Baseline Assessment of the Coral Reef Habitat in Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park Adjacent to the Proposed Honokohau Harbor Expansion and Development, Kona Kai Ola, 2006-2007

Reports were scanned in black and white at a resolution of 600 dots per inch and were converted to text using Adobe Paper Capture Plug-in.Coral reefs are ecologically and economically important ecosystems, but highly susceptible to impacts of coastal development and, therefore, indicative of environmental degradation. A detrimental impact of coastal development is the stimulation of a benthic community shift to algal dominance from coral dominance. To identify reef degradation before it has advanced too far to be readily reversed, it is important that a sound monitoring program is initiated and maintained, and that procedures are in place to rapidly take mitigation measures if coral-reef condition metrics indicate negative change. In 2006, at the southern boundary of Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park, 530 acres of public land were proposed to be developed into a mixed-use development that includes an almost 300% expansion of the existing Honokohau Small Boat Harbor. This proposed large-scale development has the potential to affect cultural and natural resources in Kaloko-Honokōhau NHP. A baseline study of the reefs in the vicinity of Honokohau Harbor was undertaken in order to generate a reliable and comprehensive assessment of the current (pre-harbor expansion) condition of the benthic communities within the Park. The study is comprised of three coral reef areas close to the Honokohau Small Boat Harbor and two reference sites presumed to be unaffected by onshore development. An overview of the current state of the benthic habitat for each site is presented, focusing on coral cover, algal cover, species composition, coral health, and macro-invertebrate abundance. Average coral cover across all sites was 47.4% +/- 6.4 SD and macroalgae were virtually absent (<0.5%). Coral cover at the five sites ranged between 31% and 58%, which is well within the range typically found on the west coast of Hawai'i. Dominant macroinvertebrates were large urchins, which are important herbivores. Additionally, individual coral colonies were identified to monitor coral mortality. A similar study is being conducted at the northern boundary of the Park where a residential development and a golf course are under construction. The results of both studies will be comparable, and provide baseline useful in monitoring for potential impacts of these nearshore developments.This study was funded by the National Park Service under Task Agreement # J8320060008 through the Hawaii-Pacific Islands Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Cooperative Agreement #H8080040012. We thank I. Williams, E. Brown, and W. J. Miller for their assistance with sampling design and statistics. We are grateful to I. Williams, DAR; E. Grossman, USGS; K. Knee and M. Parsons for letting us use their data. We thank R. Gmirkin and K. Wong for assistance in the field work and D. Duffy for his support. We thank two peer-reviewers for their review and comments. This work was performed under Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources Special Activity Permit number PRO-2006-84 and PRO-2007-16. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this report does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the National Park Service or the University of Hawaii

Predicting Impacts of Sea Level Rise for Cultural and Natural Resources in Five National Park Units on the Island of Hawai‘i

Reports were scanned in black and white at a resolution of 600 dots per inch and were converted to text using Adobe Paper Capture Plug-in.Various climate change models predict that global sea levels will rise up to 1.9 m by 2100. Sea level rise and changes in storm run up during large surf events will affect nearshore habitats, cultural resources, water resources and infra-structure worldwide. Tide gauges on the island of Hawaii have shown an average sea level rise of 3.5 mm/yr over recent decades and future accelerated rates are expected. The Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail includes an approximately 280 km portion of prehistoric trail on or parallel to the Hawai'i Island shoreline and passes through numerous significant cultural and biological resources including resources within four national parks (Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historical Site, Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park, and Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park), all of which will be impacted by sea level rise. Incorporating detailed elevation data and sea level rise predictions in the early stages of planning could lessen impacts and aid in long term management of the trail. In this project, investigators at University of California, Berkeley collaborated with National Park Service staff to model the effects of future sea level rise on present cultural and natural resources within the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail corridor. Specifically, LiDAR and other existing spatial data were used to create high resolution Digital Elevation Models. Then a Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to create visualizations of resource inundation likely to occur by the year 2100 using a range of more conservative to more extreme sea-level rise predictions. Spatial analysis was also used to determine areas where particular habitats such as anchialine pools, fishponds, and wetlands will most likely occur in 2100 so that these future habitats can be protected. The inundation models are conservative because they do not include projections of wave run-up during storms, erosion, or groundwater elevations above sea level. Additionally, comparisons of LiDAR points to National Geodetic Survey Benchmarks indicates LiDAR elevations are offset by an average of + 0.25 m. Correction of this error in DEMs resulted in greater inundation at each sea level rise scenario compared to the models without the correction. Final sea level rise scenarios incorporate corrections for the offset. Detailed elevation data and model results for the NPS units are provided in a GIS geodatabase format for trail planning, park management and resource protection within the ALKA corridor.We are grateful to Rick Gmirkin, Aric Arakaki, Sallie Beavers, Nancy Erger, Darcy Hu, and others for their support. We are also grateful to Maggi Kelly, Chip Fletcher’s Lab group, Kirk Waters, and Maria Caffrey for their comments on the project and manuscript. Finally, Ed Carlson, John Marra, and Doug Harper generously conducted and shared data from surveys of National Geodetic Survey benchmarks. This project is a Californian Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Project of the National Park Service and the University of California Regents at Berkeley (Task Agreement J8C07100018). The funding sources had no role in the study design, collection, analysis and interpretation of data

