The Pearl Harbor Biodiversity Project was funded by the Department of Defense Legacy Program, through the U. S. Navy. The project was performed in two phases. Phase I of the study was conducted from November 1995 through June 1997. Phase I involved investigations of the marine organisms of Pearl Harbor, with emphasis on detection of nonindigenous marine organisms that may have become established in the harbor over the past century. Fieldwork for the Phase II investigations commenced in November 1997 and ended in October 1998. Phase II studies investigated the estuarine and freshwater areas of the mouths of streams that enter the harbor's three main lochs. Data were taken at 16 stations. This dataset contains observations from Phase II.

The Pearl Harbor Biodiversity Project was funded by the Department of Defense Legacy Program, through the U. S. Navy. The project was performed in two phases. The purpose of the project was to document the history, cause, and extent of non-native species introductions in the freshwater streams and estuarine areas of Pearl Harbor. Phase I of the study was conducted from November 1995 through June 1997. Phase I involved investigations of the marine organisms of Pearl Harbor, with emphasis on detection of nonindigenous marine organisms that may have become established in the harbor over the past century. Fieldwork for the Phase II investigations commenced in November 1997 and ended in October 1998. Phase II studies investigated the estuarine and freshwater areas of the mouths of streams that enter the harbor's three main lochs. Data were taken at 16 stations. This dataset contains observations from Phase II (as an .mdb data base and as .csv and .xsl spreadsheets and .jpg images).

The presence and impact of nonindigenous (introduced) marine organisms in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaiian Islands are evaluated using a combination of historical records and on-site surveys and findings are compared with the results of similar studies conducted in Hawaii and the Pacific. Observations and collections were made in November 1999 to January 2000 at 24 stations from variety of habitats and environments throughout the bay and from one site at Moku Manu Island outside the bay. A comprehensive literature review of published papers and books and unpublished reports was conducted to develop a listing of previous species reports, and the marine invertebrates, fish, mollusk and algae collections at Bishop Museum were queried for information regarding all organisms that had been collected from Kaneohe Bay. The assembled data were developed into a relational data base used to determine the 1999-2000 percent component of the total biota that was non indigenous or cryptogenic, the number of new reports for the bay versus the number of previous reports not found, and a chronology of first reports of introductions. The 1999-2000 surveys observed or collected a total of 786 taxa including 617 species, more than six times the number of taxa previously reported by any single survey of biota in the bay. Of these, 59% of the total taxa and 51% of the named species were new reports for Kaneohe Bay after consideration of nomenclatural name changes. However, only 24% of the total taxa previously reported for the bay were found by the present study. This may be due in part to misidentifications in previous studies, non-sampling of meiobiota and plankton by the present study, or actual disappearance of some species from the bay such as the introduced mollusk Haliotis sp. However, the results suggest that further sampling and observation would produce considerably more taxa and species. Historically, 204 nonindigenous or cryptogenic species (collectively termed NIS) have been reported in Kaneohe Bay since 1920, and 116 were found on the 1999-2000 surveys, the most that have been determined for any single study in the Hawaiian Islands or Johnston Atoll. In terms of the component of total identified species, NIS composed 18.8%, among the highest percentage components that has been found in Hawaii and second only to the 23% value that was determined for Pearl Harbor. Fifty-two of the NIS were new reports for the bay. However, all but 16 of the new bay reports had previously been reported in Hawaii, and those 16 are designated cryptogenic and subject to revision. This dataset includes the complete report from this study in PDF format and output from the relational database as spreadsheet files.

