The Geomorphology, The Geomorphology,

Habitats, and MappingHabitats, and Mapping

of the Hawaiian Archipelagoof the Hawaiian Archipelago

Joyce Miller and John RooneyJoyce Miller and John Rooney

NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science CenterNOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center

Coral Reef Ecosystem Division, Pacific Islands Benthic Habitat mapping CenterCoral Reef Ecosystem Division, Pacific Islands Benthic Habitat mapping Center

• Hawaiian-Emperor chain formation history

• Sea-level dynamics

• Reef and shoreline development

• Mapping, habitats and applications

• On-going work

OutlineOutline

Photo of FFS Corals by J. Kenyon

● 6,126 km long

● Older to the NW:

Meiji 85 Ma old , Kure ~30 Ma, Nihoa 7.2 Ma

● 129 volcanoes, 104 islands, 39 islands > 1 km

● 1 island/time 85-34 Ma, no islands 30-34 Ma, multiple islands after Lisianski (23 Ma)

● Pacific Plate (Clague, 1996)

~7 cm/yr, 85 – 5 Ma

~10 cm/yr, ~5 Ma – present

● Moving Hotspot? (Tarduno, et al., 2003 )

Hawaii-Emperor Chain Hawaii-Emperor Chain

Volcanos No. / Ma Spacing (km)

Emperor Chain 1.1 57

NWHI 1.7 45

MHI 4.0 30

Hawaiian HotspotHawaiian Hotspot

Vertical Tectonics Vertical Tectonics

Original Size of Hawaiian IslandsOriginal Size of Hawaiian Islands

Sea Surface

SubaerialVolcanic Shield

H1

Break in Slope

Pre-SubsidencePost-Subsidence

H1 H2

7o

D

7o

Post-Erosion

RockOutcrop

D x Tan 7o

H1

Subsidence ErosionSlow Subsidence

Submergence/Atoll

Coral Cap

Uplift

(subsides to -1000-1500 m)

30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Ma

1.9

– 2

.6 m

/10

00

yrs

2.5

-2.8

m/1

00

0 y

rs

MidwaySubsidence

~0.024 m/1000 yrs.(Grigg, 1997)

Yellow areas around banks and islandsrepresent calculated areas of original islands

as presented in Price and Clague (2002),How old is the Hawaiian biota?

Figure after Price and Clague, 2002.

Glacial/InterglacialGlacial/Interglacial

Figure from C. Fletcher, Coastal Geology 420

Late Quaternary Sea Level and Reef Development

Late Quaternary Sea Level and Reef Development

Glacial Periods (Low sea level)

Interglacial Periods (High sea level)

Holocene Sea Level

Period FFS Midway Oahu

1905 – 2003 NA NA 1.47

1947 – 2003 NA 0.58 1.37

1974 - 2001 1.35 2.95 0.65

1992 - 2001 7.42 7.717.71 -3.97-3.97

Sea Level Rise (mm/yr)

● Holocene Trangression

● Kapapa mid-Holocene highstand

Big Island Reef TerracesBig Island Reef Terraces

• Mapping data collected by NOAA and MBARI show major terraces at 150 and 400 m on the W. Kohala Coast. Other locations on Hawaii may or may not have reefs at similar levels.

• Webster et al., 2006, conclude that the 400-m reef was initiated about 220,000 yrs ago and the reef drowned during deglaciation at ~134,000 yrs ago.

• Webster et al., 2006, conclude that the 150-m was initiated about 126,000 yrs. ago and was drowned during de-glaciation 12,000 – 14,000 yrs. ago, perhaps by a meltwater pulse event.

• Reef sequences on the rapidly subsiding island of Hawaii are relatively straightforward to understand because deeper reefs are generally older than shallow ones.

• Mapping data collected by NOAA and MBARI show major terraces at 150 and 400 m on the W. Kohala Coast. Other locations on Hawaii may or may not have reefs at similar levels.

• Webster et al., 2006, conclude that the 400-m reef was initiated about 220,000 yrs ago and the reef drowned during deglaciation at ~134,000 yrs ago.