Baseline Assessment of the Coral Reef Habitat in Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park Adjacent to the Shores at Kohanaiki Development, 2006-2007 

Reports were scanned in black and white at a resolution of 600 dots per inch and were converted to text using Adobe Paper Capture Plug-in.This study provides current-condition baseline data and long-term monitoring methodology for coral reef habitats within the northern portion of Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park for 2006-2007. The Park contains approximately 596 acres of coral reefs, state-designated pristine coastal waters, and unique coastal aquatic ecosystems such as Hawaiian fishponds and anchialine pools. The Park is located on the rapidly urbanizing Kona Coast on the west side of Hawai'i Island and will be surrounded by large-scale developments that include a golf course; commercial, light industrial, and residential developments; and a possible harbor expansion resort complex. Coastal development in the Kailua-Kona area will also impact the Park's reefs through increases in fishing, anchoring, and recreational use. Worldwide, coastal development has had profound impacts on coral benthic communities, and is implicated in shifts from coral dominance to algal dominance with resulting loss of habitat for reef organisms. In response to the construction of the "Shores at Kohanaiki" development adjacent to the Park's north boundary, this study was initiated to establish a current baseline and to identify changes in percent coral cover, algal cover, and coral survival over time at two habitat zones within Kohanaiki Reef compared to two reference sites. In Spring 2006, Fall 2006, and Summer 2007, pre-development baseline data were collected on (1) randomly selected photo transects, (2) individual corals, and (3) macroinvertebrate densities to monitor coral reef health. Benthic cover at all three sites was primarily composed of coral, turf algae, and crustose coralline algae. Mean coral cover at Kohanaiki Reef as a whole remained stable throughout the 17-month study period, varying from 30.7 to 34.3%. Macroalgae were a minor component, comprising less than 1% cover at all sites on all survey dates except at Kohanaiki Reef vertical-wall sites where macroalgae were approximately 4.5% of benthic cover. Grazing urchin populations were present at all sites, averaging 6.0 urchins/m2 +/- SD 2.8. Acanthaster planci were present, but uncommon. Porites Tissue-Loss Disease was encountered on several Porites lutea colonies at the Kaloko Reference Site in the summer of 2006, and Porites Trematodiasis was observed throughout the study at all sites. Partial bleaching was widespread on Pocillopora meandrina heads at Kohanaiki Reef in October of 2005, but corals had recovered or died by the time of our surveys. Results indicate that the study design and survey methods are robust and have a good probability of correctly identifying >10% absolute change in coral cover over time.This study was funded by the National Park Service under Task Agreement # J8320050012 through the Hawai‘i-Pacific Islands Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Cooperative Agreement #H8080040012. We thank E. Brown, W. J. Miller, R. Steidl, and I. Williams for their assistance with sampling design and statistics. We thank R. Gmirkin for assistance in the field work and J. Beets for his support. We thank two peer-reviewers for their review and comments. This work was performed under Hawai‘i Division of Aquatic Resources Special Activity Permit number PRO-2006-84 and PRO -2007-16

