USGS Newsroom

Halema'uma'u Eruption Reaches Five-Year Anniversary

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 16:00:00 EDT

HAWAII NATIONAL PARK, Hawai‘i —Kīlauea Volcano's summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u Crater marks its fifth year of continuous activity on Tues., Mar. 19.

To commemorate this anniversary, rangers at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park will offer additional "Life on the Edge" talks at the Jaggar Museum observation deck, which overlooks the fuming, enlarging summit vent. The 20-minute talks, offered at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m., encompass the dramatic geological and mythological history of Halema‘uma‘u Crater.

Kīlauea's summit vent opened at 2:58 a.m., HST, on March 19, 2008, when an explosive eruption created a gaping hole about 115 feet wide on the south wall of Halema‘uma‘u Crater. Nighttime glow from this hole suggested the presence of molten lava, but it wasn’t until six months later that a lake of roiling lava deep within the vent was definitively observed by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists.

With the opening of the Halema‘uma‘u vent, already-high summit sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas emission rates increased even more, resulting in increased vog (volcanic air pollution) downwind. Although the summit SO2 emissions have declined since 2008, they are still averaging 800-1200 tonnes/day, creating hazardous conditions along closed sections of the Park's Crater Rim Drive and poor air quality farther downwind of the vent.

Since 2008, rock collapses within the vent have enlarged its opening on the floor of Halema‘uma‘u Crater. The vent is now about 520 feet by 700 feet (the area of about 21 Olympic-sized pools), and, according to HVO Scientist-in-Charge Jim Kauahikaua, is likely to continue growing through collapse of overhung sections of the vent rim.

Kauahikaua describes the lava within the vent as a continuously circulating gas-rich "foam" that rises and falls depending on changes in Kīlauea's subsurface magma pressure. The lava lake reached its highest level to date on October 26, 2012, when the lava surface rose to within 72 feet of the vent rim.

While the actual lava lake is not visible from safe viewing areas, its glow—the diffusion of incandescent lava light within the gas plume rising from the vent—is spectacular and easily observed from Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park overlooks on clear nights. When the lava lake level is especially high, park visitors can sometimes hear sharp sounds as rocks in the vent wall expand and crack due to the increased heat.

"The amazing beauty of this eruption, and the ease of viewing opportunities within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, provides both visitors and residents with unforgettable experiences," said Park Superintendent Cindy Orlando. "Where else in the world can you park your car, and walk just a few feet to behold the spectacle of one of the world's most active volcanoes?"

Jaggar Museum and the overlook are wheelchair- and stroller-accessible. Other vantage points for viewing Halema‘uma‘u within the park include Kīlauea Overlook, Kīlauea Iki Overlook, and Keanakako‘i Overlook.

The summit eruption, Kīlauea’s second longest since the early 1900s, can also be experienced through photos, videos, and webcam images posted on HVO’s website. A USGS Fact Sheet about this ongoing eruption is currently in press, and will be available online in the coming months.

Global Warming May Have Severe Consequences for Rare Haleakala Silverswords

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 13:30:00 EDT

HONOLULU — While the iconic Haleakalā silversword plant made a strong recovery from early 20^th-century threats, it has now entered a period of substantial climate-related decline. New research published this week warns that global warming may have severe consequences for the silversword in its native habitat.

Known for its striking rosette, the silversword grows for 20-90 years before the single reproductive event at the end of its life, at which time it produces a large (up to six feet tall) inflorescence with as many as 600 flower heads. The plant was in jeopardy in the early 1900s due to animals eating the plants and visitors gathering them. With successful management, including legal protection and the physical exclusion of hoofed animals, the species made a strong recovery, but since the mid-1990s it has entered a period of substantial decline. A strong association of annual population growth rates with patterns of precipitation suggests the plants are undergoing increasingly frequent and lethal water stress. Local climate data confirm trends towards warmer and drier conditions on the mountain, which the researchers warn will create a bleak outlook for the threatened silverswords if climate trends continue.

"The silversword example foreshadows trouble for diversity in other biological hotspots," said Dr. Paul Krushelnycky, a biologist with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, and principal investigator for the project, "and it also illustrates how even well-protected and relatively abundant species may succumb to climate-induced stresses."

"The silversword is an amazing story of selective biological adaptation of this distant cousin of the daisy to the high winds and sometimes freezing temperatures on the high slopes and thin soils of Haleakalā volcano," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "Despite the successful efforts of the National Park Service to protect this very special plant from local disturbance from humans and introduced species, we now fear that these actions alone may be insufficient to secure this plant's future. No part of our planet is immune from the impacts of climate change."

