Underwater Photogrammetry Captures the Initial Recovery of a Coral Reef at Lalo Atoll
Recovery of coral reefs after physical damage sustained from storm events can be affected by various factors. Here, we examined the initial recovery of a coral reef at the southern end of uninhabited Lalo Atoll of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument after its complete destruction by Hurricane...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Diversity |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/14/1/39 |
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| author | Atsuko Fukunaga Kailey H. Pascoe Ashley R. Pugh Randall K. Kosaki John H. R. Burns |
| author_facet | Atsuko Fukunaga Kailey H. Pascoe Ashley R. Pugh Randall K. Kosaki John H. R. Burns |
| author_sort | Atsuko Fukunaga |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recovery of coral reefs after physical damage sustained from storm events can be affected by various factors. Here, we examined the initial recovery of a coral reef at the southern end of uninhabited Lalo Atoll of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument after its complete destruction by Hurricane Walaka in 2018. While the site was still mostly (98%) covered by a mixture of rubble and sand, surveys utilizing underwater photogrammetry allowed for detailed quantitative assessments of benthic cover and confirmed colonization of coral (<i>Pocillopora meandrina</i> and <i>Porites lobata</i>), macroalgae and sponges. The proportion of sand in the rubble–sand mixture also decreased from the level observed in 2019. Visual fish surveys confirmed the presence of 35 reef fish species, a large increase from no reef fish in 2019, despite the low biotic benthic cover. Overall, the colonization of benthic organisms and the return of reef fish, which is potentially supported by the benthos and cryptofauna in the rubble bed, offer positive signs of reef recovery. The photogrammetric surveys in the present study captured the subtle changes in the benthic cover and provided us with a procedure to continue monitoring the succession of the site. Continuous monitoring of the site should reveal whether the reef returns to the original state of <i>Acropora</i> coral dominance or progresses towards a coral assemblage with a different composition. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:37:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8166d5cf19c045538073418fcda9bcee |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:37:33Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-8166d5cf19c045538073418fcda9bcee2023-11-23T13:31:04ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182022-01-011413910.3390/d14010039Underwater Photogrammetry Captures the Initial Recovery of a Coral Reef at Lalo AtollAtsuko Fukunaga0Kailey H. Pascoe1Ashley R. Pugh2Randall K. Kosaki3John H. R. Burns4Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USACenter for Global Discovery and Conservation Science—Hilo, Arizona State University, Hilo, HI 96720, USAMarine Science Department, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, Hilo, HI 96720, USAPapahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Honolulu, HI 96818, USAMarine Science Department, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, Hilo, HI 96720, USARecovery of coral reefs after physical damage sustained from storm events can be affected by various factors. Here, we examined the initial recovery of a coral reef at the southern end of uninhabited Lalo Atoll of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument after its complete destruction by Hurricane Walaka in 2018. While the site was still mostly (98%) covered by a mixture of rubble and sand, surveys utilizing underwater photogrammetry allowed for detailed quantitative assessments of benthic cover and confirmed colonization of coral (<i>Pocillopora meandrina</i> and <i>Porites lobata</i>), macroalgae and sponges. The proportion of sand in the rubble–sand mixture also decreased from the level observed in 2019. Visual fish surveys confirmed the presence of 35 reef fish species, a large increase from no reef fish in 2019, despite the low biotic benthic cover. Overall, the colonization of benthic organisms and the return of reef fish, which is potentially supported by the benthos and cryptofauna in the rubble bed, offer positive signs of reef recovery. The photogrammetric surveys in the present study captured the subtle changes in the benthic cover and provided us with a procedure to continue monitoring the succession of the site. Continuous monitoring of the site should reveal whether the reef returns to the original state of <i>Acropora</i> coral dominance or progresses towards a coral assemblage with a different composition.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/14/1/39successional stagecoralrecruithurricanePapahānaumokuākea |
| spellingShingle | Atsuko Fukunaga Kailey H. Pascoe Ashley R. Pugh Randall K. Kosaki John H. R. Burns Underwater Photogrammetry Captures the Initial Recovery of a Coral Reef at Lalo Atoll Diversity successional stage coral recruit hurricane Papahānaumokuākea |
| title | Underwater Photogrammetry Captures the Initial Recovery of a Coral Reef at Lalo Atoll |
| title_full | Underwater Photogrammetry Captures the Initial Recovery of a Coral Reef at Lalo Atoll |
| title_fullStr | Underwater Photogrammetry Captures the Initial Recovery of a Coral Reef at Lalo Atoll |
| title_full_unstemmed | Underwater Photogrammetry Captures the Initial Recovery of a Coral Reef at Lalo Atoll |
| title_short | Underwater Photogrammetry Captures the Initial Recovery of a Coral Reef at Lalo Atoll |
| title_sort | underwater photogrammetry captures the initial recovery of a coral reef at lalo atoll |
| topic | successional stage coral recruit hurricane Papahānaumokuākea |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/14/1/39 |
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