Identification of beryllium-dependent peptides recognized by CD4+ T cells in chronic beryllium disease

Chronic beryllium disease (CBD) is a granulomatous disorder characterized by an influx of beryllium (Be)-specific CD4+ T cells into the lung. The vast majority of these T cells recognize Be in an HLA-DP–restricted manner, and peptide is required for T cell recognition. However, the peptides that stimulate Be-specific T cells are unknown. Using positional scanning libraries and fibroblasts expressing HLA-DP2, the most prevalent HLA-DP molecule linked to disease, we identified mimotopes and endogenous self-peptides that bind to MHCII and Be, forming a complex recognized by pathogenic CD4+ T cells in CBD. These peptides possess aspartic and glutamic acid residues at p4 and p7, respectively, that surround the putative Be-binding site and cooperate with HLA-DP2 in Be coordination. Endogenous plexin A peptides and proteins, which share the core motif and are expressed in lung, also stimulate these TCRs. Be-loaded HLA-DP2–mimotope and HLA-DP2–plexin A4 tetramers detected high frequencies of CD4+ T cells specific for these ligands in all HLA-DP2+ CBD patients tested. Thus, our findings identify the first ligand for a CD4+ T cell involved in metal-induced hypersensitivity and suggest a unique role of these peptides in metal ion coordination and the generation of a common antigen specificity in CBD

Particularized protection: UNSC mandates and the protection of civilians in armed conflict

The protection of civilians at risk in armed conflict has, since the late 1990s, become institutionalized at the United Nations (UN), gaining acceptance as a normative rationale for UN peacekeeping. However, the bulk of civilians in need of protection in armed conflict are unlikely to attain it. The article develops an argument on ‘particularized protection’ - particularized in that UN Security Council (SC) mandates are formulated and adjusted over time to direct mission protection to specific subsets of civilian populations, that is, those relevant to the UN itself, the host state, other states, NGOs and the media, leaving most local civilians receiving little effective protection. Particularized protection, we argue, is a result of the institutional dynamics involving actors producing mandates - the UNSC - and those providing protection - peacekeeping missions - whereby mandates are specified to direct mission protection to selected, particularized groups. We demonstrate these dynamics in two cases, Côte d’Ivoire and Somalia

Identification of beryllium-dependent peptides recognized by CD4+ T cells in chronic beryllium disease

Chronic beryllium disease (CBD) is a granulomatous disorder characterized by an influx of beryllium (Be)-specific CD4(+) T cells into the lung. The vast majority of these T cells recognize Be in an HLA-DP–restricted manner, and peptide is required for T cell recognition. However, the peptides that stimulate Be-specific T cells are unknown. Using positional scanning libraries and fibroblasts expressing HLA-DP2, the most prevalent HLA-DP molecule linked to disease, we identified mimotopes and endogenous self-peptides that bind to MHCII and Be, forming a complex recognized by pathogenic CD4(+) T cells in CBD. These peptides possess aspartic and glutamic acid residues at p4 and p7, respectively, that surround the putative Be-binding site and cooperate with HLA-DP2 in Be coordination. Endogenous plexin A peptides and proteins, which share the core motif and are expressed in lung, also stimulate these TCRs. Be-loaded HLA-DP2–mimotope and HLA-DP2–plexin A4 tetramers detected high frequencies of CD4(+) T cells specific for these ligands in all HLA-DP2(+) CBD patients tested. Thus, our findings identify the first ligand for a CD4(+) T cell involved in metal-induced hypersensitivity and suggest a unique role of these peptides in metal ion coordination and the generation of a common antigen specificity in CBD

Incorporating Groundwater Levels into Sea Level Detection Models for Hawaiian Anchialine Pool Ecosystems