The Haleakalā silversword (Argyroxyphium sandwicense macrocephalum) grows only on a single volcano summit in Hawaiʻi, yet it is viewed by 1–2 million visitors annually at Haleakalā National Park. Although the decline and extinction of other rare species with small ranges (and the accompanying loss of biodiversity) can easily go unobserved and unappreciated, the silversword’s high profile makes it a good example with which to educate the public about global climate change.

Krushelnycky co-authored the paper along with Lloyd Loope, scientist emeritus with the U.S. Geological Survey, and others at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, and University of Arizona.They explain that although climate change is predicted to place mountaintop and other narrowly endemic species such as the silversword at severe risk of extinction, the ecological processes involved in such extinctions are still poorly understood, and they are hoping to increase this understanding.

This report is the first publication to result from a collaborative effort between research scientists and land managers at Haleakalā National Park seeking to understand worrying trends for this popular federally threatened plant. The work was facilitated and funded by the National Park Service, along with U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Dr. Krushelnycky and his collaborators were also awarded a grant by the newly established U.S. Department of the Interior Pacific Islands Climate Science Center, one of eight such centers throughout the country, to continue the work.

The full report, "Climate-Associated Population Declines Reverse Recovery and Threaten Future of an Iconic High-Elevation Plant," published in the scientific journal Global Change Biology, is available on request from the above contacts.

New Research Underscores Vulnerability of Wildlife in Low-Lying Hawaiian Islands

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 6 Dec 2012 14:46:04 EDT

HONOLULU, Hawaii — If current climate change trends continue, rising sea levels may inundate low-lying islands across the globe, placing island biodiversity at risk. A new U.S. Geological Survey scientific publication describes the first combined simulations of the effects of sea-level rise and wave action in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, offering the most detailed and multifaceted assessment available of how island biodiversity may be affected by climate change.

The publication, "Predicting Sea-Level Rise Vulnerability of Terrestrial Habitat and Wildlife of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands," by Michelle H. Reynolds, Paul Berkowitz, Karen N. Courtot, Crystal M. Krause, Jamie Carter, and Curt Storlazzi is available online.

Recent models predict a rise of approximately 1 meter in global sea level by 2100, with larger increases possible in parts of the Pacific Ocean. The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI), which extend 1,930 kilometers beyond the main Hawaiian Islands, are a World Heritage Site and part of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. These islands – comprising the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge, Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, and Kure Atoll State Wildlife Sanctuary – support the largest tropical seabird rookery in the world, providing breeding habitat for 21 species of seabirds, four endemic land bird species and essential foraging, breeding or haul-out habitat for many other resident and migratory wildlife species.

"These magnificent seabirds spend the majority of their adult lives at sea: soaring vast distances over open water searching for food in an over-fished ocean. The one thing they cannot do at sea is reproduce," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "And now their breeding ground is in peril."

The USGS team led by biologist Michelle H. Reynolds of the USGS Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center modeled what is known as passive sea-level rise (excluding wave-driven effects such as wave flooding and erosion) for islands in this biologically important region. General climate models that predict a temperature rise of 1.8–2.6 degrees Celsius and an annual decrease in rainfall of 24.7–76.3 millimeters by 2100 were applied across the study area. For the most biologically diverse low-lying island of Laysan, dynamic wave-driven effects on habitat and wildlife populations were modeled for a range of sea-level rise scenarios.

After collecting new high-resolution topographic data in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, the researchers modeled sea-level rise inundation, habitat loss, and calculated wildlife vulnerability. Given a passive sea-level rise of 1 meter, they found, about 4 percent of the land mass of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands will be lost. If sea level rises 2 meters, 26 percent of the land mass will be lost. On Laysan Island, within the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge, impacts from storm waves as well as groundwater rise were found to greatly amplify the effects of sea-level rise: from 4.6 percent to 17.2 percent inundation in the 2-meter scenario, for instance. Thus habitat loss would be most dramatic in the wave-exposed coastal habitats and most devastating to species with global breeding distributions primarily on the low-lying Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, such as the Black-footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes), Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis), Bonin Petrel (Pterodroma hypoleuca), Gray-backed Tern (Onychoprion lunatus), Laysan Teal (Anas laysanensis), Laysan Finch (Telespiza cantans), and Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi).

This publication may be a useful tool and a starting place for developing climate change mitigation/adaptation plans as well as future scientific studies for this important region.