• Webster et al., 2006, conclude that the 150-m was initiated about 126,000 yrs. ago and was drowned during de-glaciation 12,000 – 14,000 yrs. ago, perhaps by a meltwater pulse event.

• Reef sequences on the rapidly subsiding island of Hawaii are relatively straightforward to understand because deeper reefs are generally older than shallow ones.

400 m terrace

150 m terrace

• Waimanalo Reef – Coastal Plain, 8 m thick, above sea level -- 106,000 to 143,000 yrs ago.

• Holocene (recent) Reef – Some dunes, +3 to -4 m, Present to 8000 yrs. ago. • Waianae Reef – Shelf areas, -6 to -20 m, 200,000 to 220,000 yrs ago. Same age as Hawaii 400 m terrace.

• Leahi Reef and dunes -- -20 to -24 m, 83,000 – 110,000 yrs ago. • Unnamed sequence at -49 to -54 m. No dates yet. Rugged terraces at similar depths seen in NWHI (e.g. Midway).

• Waimanalo Reef – Coastal Plain, 8 m thick, above sea level -- 106,000 to 143,000 yrs ago.

• Holocene (recent) Reef – Some dunes, +3 to -4 m, Present to 8000 yrs. ago. • Waianae Reef – Shelf areas, -6 to -20 m, 200,000 to 220,000 yrs ago. Same age as Hawaii 400 m terrace.

• Leahi Reef and dunes -- -20 to -24 m, 83,000 – 110,000 yrs ago. • Unnamed sequence at -49 to -54 m. No dates yet. Rugged terraces at similar depths seen in NWHI (e.g. Midway).

Shorelines dominated by sea level change are much more complex,

because ages are not sequential.

South Oahu ShorelinesSouth Oahu Shorelines

Information from C. Fletcher, Geology 420

Midway Terraces

Mapping, Habitats, and ApplicationsMapping, Habitats, and Applications

Coral Reef EcosystemsCoral Reef Ecosystems Essential Fish HabitatEssential Fish Habitat ResourcesResources

Protected Species ResearchProtected Species Research Management Needs(e.g. Boundaries, Charts)

Management Needs(e.g. Boundaries, Charts)

Data Synthesis and IntegrationData Synthesis and Integration

Mapping TechniquesMapping Techniques

• Satellite/aerial imagery and estimated depths

• LIDAR (airborne) –

bathymetry and backscatter

• Acoustic techniques – bathymetry and backscatter

• Optical validation

• Satellite/aerial imagery and estimated depths

• LIDAR (airborne) –

bathymetry and backscatter

• Acoustic techniques – bathymetry and backscatter

• Optical validation

Geomorphic Habitat

% Coral Cover

Predicted Net Accretion

Fore Reef/Pass 16 1.7 (mm/yr)1.7 (mm/yr)

Back Reef 27 1.5 (mm/yr)

Lagoonal Reef 27 3.9 (mm/yr)

Mean (weighted) 20 2.1 (mm/yr)

Reef Crest & RR ??? ??????

Coral Studies at

Kure Atoll

Whaleskate Is., FFS - 1963

Whaleskate Is., FFS - 2002

Sealevel or Transport Change?

Habitat Analysis and Sampling Protocols Which Parameters, At What Scales?

Habitat Analysis and Sampling Protocols Which Parameters, At What Scales?

Fledermaus 3-D Image of FFS Bank

Backscatter or Hard/SoftBackscatter or Hard/Soft Rugose vs. Smooth, Scale?Rugose vs. Smooth, Scale?