Surveys of the marine algae, invertebrates and reef fishes of Waikiki and the Kuapa Pond and Maunalua Bay areas of Hawaii Kai were conducted with the objective of the presence and impact of nonindigenous (introduced) marine organisms. Findings were compared with historical records of species reported in these locations and with the results of similar studies conducted in Hawaii and the Pacific. Observations and collections were made at 15 stations at Waikiki in January 2001 and at five stations in Kuapa Pond-Maunalua Bay in February 2002 at 5 stations. A comprehensive literature review of published papers and books and unpublished reports was conducted to develop listings of previous species reports, and the marine invertebrates, fish, mollusk and algae collections at Bishop Museum were queried for information regarding all organisms that had been collected from these areas. The assembled data were developed into a relational data bases used to determine the percent component of the total biota that is nonindigenous or cryptogenic, the number of new reports versus the number of previous reports not found, and a chronology of first reports of introductions. A total of 925 taxa including 749 species were observed or collected in Waikiki, and 384 taxa including 317 species at Kuapa Pond-Maunalua Bay. Of these 52 species designated introduced or cryptogenic (collectively termed NIS) were identified at Waikiki, for an NIS component of 6.9% of the total species identified for the 15 stations. By comparison 58 NIS were observed or collected at Kuapa Pond-Maunalua Bay amounting to an NIS component of total species of 18%. Forty-six of the 52 NIS were new reports for Waikiki, and 56 of the 58 NIS new for Kuapa Pond- Maunalua Bay sites. However, all but three species, hydroids collected from Waikiki designated cryptogenic, were previously reported elsewhere in Hawaii, with first reports mostly in Pearl Harbor, Honolulu Harbor or Kaneohe Bay. The high incidence of first reports for Waikiki and the Hawaii Kai area in this study are clearly effort related, since these were the first comprehensive sampling efforts that have been conducted at these locations. This dataset includes the complete report from this study in PDF format and output from the relational database as spreadsheet files.

The presence and impact of nonindigenous (introduced) marine organisms in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaiian Islands are evaluated using a combination of historical records and on-site surveys. Findings are compared with the results of similar studies conducted in Hawaii and the Pacific. Observations and collections were made in November 1999 to January 2000 at 24 stations from variety of habitats and environments throughout the bay and from one site at Moku Manu Island outside the bay. A comprehensive literature review of published papers and books and unpublished reports was conducted to develop a listing of previous species reports, and the marine invertebrates, fish, mollusk and algae collections at Bishop Museum were queried for information regarding all organisms that had been collected from Kaneohe Bay. The assembled data were developed into a relational data base used to determine the 1999-2000 percent component of the total biota that was non indigenous or cryptogenic, the number of new reports for the bay versus the number of previous reports not found, and a chronology of first reports of introductions. Data are in .xls and .csv files with a complete included .pdf report.

A survey of the marine communities of Midway Atoll harbor and surrounding lagoon was conducted at 12 sites from September 5 to 9, 1998. The primary focus of these surveys was the invertebrates of the fouling communities present on artificial substrates. Occurrence of reef fishes at each site was also recorded, and algae was collected and identified from four stations. A total of 444 taxa were identified (47 algae, 316 invertebrates, and 81 fishes) from all stations. Approximately 250 invertebrate and 35 algae species are considered new records for Midway Atoll. All fishes observed were previously recorded from the atoll. Only three invertebrates identified in this survey are considered to be nonindigenous species in the Hawaiian Islands. One introduced bryozoan, Amathia distans, dominated the fouling communities at most stations where artificial substrates were available. Another introduced bryozoan, Schizoporella errata, was also common at the same stations. A non indigenous barnacle, Chthamalus proteus, recently introduced from the Caribbean, was common on pier pilings inside Midway harbor. No introduced invertebrates were present in natural habitats. The introduced snapper, Lutjanus kasmira, was also present along the reef outside the lagoon. The threat to the native reef community by established non-indigenous species is considered minimal. The presence of these introduced species at Midway, especially Chthamalus proteus, suggests that vectors of future, potentially more deleterious introductions exist. Transport of these introductions was most likely as fouling on ship bottoms, but other sources of introductions, such as ballast water carried in ships, should be guarded against to protect the relatively pristine reefs of Midway Atoll.

