ISLAND OF MOLOKAI

pohakuloa bay:

This was a fairly small sized bay with a small stream entering on the south end. The stream appeared to have cut a semi-deep channel through the well developed reef flat all the way out to the reef crest. A very shallow (max depth=0.5 m) but broad limestone reef flat was found on either side of the bay. These flats were approximately 200 meters wide. There were small coral colonies scattered throughout this habitat, but there was also evidence of severe wave scouring. Many herbivorous fish were seen roaming along the edge of the reef flat bordering the channel. The algae found here were typically either very short turfs or larger Galaxaura spp., Actinotrichia fragilis, Melanamansia glomerata and Turbinaria ornata. There were no houses or human activity evident at this site.

Table 1.  Information regarding site characteristics and alien species abundances. The  number recorded for each alien species of algae is a ranking of the abundance of that species at each given site. Impact ranking values range from 0 (not present) to 10 (100% cover). 

MOLOKAI SITES

DATE

LAT

LONG

SIDE OF ISLAND

SITE TYPE

Pohakuloa

2/4/2000

E

Bay

FRESH WATER SOURCES

SHORE ACTIVITY

Acanthophora spicifera

Hypnea musciformis

Gracilaria salicornia

DEPTH ALIENS WERE FOUND

Stream

few houses

0

0

0

0

SALINITY

# OF SITES SURVEYED

HABITAT TYPES

HERBIVORES

INVASIVE SPP?

32

4

reef flat, sand channel, boulders

surgeonfish, Stegastes fasciolatus, Echinometra

0

Table 2.  Species list of all of the algal samples that were collected at this site. Alien species are displayed in green. 

MOLOKAI SPECIES LIST

Pohakuloa

 

Chlorophyta

Caulerpa racemosa

x

Codium edulae

x

Halimeda discoidea

x

 

Phaeohyta

Dictyota friabilis

x

Padina japonica

x

Turbinaria ornata

x

 

Rhodophyta

Actinotrichia fragilis

x

Amphiroa sp.

x

Galaxaura marginata

x

Galaxaura rugosa

x

Jania adherens

x

Liagora sp. 1-perrenias

x

Martensia fragilis

x

Melanamansia glomerata

x

Peysonella rubra

x

Table 3.  Species list and relative abundance of herbivores at this location.

Pohakuloa

density/m2

A. triostegus

0.008493

Stegastes

0.025478

T. duperry

0.038217

T. duperry juv.

0.025478

S. balteata

0.03397

A. olivaceous

0.004246

A. hispidus

0.004246

A. nigroris

0.016985

P. multifasciatus

0.004246

C. auriga

0.004246

P. imparipennis

0.012739

Synodus sp.

0.004246