. The disease has reappeared and is killing corals in Kāneʿohe Bay.  The current outbreak has already affected 198 colonies and a rapid response team led by Dr. Greta Aeby (HIMB) has been activated to document the outbreak.  Members of the investigative team include scientists from the University of Hawaiʿi, Hawaiʿi Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB), and USGS National Wildlife Health Center.  Members of the Eyes of the Reef Network (EOR), a program that trains community members to identify threats to Hawaii’s reefs, are also being asked to report on any signs of disease from other reefs.

A trail of dying, white corals on the reef in Kāneʿohe Bay March 2010

Corals are the very foundation of our coral reef ecosystem and are under threat from overfishing, land-based pollution and emerging coral diseases. Successive disease outbreaks with little intervening time for growth and repair of the corals are particularly damaging to reefs.  Dr. Aeby’s team has been studying Montipora white syndrome for the past several years and has determined that MWS is an infectious disease that only affects rice corals (Montipora sp.).   Laboratory experiments suggest that Montipora White Syndrome is caused by pathogenic bacteria. Work is underway to understand environmental variables, such as increased seawater temperatures associated with climate change or land-based sources of pollution that may contribute to these recurring disease outbreaks.

Large red rice coral affected by acute Montipora White Syndrome; the disease results in live tissue being stripped from the coral leaving the dead white. The striped scale bar is approximately 5 inches (Photo: Christine Runyon, University of Hawaii).

Aeby observes that coral disease outbreaks were predicted to occur more frequently on reefs from chronic human stressors and global climate change, she states “it appears that these predictions are becoming a reality for the reefs of Kāneʿohe Bay. Fortunately for Hawaiʿi, resource managers have taken a proactive approach to these threats and have already developed a rapid response plan for coral bleaching and disease events.” Reef resources play an important role in the culture and economy
of Hawaiʿi and discovering disease cause(s) will help resource managers and scientists develop methods designed to mitigate the impact of outbreaks on Hawaii’s

Eyes of the Reef Network – www.reefcheckhawaii.org/eyesofthereef.htm

High
resolution photos and interviews available upon direct request to Dr. Greta Aeby greta@hawaii.edu Phone: 808-236-7401

A team of researchers from the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) have developed an interactive global map of corals and zooxanthellae as part of a hybrid web application titled GeoSymbio (https://sites.google.com/site/geosymbio/).

The GeoSymbio team from Left to Right: Erik Franklin, Michael Stat, Xavier Pochon, Hollie Putnam, Ruth Gates (Photo: HIMB)

This application provides global-scale biological and ecosystem information on symbiotic zooxanthellae called Symbiodinium which are uni-cellular, photosynthetic dinoflagellates that live inside the cells of other marine organisms like anemones, jellyfish, and corals.

Symbiodinium are responsible for providing energy to their coral hosts which drives the deposition of calcium carbonate and results in the creation of coral reefs. The differential responses of corals and Symbiodinium types to environmental stressors have important implications for the resiliency of coral reef ecosystems to climate change. Dr. Tim McClanahan, Senior Conservation Zoologist for the Wildlife Conservation Society, stated that, “Given the pace of climate change and scientific developments around Symbiodinium, GeoSymbio will catalyze the use of this knowledge towards increasing reef resilience and improved management decisions”.

Microscopy images of Symbiodinium, the photosynthetic dinoflagellates that live inside the cells of corals and other marine organisms. (Photo: C. Farrar, HIMB).

The genus Symbiodinium encompasses nine distinct genetic lineages or clades, with many sub-cladal types within each clade. The GeoSymbio application provides the genetic identification and taxonomic description of over 400 distinct Symbiodinium subclades in invertebrate hosts that have been sampled from a variety of marine habitats, thereby providing a wealth of information for symbiosis researchers in a single online location. By utilizing Google Apps, the team was able to develop this web-based tool to discover, explore, visualize, and share data in a rapid, cost-effective, and engaging manner.

GeoSymbio is the first comprehensive effort to collate and visualize Symbiodinium ecology, diversity, and geography in an online web application that is freely accessible and searchable by the public. To provide access to this information, GeoSymbio was designed to serve four basic functions: (1) geospatial visualization, (2) text-based queries, (3) knowledge summaries, and (4) downloadable data products for further analyses. The application structure draws information from a variety of digital sources and uses a suite of query and visualization tools, with the core of the application hosted remotely or “in the cloud” using Google Sites.