Surveys of the marine algae, invertebrates and reef fishes of Waikiki and the Kuapa Pond and Maunalua Bay areas of Hawaii Kai were conducted with the objective of the presence and impact of nonindigenous (introduced) marine organisms. Findings were compared with historical records of species reported in these locations and with the results of similar studies conducted in Hawaii and the Pacific. Observations and collections were made at 15 stations at Waikiki in January 2001 and at five stations in Kuapa Pond-Maunalua Bay in February 2002 at 5 stations. A comprehensive literature review of published papers and books and unpublished reports was conducted to develop listings of previous species reports, and the marine invertebrates, fish, mollusk and algae collections at Bishop Museum were queried for information regarding all organisms that had been collected from these areas. The assembled data were developed into a relational data bases used to determine the percent component of the total biota that is nonindigenous or cryptogenic, the number of new reports versus the number of previous reports not found, and a chronology of first reports of introductions. A total of 925 taxa including 749 species were observed or collected in Waikiki, and 384 taxa including 317 species at Kuapa Pond-Maunalua Bay. Of these 52 species designated introduced or cryptogenic (collectively termed NIS) were identified at Waikiki, for an NIS component of 6.9% of the total species identified for the 15 stations. By comparison 58 NIS were observed or collected at Kuapa Pond-Maunalua Bay amounting to an NIS component of total species of 18%. Forty-six of the 52 NIS were new reports for Waikiki, and 56 of the 58 NIS new for Kuapa Pond- Maunalua Bay sites. However, all but three species, hydroids collected from Waikiki designated cryptogenic, were previously reported elsewhere in Hawaii, with first reports mostly in Pearl Harbor, Honolulu Harbor or Kaneohe Bay. The high incidence of first reports for Waikiki and the Hawaii Kai area in this study are clearly effort related, since these were the first comprehensive sampling efforts that have been conducted at these locations. This dataset includes the complete report from this study in PDF format and output from the relational database as .xls and .csv spreadsheet files.

A survey of the marine macroalgae and invertebrates in the intertidal and subtidal zones was conducted at seven sites around Kaho'olawe Island from January 12 to 14, 1998. A total of 298 species were observed or collected, including 152 taxa in the intertidal and 193 in the subtidal. Most of these are new reports for Kaho'olawe and include only 35 species previously reported, which were mostly reef corals and macroalgae. Data are provided as derived from the report: 1998-002. Coles, S.L., R.C. DeFelice, J.E. Smith, D. Muir & L.G. Eldredge. 1998. Determination of baseline conditions for introduced marine species in nearshore waters of the of Kaho`olawe, Hawai`i. Report prepared for the Kaho`olaweIsland Reserve Commission. 13 + [22] p.http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/pdf/kahoolawe.pdf

Only recently has information become available concerning the abundance of nonindigenous species in Hawaiian waters. Maciolek (1984) listed 19 species of diadromous and marine fishes to be present in Hawaiian waters, which was increased to 21 marine species by Randall (1987), about 4% of a total of 536 Hawaiian shore fish species (Randall 1992). Carlton and Eldredge (in prep.) reviewed the marine and brackish water invertebrates of Hawaiói and determined approximately 205 species to be demonstrably or potentially nonindigenous, again about 4% of the approximate 5000 marine species estimated for Hawaiói (Allison et al. 1995). Approximately 18 species of macroalgae have been introduced to Hawaiói since 1950 (Russell 1992, Rogers 1997, 1999), again about 4% of the approximately 430 estimated total macroalgal species for Hawaiói (G. Smith, pers. comm.). Baseline studies of Hawaiian nearshore marine biota directed toward the detection of introduced species and their impact have shown that nonindigenous introductions vary substantially from these average values, depending on the characteristics of the area surveyed. The most comprehensive survey conducted to date, a 1996 survey completed in Pearl Harbor (Coles et al. 1997; 1999), found 95 known or potentially nonindigenous species, which composed 23% of the 419 invertebrates, macroalgae, and fishes found. Only three nonindigenous invertebrates and one nonidigenous fish occurred at Midway Atoll in 1997 out of a total 444 taxa found (DeFelice et al. 1998). No nonindigenous algae or invertebrates were found in the nearshore and intertidal of Kahoóolawe Island in 1998 out of a total of 298 species observed or collected (Coles et al. 1998). Despite the potential importance of Honolulu Harbor or other commercial harbors on Oahu as potential gateways for nonindigenous marine species to enter the Hawaiian marine ecosystem, no studies have previously been conducted of introduced species in Hawaiian commercial harbors, and little information is available for the composition of the marine communities for these harbors. Therefore, surveys were conducted in Honolulu Harbor and Keehi Lagoon in 1997, and in Kewalo Basin, the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor and the Barbers Point Deep Draft Harbor in 1998. The results of this study are reported herein and the presence and impact of nonindigenous marine introductions in these harbors are evaluated