Final Baseline Condition Assessment: 2016 West Hawai‘i Reef Resilience Marine Surveys
This baseline assessment examines coral reef resilience across West Hawai‘i following the 2015 mass bleaching event. It analyzes changes in coral cover, disease prevalence, fish biomass, and benthic composition, and evaluates resilience rankings to support management decisions and inform conservation strategies.This baseline assessment examines coral reef resilience across West Hawai‘i following the 2015 mass bleaching event. It analyzes changes in coral cover, disease prevalence, fish biomass, and benthic composition, and evaluates resilience rankings to support management decisions and inform conservation strategies.
Subject Tags
- Climate resilience
- Reefs
- Climate adaptation
Introduction
This report presents a baseline condition assessment of coral reef resilience across West Hawai‘i following the severe 2015 mass bleaching event. The study evaluates reef condition changes between 2015 and 2016, including declines in coral cover, shifts in benthic composition, and variations in coral disease and fish biomass. It applies resilience-based management by analyzing ecological indicators such as coral recruitment, diversity, herbivorous fish biomass, macroalgae cover, and rugosity. The report also reassesses resilience rankings for multiple reef sites and explores how environmental stressors like nutrient inputs, sedimentation, and fishing pressure influence reef resilience. Findings show that reducing local stressors can support recovery and improve resilience to climate change. The results provide critical guidance for conservation planning, long-term monitoring, and adaptive reef management strategies in Hawai‘i.
Suggested Citation
Minton, D., Conklin, E., Couch, C., Amimoto, R., Carr, R., Lynch, H., Most, R., & Wiggins, C. 2018. Final Baseline Condition Assessment: 2016 West Hawai‘i Reef Resilience Marine Surveys. The Nature Conservancy. Honolulu, HI. 40 pp.
TNC Authors
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Eric Conklin
Marine Science Director, Hawai‘i and Palmyra
The Nature Conservancy
Email: econklin@tnc.org -
Ryan Carr
Marine Monitoring Manager, Hawai‘i
The Nature Conservancy
Email: rcarr@tnc.org -
Harry Lynch
Marine Field Operations Manager
The Nature Conservancy
Email: hlynch@tnc.org