Screenshot of the GeoSymbio maps webpage for geographic visualization of Symbiodinium clades (Photo: GeoSymbio team, HIMB)

The application’s development began in early 2011, when the HIMB researchers were tasked with compiling global data on coral-based Symbiodinium for analysis, as part of the “Tropical Coral Reefs of the Future” working group at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS). In previous years, the team had created a database with approximately 2500 records of these Symbiodinium data from sources such as GenBank (the primary repository for Symbiodinium and all other organisms’ genetic sequence information) and journal articles, however, the information was only accessible within the research group. This changed in 2011 when the research team decided to create and share a low-cost, integrative web application based on the symbiont database.

Erik Franklin, one of the lead developers of the project is excited about the product that he recently presented at the Environmental Information Management 2011 Conference. He stated that: “building the capacity to examine the diversity of Symbiodinium on coral reefs has global and societal implications for tropical nations and thus, the dissemination of this information is essential. One of the major barriers to progress was that the geographic details of the Symbiodinium records were not documented well in existing databases, and our GeoSymbio app now resolves this problem and provides open data sharing”. GeoSymbio provides the first and only web-based application for data discovery, visualization, and sharing of global-scale Symbiodinium research. This tool should expedite new insights into their ecology, biogeography, and evolution in the face of a changing global climate.

Visit the GeoSymbio Website at: https://sites.google.com/site/geosymbio/

Funding Sources

The National Marine Sanctuary Program (memorandum of agreement 2005-008/66882), the US Environmental Protection Agency Science To Achieve Results (STAR) PhD Fellowships (FP917096 and FP917199), the US National Science Foundation (NSF) grants through Biological Oceanography (OCE-0752604, OCE-1041673) and the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program (NSF 04-17412) provided financial support for this research. This work was conducted as a part of the “Tropical coral reefs of the future: Modeling ecological outcomes from the analyses of current and historical trends” Working Group supported by the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, a Center funded by NSF (Grant #EF-0553768), the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the State of California.

On Thursday, January 13th, honored invitees, students and faculty gathered at the Hawai„i Institute of Marine Biology‟s (HIMB) Marine Science Research Learning Center to celebrate  the opening of the new building, and  recognize several students who received awards from the Carol Ann and Myron K. Hayashida HIMB Student Support Fund and Alan Church Environmental Steward SOEST Scholarship.  HIMB, located on Moku o Lo„e (Coconut Island) in Kāne„ohe Bay, is an organized research unit that is part of the University of Hawai„i at Mānoa‟s School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology.

With Senator Daniel K. Inouye‟s support,  HIMB worked with NOAA‟s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Pacific Island Region to develop a place for hands-on and inquiry-based marine science education for Hawai„i‟s K-12 students.  Planning began in 2007, and the HIMB Education Program wrote successful grants to obtain the additional funds needed to complete the facility.   The new facility boasts  a sophisticated audio-visual system with integrated  digital  microscopes and  laptops, and supplies to conduct investigative marine science labs.

The center‟s opening ceremony welcomed nearly 60 attendees including staff from Senator Daniel K. Akaka‟s Office,  and  Representative Cynthia Thielen‟s Office. The  scholarship awardees were also honored at a luncheon hosted at the new facility. The scholarship and award funds are used to support local undergraduate and graduate students pursing studies in marine science  at  HIMB and SOEST. The 2011 awardees include Veronica Gibson, Bethany Kimokeo, Darin Hayakawa, and Kaipo Perez III.All four recipients  are graduates of Hawai„i high schools, and  showed high academic merit while pursuing their studies at the HIMB and SOEST.

Dr. Jo-Ann Leong, director of HIMB stated “We are just so proud of the amazing work that our students accomplish. We are grateful to be able to offer these prestigious awards.” Dr. Malia Rivera, principal investigator of the HIMB Education Program stated “This new building will afford more opportunities to our local high-school students, and help provide pathways to careers for our future marine scientists. We are pleased to be able to offer this state of the art facility to Hawai„i‟s schools.”

HIMB would also like to acknowledge  the funders who made the building of the Marine Science Research Learning Center possible: Senator Daniel K. Inouye, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Pacific Island Region, the Harold K. L. Castle Foundation and the Emmett R. Quady Foundation, University of Hawaii Honolulu Community College, and Brett Hill Construction.

