Surface runoff and submarine groundwater discharge in particular are known vectors to the coastal ocean of elevated nutrients and contaminants leading to eutrophication, algal overgrowth, and coral disease. Freshwater discharging directly from submarine groundwater vents off of Kahekili Beach Park, Kaanapali, in West Maui contains elevated nutrient concentrations and lower pH values. Coral cores were collected in July 2013 from the shallow reef at Kahekili in Kaanapali, West Maui, Hawaii from scleractinian Porites lobata to specifically addresses the relationship between coral reef health and compounding stressors from contaminated submarine groundwater discharge.

Time-series of seawater carbonate chemistry variables, including salinity, dissolved inorganic nutrients, pH, total alkalinity, and dissolved inorganic carbon from sites along Kahekili Beach Park, west Maui near submarine groundwater seeps and living coral reefs. Samples for seawater were collected by pumping bottom water from the seafloor using a peristaltic pump and collecting discrete water samples every 4-hrs over a 6-day period.

Time-series of seawater carbonate chemistry variables, including salinity, dissolved inorganic nutrients, pH, total alkalinity, and dissolved inorganic carbon from sites along Kahekili Beach Park, west Maui near submarine groundwater seeps and living coral reefs. Samples for seawater were collected by pumping bottom water from the seafloor using a peristaltic pump and collecting discrete water samples every 4-hrs over a 6-day period.

Geochemical analysis (including stable boron, boron:calcium ratio, and carbon and oxygen isotopes) were measured from coral cores collected in July 2013 from the shallow reef at Kahekili in Kaanapali, west Maui, Hawaii from scleractinian Porites lobata.

Geochemical analysis (including stable boron, boron:calcium ratio, and carbon and oxygen isotopes) were measured from coral cores collected in July 2013 from the shallow reef at Kahekili in Kaanapali, west Maui, Hawaii from scleractinian Porites lobata.

This research targets the Hawaii Coral Reef Initiative (HCRI) Priority Area A: Kahekili, Maui: Herbivore Fisheries Management Area (KHFMA). The project goal was to evaluate the efficacy of this new management action by developing a detailed algal production/herbivore consumption budget. The KHFMA was established in an effort to promote herbivore grazing and thus reverse the decline in coral cover on the reef through increased algal consumption. Because it may take several years for monitoring programs of fish and benthic communities to detect changes associated with the recent protection from fishing at KHFMA, additional data are needed to identify benchmarks of success. By developing a growth/consumption budget for the algal and herbivore communities at KHFMA, this will enable the determination how much algae is currently being grazed and how many more herbivores would be needed to actually begin controlling algal abundance at Kahekili. Observations of fish and urchin consumption of algae were made during 2010-2011 at KHFMA. Additional observations were made at Lanai Lighthouse, which is the SW corner of the island of Lanai and Canoe Beach, which is just south of KHFMA, in 2009. Laboratory experiments were conducted at the Maui Ocean Center in 2010-2011.