Overlay of Masked Booby and Brown Booby nests mapped on Laysan Island, Hawaii, in 2009, with combined inundation from passive sea level rise, wave driven water levels and rising groundwater. From USGS Open File Report 2012-1182, "Predicting Sea-Level Rise Vulnerability of Terrestrial Habitat and Wildlife of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands," by Michelle H. Reynolds et al. (High resolution image)

Florida and Illinois Make 48

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 8:00:00 EDT

With the release of US Topo maps for Florida and Illinois, the continental US is now covered with the new digital quadrangles

People who want access to digital topographic maps for any of the lower 48 states can now count on the US Topo. The ongoing map project, as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's national map series, recently released new maps for Florida and Illinois – with Hawaii to soon follow. Adding more than 2,015 revised digital quadrangles has increased the collection to nearly 54,000 new US Topo maps, with plans for Alaska developing. The maps are available for free download from The National Map and the USGS Map Store website.

"USGS topo maps are one of our most recognizable agency products, full of useful, up-to-date information, free, and easily downloaded to your computer," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "Don't leave home without US Topo."

Other new feature additions and improvements on the updated US Topo maps include:

Contours
Rivers, lakes steams and other hydrography
Woodland tint derived from the National Land Cover Dataset
Fire Stations
Hospitals
State and County boundaries
Forest service boundaries
Commercial roads in lieu of Census roads
Forest Service roads and road numbers

"We are pleased to fulfill our commitment to the public, and ahead of schedule", said Mark DeMulder, the Director of the USGS National Geospatial Program. "With the completion of the lower 48 states, we can retire the pilot 'Digital Map-Beta' maps and start on the second national revision cycle."

"During the past year, more than 3,000 US Topo were downloaded every day, and that number continues to increase", explained Mike Cooley, the US Topo Project Manager. "We believe the US Topo program has been a success and we would love to hear what our customers are thinking. Please consider visiting our US Topo contact page and let us know how we are doing."

US Topos are derived from key layers of geographic data found in The National Map which delivers visible content such as high resolution aerial photography, which was not available on older paper-based topographic maps. The new US Topo maps provide modern technical advantages that support wider and faster public distribution and on-screen geographic analysis tools for users.

Future enhancements to the US Topo are scheduled to include additional tools and map content such as a shaded relief layer, updated structures, enhanced transportation, additional federal boundaries, and Forest Service trails. Wyoming, which was added about three weeks ago, also featured Public Land Survey System (PLSS). The USGS expects to produce more than 18,500 revised quadrangles annually. US Topo maps are updated every three years.

The new digital electronic topographic maps for these new states– along with 46 other completed states - are delivered in GeoPDF image software format and may be viewed using Adobe Reader, also available as a no cost download.

For more information, visit A New Generation of Maps website.

Hawaiian Volcanoes: 100 Years of Scientific Research and Monitoring

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 18:17:50 EDT

HAWAIʻI ISLAND, Hawaiʻi — More than 150 volcanologists from around the world will gather on the Island of Hawai`i on August 19-24, to participate in “Hawaiian Volcanoes: From Source to Surface,” a Chapman Conference convened by the American Geophysical Union.

As part of a year-long commemoration of the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s 100^th anniversary, the conference provides an unparalleled opportunity for scientists to reflect on how far their understanding of Hawaiian volcanoes has come since HVO was founded in 1912. Conference participants will also look to the future, identifying the remaining questions about Hawaiian volcanoes and the direction volcano research should take to answer them.

“Our 50th state is a volcanologist's ideal natural laboratory, with frequent eruptions which allow experts to study volcano dynamics in action,” said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. “This conference brings together those who have contributed most to our understanding of Hawaiian-type volcanism to celebrate how far we have advanced over the last century and to chart a course for where we need to go.”

Conference presenters are USGS scientists, including current and former HVO staff and HVO Scientists-in-Charge, as well as University of Hawai`i researchers and other U.S. and international volcanologists. Presentations are organized to follow magma from its mantle source, along its transport through subvolcanic plumbing systems, to eruption at the surface, with the final day devoted to discussions of future plans and how research in Hawaiʻi can advance the understanding of volcanic processes elsewhere in the world.

News media representatives are invited to attend the conference presentations, which will be held at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott, 69-275 Waikoloa Beach Drive, Waikoloa Beach, Hawai`i. There is no cost to media, but on-site registration is required.

Highlights of USGS presentations at the conference are listed below.

Sessions take place in Naupaka Rooms I, II, III, and IV in the Waikoloa Beach Marriott:

Sunday, Aug. 19

5:00-6:00 p.m.

Title: The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory / Highlights of Kilauea’s Recent Eruption Activity

Presenters: Jim Kauahikaua, USGS (HVO Scientist-in-Charge) and Tim Orr, USGS (HVO geologist)

Summary: A brief synopsis of HVO’s founding in 1912 and its accomplishments during the past 100 years, followed by an overview of Kilauea Volcano’s ongoing east rift zone and summit eruptions.