Photos available in the full press release located here:Rivera Marine Science Learning Center and Hayashida Awards Press Release

Coral reef ecosystems are one of the most diverse habitats on the planet, providing habitat for a wide variety of marine animals. Unfortunately, coral reefs and their associated fish, algae, and invertebrate species are in worldwide decline. In 2009, 83 rare corals were petitioned to be listed under the United States Endangered Species Act. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service is currently reviewing the status of the coral on the petition. If the listing is granted, it will afford higher protection and designate critical habitat for these corals. But are all the ‘species’ on this list really species?

A challenge to the evaluation is that coral “species” definitions are presently based on the coral skeleton, which can be so variable that it is often difficult to distinguish between groups.  All 83 species on the petition can be found in the United States with 9 corals found in Hawai‘i. Identifying which of the corals on this list are endemic (unique to each region), rare, or at risk of extinction, may prove difficult because it is not clear which corals interbreed. Scientists  at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB),  examined the genetic and structural features of all the Hawaiian species from the common genus  Montipora. Of these corals, three are under evaluation for listing under the Endangered Species Act (M. dilatata, M. flabellata, M. patula, more commonly known as Hawaiian Reef Coral, Blue Rice Coral, and Sandpaper Rice Coral).  Surprisingly, researchers found that colony shape, color, and growth form can vary wildly, and may be misleading as to their species identity.

The seven Hawaiian coral species were found to belong to one of only four closely related genetic groups.  Finescale measurements of the surface texture matched these genetic groups. Therefore, according to the genes and surface texture, this study revealed two previously unknown species complexes in Hawai‘i; showing that corals previously thought to be very rare may interbreed with more common species.  Dr. Zac Forsman at HIMB led the investigation, when asked about the recent discovery, he stated, “The scale of variation that corresponds to the species-level is not well understood in a lot of stony corals; this is a big problem for taxonomy and conservation. We need to determine if these species complexes contain species that are in the early process of forming, or if they just represent variation within a species.  Either way, it could change our understanding  of coral biodiversity.”  Co-author Dr. Rob Toonen added “this study builds on previous work by Forsman and colleagues showing that species designations in the coral genus Porites were not well-defined, either.  As more studies like this are coming out, we are getting a clear picture that we don’t really know which coral species names are valid and which are just different growth forms of common species.”

The open access journal Public Library of Science One (PLoS One) will be publishing the full research report this month by Forsman, Concepcion, Haverkort, Shaw, Maragos, and Toonen. For more information on this research contact Zac Forsman at zac@hawaii.edu.

Photos available in the full press release located here: PressReleasePLoSOnee zac forsman

In a joint research effort between the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB), University of Tokyo, the Japanese National Institute of Polar Research, and University of Florida, scientists have shed new light on the hunting behavior of tiger sharks by studying their swimming dynamics off the west coast of Hawai‘i Island. Tiger sharks are cosmopolitan predators which consume a wide variety of prey, and have large home ranges, moving hundreds of kilometers between oceanic islands and far out into open ocean to fill their resource needs. Scientists equipped four tiger sharks with high-resolution accelerometers (devices that record swimming speed, depth, temperature and acceleration) and digital still cameras to obtain the most detailed view to date of tiger shark swimming behavior. These methods allowed researchers to determine what tiger sharks were doing during vertical movements.

Many open ocean fishes and sharks exhibit ‘yo-yo’ swimming patterns (repeatedly climbing and diving through the water while swimming), and scientists hypothesize this behavior might be linked to energy conservation, hunting or navigation. Previous studies showed tiger sharks also engage in yo-yo diving behavior but the reasons were unclear. This new research links swimming events to capture of prey during vertical movements. The accelerometers revealed tiger sharks beat their tails almost continually as they moved up and down through the water, and rarely glided downwards, suggesting energy conservation is not the primary reason for yo-yo diving in this species. Camera images showed tiger sharks frequently encountering a variety of potential prey items such as reef and pelagic (deep-water) fishes, with prey fish observed in over 151 images from just one shark alone. One of the monitored sharks was shown to accelerate from the seabed towards a school of fish, and remained with this school for over 20 minutes. Bursts of swimming associated with other images of reef fishes indicate possible prey pursuit; one picture from the camera suggests the possible capture of a unicornfish.

Dr. Carl Meyer, a researcher at HIMB and the lead US scientist of the project explains “these findings are exciting because they have given us unprecedented new insights into the behavior of these huge and difficult to study marine predators.” Dr. Meyer also emphasizes the importance of these results “although we have long debated the reasons for the yo-yo diving, we have only recently developed tools allowing us to directly measure the behavior in sufficient detail to understand what these animals are actually doing”.