Bathymetry (depth)• Slope• Rugosity, complexity• Bathymetric Position Index (Crests, Flats, Depressions, …)• Variance (variability of signal)

Backscatter• Hardness• Roughness• Variance (variability of signal)

IKONOS imagery• Classifications• Estimated depths• Variance (variability of signal)

Bathymetry (depth)• Slope• Rugosity, complexity• Bathymetric Position Index (Crests, Flats, Depressions, …)• Variance (variability of signal)

Backscatter• Hardness• Roughness• Variance (variability of signal)

IKONOS imagery• Classifications• Estimated depths• Variance (variability of signal)

Integration of different data types

Sand Deposits

Low Relief StructuresOn Top

Essential Fish Habitat(EFH) defined by: Depth Slope Backscatter Values Rugosity? BotCam Studies

MHI Synthesis,Whale Habitat Low rugosity Low slope

PenguinBank, MHI

Brooks Banks, NWHI

W. Nihoa NWHI

Study of MHI and NWHI BanksStudy of MHI and NWHI Banks

MHI & NWHI Mapping Synthesis WorkMHI & NWHI Mapping Synthesis Work

Collaborative effort between UH SOEST & NOAA, Mapping > 100 m almost complete, < 100 m – AHI or LIDAR work to do,

50 m grid at www.soest.hawaii.edu/hmrg

NWHI-MNM Operational Statistics and Estimates

NWHI-MNM Operational Statistics and Estimates

MultibeamMultibeam Completed EstimateCompleted Estimate 2002-20062002-2006 To Complete To Complete (km(km22)) (Days) (Days) (Days) (Days)

Deep (>100m) Deep (>100m) 38,367 38,367 25 70 25 70Shallow (Shallow (20-100m)20-100m) 3,7093,709 124124 285285

TotalsTotals 42,076 42,076 149 149 355 355

OpticalOptical Deep (>20 m, towed camera): Deep (>20 m, towed camera):

3733 still photos; 191 videos, ~ 2 km each3733 still photos; 191 videos, ~ 2 km each Shallow (≤30m, towboard cameras):Shallow (≤30m, towboard cameras):

135+ tracks, ~2 km each, reoccupied biennially135+ tracks, ~2 km each, reoccupied biennially

MultibeamMultibeam Completed EstimateCompleted Estimate 2002-20062002-2006 To Complete To Complete (km(km22)) (Days) (Days) (Days) (Days)

Deep (>100m) Deep (>100m) 38,367 38,367 25 70 25 70Shallow (Shallow (20-100m)20-100m) 3,7093,709 124124 285285

TotalsTotals 42,076 42,076 149 149 355 355

OpticalOptical Deep (>20 m, towed camera): Deep (>20 m, towed camera):

3733 still photos; 191 videos, ~ 2 km each3733 still photos; 191 videos, ~ 2 km each Shallow (≤30m, towboard cameras):Shallow (≤30m, towboard cameras):

135+ tracks, ~2 km each, reoccupied biennially135+ tracks, ~2 km each, reoccupied biennially

Management & Research QuestionsManagement & Research Questions

• Sea level changes and the effects on geology, beach formations, habitats, ages of banks…

• How much coral is there, where does it occur?• Design of sampling protocols. Hard vs. soft,

rugose vs. smooth, variability of parameters?• Evolution of submerged banks. How much

EFH? Location? Protected areas? • Location of resources: sand -- for beaches,

construction, protected species, anchorages. • Data for boundaries and nautical charts. • Habitats: whales, bottom fish, reef fish, lobsters.

• Other questions????

Future ResearchFuture Research

● Mapping a. Continue MB data collection b. Bathy and backscatter processing c. Bathy and backscatter analysis d. IKONOS, MB or LIDAR for shallow depths?

● Groundtruth a. Develop ROV/AUV capabilities b. Optical data collection & processing c. Coring

● Data Interpretation and Integration a. Defining appropriate products for specific needs b. Interpretation of individual data types c. Integration of disparate data types d. Creation of “seamless” habitat maps for many different species

AlohaAloha

Websites:Websites: http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/PIBHMChttp://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred

For information contact:For information contact: John.Rooney@noaa.gov Joyce.Miller@noaa.gov

Websites:Websites: http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/PIBHMChttp://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred

For information contact:For information contact: John.Rooney@noaa.gov Joyce.Miller@noaa.gov

What research or management questionsthat can be quantified by mapping

techniques are important for your work?