Monday, Aug. 20

8:45-9:30 a.m.

Title: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory: Its First 100 Years Of Advancing Volcanology

Presenter: Robert I. Tilling, USGS (former HVO Scientist-in-Charge)

Summary: An introduction to 100 years of volcano monitoring in Hawaii—how Thomas A. Jaggar’s vision led to the founding of HVO in 1912 and the observatory’s contributions to the understanding volcanic processes in Hawai`i and elsewhere during the past century.

4:00-4:45 p.m.

Title: Growth of the Island of Hawaiʻi: Deep-Water Perspectives

Presenter: Peter Lipman, USGS

Summary: Underwater studies of Hawaiian volcanoes during the past 25 years have provided new perspectives on the growth of intraplate ocean-island volcanoes. New data show that the evolutionary stages during volcano growth on Hawaiʻi Island have varied more than previously recognized.

Wednesday, Aug. 22

7:45- 8:30 p.m.

Title: Hawaiian Pillow Lavas

Conference Dinner Keynote Speaker: James Moore, USGS (former HVO Scientist-in-Charge) and Lee Tepley, Cinematographer

Summary: As lava entered the sea during Kilauea’s 1969-1974 Mauna Ulu eruption, the first underwater film of pillow lava formation was captured by Moore and Tepley, who will talk about their experiences and show footage of submarine lava flows.

Thursday, Aug. 23

1:30-2:15 p.m.

Title: Eruptions and Degassing

Presenters: Current and former HVO scientists

Summary: Technical presentations about Kilauea’s gas emissions, the effect of Kilauea eruptions on Mauna Loa, and tephra deposits from high-energy Kilauea eruptions.

4:00-4:45 p.m.

Title: Effusive and Explosive Cycles at Kilauea: What do They Mean?

Presenter: Don Swanson, USGS (HVO geologist)

Summary: Swanson will describe cycles of explosive and effusive eruptions lasting centuries at Kilauea, speculate on what might be causing them, and touch on the hazards of long-lasting explosive periods.

Friday, Aug. 24

3:45-4:30

Title: A 200-year look at Hawaiian volcanism—the last and the next 100 years

Presenter: David Clague, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (former HVO Scientist-in-Charge)

Summary: An overview of the as yet unanswered questions about how Hawaiian volcanoes work, the direction of future volcano research, and the next generation of volcanologists and their role in improving our understanding of volcanic behavior.

New Findings of Endangered Birds at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge Give Hope to Recovery Efforts

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 14:00:00 EDT

HAWAI'I ISLAND, Hawai‘'— Three of Hawai'i Island's rarest endangered forest birds have been detected at lower elevations of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge for the first time in 30 years.

The rediscovery of the three endangered species at lower elevations than expected was part of a joint U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Geological Survey project on the potential impact of climate change on avian disease. All three species are believed to be highly susceptible to mosquito-transmitted diseases, limiting their distribution to the cooler, higher elevations of the refuge. These new observations significantly extend the current known range of these species at the refuge.

"Hawaii's native birds face multiple threats from habitat destruction, invasive species, introduced diseases, and climate change, with many already having been driven to extinction," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt, "The observation of three endangered species possibly expanding their range in a wildlife refuge gives us hope that with some care, the road to extinction need not be a one-way street."

Scientists from the USGS Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center and the USFWS Hakalau Forest NWR heard the songs of the Hawai‘i Creeper and Hawai'i ‘Akepa at 4200 feet elevation near 'Awehi Stream, within a mile of where they were last observed by USFWS biologists during the 1977 Hawai‘i Forest Bird Survey. Most important were visual and aural detections of at least one endangered ‘Akiapōlā‘au at 4200 ft., which is 1000 ft. lower in elevation from previous sightings in the 1970s.

"Detecting these endangered forest bird species is encouraging because of the serious challenges these birds face, including the expansion of disease due to global climate change, competition with introduced non-native birds, introduced predators, and habitat destruction from feral ungulates," said USFWS wildlife biologist Steve Kendall. "These endangered species were not detected when USGS biologists last visited this remote location."

Extensive surveys of forest habitats on Hawai'i Island in the late 1970s and early 1980s showed that the best remaining habitats and largest native bird populations were in the high-elevation rainforests on the eastern slopes of Mauna Kea. This led to the establishment of Hakalau Forest NWR in 1985 to protect and manage endangered forest birds and their habitats. Hakalau Forest NWR is the only national wildlife refuge dedicated to conservation and restoration of Hawaiian forest birds.