This research has shed new light on hunting behaviors by demonstrating that tiger shark yo-yo diving behavior is not primarily an energy conservation strategy but a search strategy that effectively combs large three-dimensional spaces for prey.

For more information on this research visit http://www.hawaii.edu/HIMB/ReefPredator/ or contact Carl Meyer at carlm@hawaii.edu.

Photos available in the full press release located here: PressRelease- Scientists Discover A New Tiger Shark Hunting Technique

In the thick of whale season, researchers from Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shed new light on the wintering grounds of the humpback whale. The primary breeding ground for the North Pacific was always thought to be the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI). However, a new study has shown that these grounds extend all the way throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago and into the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI), also known as Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM).

Humpback whales, an endangered species, were once on the brink of extinction due to commercial whaling practices of the last century. Today, thanks to international protection, their numbers have dramatically increased, resulting in a greater presence of these singing mammals during the winter months. Song is produced by male humpback whales during the winter breeding season. All males on a wintering ground sing roughly the same song any given year, but the song changes from year to year. No one is exactly sure why the whales sing but some researchers believe it could be a display to other males. Between 8,500 and 10,000 whales migrate to Hawai‘i each winter; while the rest of the population can be found in places like Taiwan, the Philippines, the Mariana Islands, Baja California, Mexico, amongst other Pacific locations (Calambokidis et al. 2008).

Over the past three decades, population recovery has resulted in a steady increase in the number of whales and a geographic expansion of their distribution in the MHI. Until recently, however, no empirical evidence existed that this expansion included the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. This changed recently when scientists from HIMB and NOAA published their findings in the current issue of the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series, detailing the presence of humpback whale song in the Northwestern Hawaiian Archipelago. These researchers deployed instruments known as Ecological Acoustic Recorders (EARs) in both the NWHI and MHI to record the occurrence of humpback whale song, as an indicator of winter breeding activity. Humpback whale song was found to be prevalent throughout the NWHI and demonstrated trends very similar to those observed in the MHI.

Dr. Marc Lammers, a researcher at HIMB and the lead scientist of the project explains “these findings are exciting because they force us to re-evaluate what we know about humpback whale migration and the importance of the NWHI to the population.” The results are also of particular relevance in light of recent suggestions that an undocumented wintering area for humpback whales exists somewhere in the central North Pacific. Dr. Lammers and his colleagues believe that the NWHI could be that area.For more information on this research contact Marc Lammers at lammers@hawaii.edu.

Photos available in the full press release located here: PressRelease- Researchers Discover New Wintering Grounds for Humpback Whales Using Sound

This has been a year of important milestones for the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (also known as the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands), not only marking the 10th anniversary of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve, and the recent inscription on the World Heritage list, but also the 5th anniversary of the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Research Partnership. Ten years ago, President Clinton created the single largest nature preserve ever established in the United States, setting a new global standard for coral reef and wildlife protection. This protection was further enhanced in 2006 when President George W. Bush overlaid the area as a national monument. Today, close to 140 thousand square miles of coral reef ecosystem are protected. Since 2005, HIMB has been an integral part of this process providing ecosystem-based science to help inform the management decisions of this unique ecosystem. The research partnership has also directly influenced policy through rule changes like the introduction of legislation to change harvest regulations for ‘opihi (a saltwater limpet).

Celebrating the 5th anniversary of this partnership, both managers and scientists continue to work together offering research support and new scientific knowledge for ecosystem-based management. Scientists are working to characterize the marine resources in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, determining levels of coral health, and monitoring ecosystem threats such as climate change. Dr. Jo-Ann Leong, director of HIMB refers to the partnership as a, “highly productive partnership that has not only made huge advances in science, but demonstrates what can be accomplished when scientists and managers work together”. She also adds “we have been incredibly productive in the last five years, generating ten science reports and hosting four large research symposiums”.

This partnership has not only been beneficial for scientists and managers, but has provided amazing learning opportunities for students. Over 55 students at HIMB have either received funding, research support, or student internships related to Northwestern Hawaiian Islands research. Both formal education and informal community programs have also been central to the partnership objectives, as demonstrated by the long running community education course at HIMB showcasing the science of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands with hands on labs. From 2007-2010 the partnership has participated in numerous community events reaching over 20,000 people. Whether it is education, or directly informing management decision making, good science is essential to the effective management of large marine ecosystems, as demonstrated by the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Research Partnership. And with so many milestones to celebrate this year, big congratulations are in order.

Photos available in the full press release here: Ten Years of Protection