ABSTRACT Marrack, L., 0000. Incorporating groundwater levels into sea level detection models for Hawaiian anchialine pool ecosystems. Journal of Coastal Research, 00(0), 000-000. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. As sea levels rise, the distribution and community structure of coastal ecosystems are expected to change. In many coastal aquifers, fresher groundwater floats on top of denser saltwater and will rise with sea level. Under these conditions, ecosystems dependent on groundwater may shift inland as a result of inundation, changes in salinity, or both. Groundwater-fed anchialine pool habitats existing in porous coastal substrates around the world have not been assessed for sea level rise impacts. As a first step toward examining ecosystem response to rising water levels, geospatial models were developed to detect anchialine pools on the island of Hawai&apos;i at current water levels and models were validated with known pool locations. Specifically, the objectives were to determine whether accounting for groundwater levels in the model improved pool detection, to identify the model that most accurately detected known pools, and to identify which pool features make some pools more likely to be detected than others. Six water level models were validated with the test data set of actual pool locations to determine how well they detected known anchialine pools. Water surface models that included groundwater levels were up to 37% better at detecting anchialine pools than corresponding models without groundwater levels. The model that included groundwater levels at mean higher high water was applied to 42 km of coastline where it correctly detected 62% of known pools. A generalized linear model showed that pools with surface areas greater than 5 m 2 and pools without canopy were the most likely to be detected. Future predictive modeling of anchialine pool response to sea level rise should include groundwater levels. Furthermore, geospatial models aimed at predicting ecosystem shifts due to sea level rise may be improved by including groundwater as a factor and should be validated using current ecosystem conditions. ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS: Sea level rise, light detection and ranging (LIDAR), model validation, tidal efficiency, accuracy assessment

The relative importance of introduced fishes, habitat characteristics, and land use for endemic shrimp occurrence in brackish anchialine pool ecosystems

Abstract Anchialine ecosystems are groundwaterfed brackish coastal habitats that contain high percentages of endemic fauna and are at risk from anthropogenic stressors, introduced species, and sea level rise. Data on endemic species distribution, habitat condition, and species/habitat interactions in this ecosystem are scarce across large spatial scales. This study offers the most thorough regional perspective on anchialine pool habitat characteristics along the western and southern coastlines of the island of Hawaii since the 1970s. Daytime surveys of 398 anchialine pools documented the widespread distribution of two dominant endemic shrimp Halocaridina rubra and Metabetaeus lohena in a wide range of habitats. Introduced fishes (tilapia, poeciliids) were present in about 25% of pools. Generalized additive models were used to determine the relationship between shrimp occurrence and pool characteristics, invasive species, water properties, and land use. Introduced fishes had a strong negative effect on the occurrence of H. rubra and M. lohena. High benthic silt cover and adjacent development also had significant negative relationships with shrimp occurrence. Our results indicate that conservation efforts should include controlling introduced fishes, preventing new introductions, minimizing siltation, and protecting groundwater resources and low-lying coastal areas

Using oxygen and hydrogen stable isotopes to track the migratory movement of Sharp-shinned Hawks (Accipiter striatus) along Western Flyways of North America.

The large-scale patterns of movement for the Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus), a small forest hawk found throughout western North America, are largely unknown. However, based on field observations we set out to test the hypothesis that juvenile migratory A. striatus caught along two distinct migration routes on opposite sides of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of North America (Pacific Coast and Intermountain Migratory Flyways) come from geographically different natal populations. We applied stable isotope analysis of hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) of feathers, and large scale models of spatial isotopic variation (isoscapes) to formulate spatially explicit predictions of the origin of the migrant birds. Novel relationships were assessed between the measured hydrogen and oxygen isotope values of feathers from A. striatus museum specimens of known origin and the isoscape modeled hydrogen and oxygen isotope values of precipitation at those known locations. We used these relationships to predict the origin regions for birds migrating along the two flyways from the measured isotope values of migrant's feathers and the associated hydrogen and oxygen isotopic composition of precipitation where these feathers were formed. The birds from the two migration routes had overlap in their natal/breeding origins and did not differentiate into fully separate migratory populations, with birds from the Pacific Coast Migratory Flyway showing broader natal geographic origins than those from the Intermountain Flyway. The methodology based on oxygen isotopes had, in general, less predictive power than the one based on hydrogen. There was broad agreement between the two isotope approaches in the geographic assignment of the origins of birds migrating along the Pacific Coast Flyway, but not for those migrating along the Intermountain Migratory Flyway. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for conservation efforts of A. striatus in western North America, and the use of combined hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope analysis to track the movement of birds of prey on continental scales