ISLAND OF MOLOKAI

molokai shores

 

The mud/reef flat directly adjacent to Molokai Shores Condominiums was surveyed at several distances away from and perpendicular to shore. This site was very similar in species composition to that of Hotel Molokai. Initially many green algae were found within 5 meters from shore. Seagrass beds (of both Halophila hawaiiana and a unidentified seagrass species) began forming at about 10 meters offshore and were found throughout the entire reef flat area. Large clumps of Acanthophora spicifera and Hypnea musciformis were found both attached to small rocks and rolling along the bottom. Lyngbya and Spyridia filamentosa were also very abundant throughout this system. The reef flat here was very wide (about 500 meters) and virtually the entire substrate was soft mud. We surveyed out to about 300 meters offshore and did not see any evidence of a transition to sand or rubble. Very little coral was found within our sampling area. On shore, the condominimum complex-Molokai shores covers the area all the way up to the beach. there is also some landscaping and lots of green grass in this development.

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

Molokai Shores

2/6/2000

S

mud flat, reef flat

FRESH WATER

SHORE ACTIVITY

Acanthophora spicifera

Hypnea musciformis

Gracilaria salicornia

DEPTH ALIENS FOUND

not apparent

resort/condos

5

3

0

0.25-0.50m

SALINITY

# OF SITES SURVEYED

HABITAT TYPES

HERBIVORES

INVASIVE SPP?

36

4

very soft, thick, large mud flat-eventually reef crest

not apparent

Lyngbya, Spyridia

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

Molokai Shores

Angiosperms

Halophila hawaiiana

x

Halophila sp. (?)-Other

x

Cyanophyta

Lyngbya majuscula

x

 

Chlorophyta

Caulerpa sertulariodes

x

Dictyosphaeria cavernosa

x

Enteromorpha flexuosa

x

Ulva expansa

x

 

Phaeohyta

Dictyota acutiloba

x

Dictyota sp.

x

Padina australis

x

Turbinaria ornata

x

 

Rhodophyta

Acanthophora spicifera

x

Chondria sp.

x

Graciliaria cornopifolia

x

Hypnea musciformis

x

Laurencia sp.

x

Spyridia filamentosa

x

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

***** NO Fish Observed*****