Groundwater occurrence and discharge at coral atoll and barrier reef systems

This project will, for the first time, assess the role of the reef flat plate - a lithified carbonate unit ubiquitously present in coral reef systems - on the distribution and rate of submarine groundwater discharge. Focusing our studies on a high-island barrier reef (Moorea, French Polynesia) and a low-island coral atoll (Tetiaroa, French Polynesia) with the same tidal and climate forcing, we will apply multiple methods...

The effect of rocky intertidal foundation species loss on tidepool biogeochemistry and microbiomes

Foundation species create shelter, enhance biodiversity, and maintain ecosystem functioning within their environment. Within the rocky intertidal ecosystem, a coastal ecosystem dominated by mussels and surfgrass, foundation species are expected to decrease in abundance with climate change, extreme climatic events, and increased human impact. However, there is a need to better understand how foundati...

RUI: Collaborative: Defining the biogeochemical context and ecological impacts of SGD on coral reefs

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is the flow of water from land through the coastal seafloor into the nearby ocean. Approximately 13,000 km3 of groundwater is discharged into coastal environments every year, yet the effects of this fresh and often nutrient rich SGD are still poorly understood for coral reef ecosystems. This SGD input is driven by changes in precipitation, human land use, sea-...

LTER: Long-Term Dynamics of a Coral Reef Ecosystem

The Moorea Coral Reef (MCR) LTER was established in 2004 to investigate community and ecosystem effects of pulsed perturbations and slowly changing environment from local and global stressors. The site is the coral reef complex surrounding the island of Moorea, French Polynesia. Professors Robert Carpenter and Peter Edmunds will provide professional services in carrying out the work scope proposed to NSF. The expected outcomes include findi...

CAREER: Predicting ecosystem metabolism of rocky intertidal communities in warming and acidifying oceans.

The recent devastating impacts of global warming and ocean acidification on rocky intertidal ecosystems are expected to increase as the oceans continue to warm and acidify. Further, loss of critical foundation species as a result of extreme heating events and ocean acidification lead to feedback loops that further alter ecosystem functioning. While there have been several studies on the physi...