Award: OCE-1505158

Award Title: RAPID: Tracking Recovery from the 2014 Coral Bleaching Event in Hawaiian Waters: Water Quality Gradients, Ecological Factors, and Reef Resilience to Climate Change
Funding Source: NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE)
Program Manager: David L. Garrison

Outcomes Report

The research supported by this grant addressed broad and basic scientific questions about patterns of coral bleaching on Hawaiian reefs in 2014 and 2015. Given that bleaching events have been rare in Hawai'i, but will be more common in the future, the primary goal of the project was to characterize variation in bleaching within and between species of corals and to identify environmental and biological correlates of bleaching response and recovery. The study was conducted primarily at A'alapapa Reef, on the windward side of the island of O'ahu, but with additional sites in K?ne'ohe Bay (O'ahu), Moanalua Bay (O'ahu), and K?'anapali-Kahekili (Maui). Overall, patterns of bleaching and mortality among the two dominant Hawaiian coral reef genera (Porites and Montipora) were highly variable and genus-specific: species of Porites bleached heavily and uniformly but recovered with little tissue loss; species of Montipora experienced far more variable levels of bleaching, but with low tissue loss; Pocillopora fared worst, experiencing both high bleaching and high subsequent tissue loss. Both colony-level and reef-scale data also showed evidence of acclimation from the first event to the second, with surviving corals experiencing more thermal stress the second year but bleaching less (despite experiencing greater heating). Genomic analyses of both Porites and Montipora provided little evidence that genetic variation was correlated with bleaching response, suggesting that microhabitat differences (such as water flow and shading) and the physiological condition of coral colonies are more important factors determining a coral colony's response to elevated ocean temperatures. Our research yielded novel and important data that contribute to a better understanding of the factors influencing the capacity for coral acclimatization and adaptation to elevated temperatures that is essential for accurately predicting future change as tropical waters continue to warm. The project also provided opportunities for research, teaching and mentoring in STEM fields, as well as support and training for two postdocs, one graduate student, and one undergraduate student. The results of the research have already been broadly disseminated at national and international meetings, local community organizations, courses at the University of Hawai'i at M?noa, and are the subject of several peer-reviewed publications in preparation. The data will be archived at BCO-DMO where a site (http://www.bco-dmo.org/project/639105) has been established for the project. Last Modified: 03/20/2017 Submitted by: Peter B Marko

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NSF Research Results Report


People

Principal Investigator: Peter B. Marko (University of Hawaii)

Co-Principal Investigator: Ruth D Gates

Co-Principal Investigator: Amy Moran

Co-Principal Investigator: Cynthia Hunter