"Most native Hawaiian forest birds are very susceptible to two introduced mosquito-transmitted diseases — avian malaria and pox virus — and are limited to higher-elevation areas of the refuge, mostly above the current range of mosquitos," said USGS biologist Jackie Gaudioso. "With global climate change, there is concern that transmission of these avian diseases could increase at higher elevations, affecting endangered and other native forest birds."

Due to active habitat management and restoration, Hakalau Forest NWR is one of few places on Hawai’i Island where populations of native forest birds are increasing or at least stable. Ongoing studies at the refuge by USGS and USFWS scientists on avian disease, forest bird demographics and food resources, and control of feral pigs may shed some light on whether these endangered forest birds are holding their own or recovering at lower elevations.

Robyn Thorson, Director of the USFWS' Pacific Region, said the findings reinforce the importance of monitoring to detect changes in environmental conditions, habitat, and associated wildlife populations.

"The National Wildlife Refuge System’s Inventory & Monitoring initiative supports monitoring efforts conducted on refuge lands," she said. "Estimating mosquito and disease prevalence in habitats used by federally listed forest bird species at Hakalau Forest NWR provides important information to guide resource management decisions to promote the recovery of these species as well as evaluating potential effects from climate change."

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website. Connect with our Facebook page, follow our tweets, watch our YouTube Channel and download photos from our Flickr page.

Hawaiian Seabirds Vulnerable to Sea-Level Rise on Low-Lying Atoll

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 13:00:00 EDT

HAWAI'I ISLAND, Hawai'i — The Hawaiian Islands' largest atoll, French Frigate Shoals, is key to understanding how seabird nesting habitat will change with predicted rising sea levels, according to a team of U.S. Geological Survey biologists.

The team led by Dr. Michelle Reynolds of USGS' Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center studied the island's topography and the population dynamics of eight seabird species on French Frigate Shoals, an isolated atoll of low-lying coral islands in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands about halfway between the main Hawaiian Islands and Midway Atoll in the mid-Pacific. These islands are part of the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge and Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, and are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the State of Hawai'i. Papahānaumokuākea is a seasonal home to more than 14 million seabirds, the largest tropical seabird rookery in the world. Virtually all of the world's populations of Laysan albatross and black-footed albatross live there, as well as globally significant populations of red-tailed tropicbirds, Bonin petrels, Tristram's storm-petrels and white terns. The USGS research provides new information useful for wildlife management in the face of sea-level rise.

"It is troubling to think that these resilient seabirds, which have managed to endure and even thrive on this remote outpost despite the onslaught of storms and world war, could fall victim to the rising seas of climate change," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "These projections on the rate of shrinking useful habitat will help define the range of management options to help ensure the survival of these important species."

The investigators studied bird populations on Tern Island, the largest island in French Frigate Shoals since World War II, when the U.S. Navy expanded the island and created a 3,000-foot coral-sand airstrip there. Using data collected over three decades on the ground by Fish and Wildlife Service refuges, they concluded that while Tern Island is now at carrying capacity for some shrub-nesting bird species such as spectacled terns (also known as gray-backed terns), restoration of habitat and seawalls could help to mitigate the effects of sea-level rise on other bird species. In the long run, they say, restoration of seabird colonies to higher-elevation islands may be a more enduring conservation solution.

French Frigate Shoals' low elevation makes the atoll an important place to study sea-level rise. The eight islands lie, on average, only 2.2 meters above sea level, and have lost landmass in recent decades to erosion. If sea levels rise 2 meters by 2100, as some studies have predicted, almost all the islands in the atoll except Tern will be submerged.

Using lidar-derived elevation data, aerial imagery and historic observations, the USGS investigators studied how various degrees of sea-level rise, from 0.5 meter to 2 meters, would affect bird populations. In all scenarios, birds decreased in abundance except for masked boobies, which nest on bare ground such as Tern Island’s runway. The team also looked at what might happen if the inactive runway were decommissioned and either planted or passively managed for vegetation. Study models that incorporated decommissioning the runway increased the area of potential habitat and slowed losses of shrub land cover due to sea-level rise for all but the 1.5-meter and 2-meter scenarios.

"We were pleased to learn that seabirds have been doing so well at French Frigate Shoals, but if sea level rises much more, these birds may need help in the future," said ecologist Dr. Jeff Hatfield, based at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland and lead author of an article on the team’s findings in Conservation Biology. The article is available online.

Robyn Thorson, Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service's Pacific Region, agrees. "This area remains a critical, world-class habitat for seabirds, worthy of our efforts to protect it," Thorson said. "What we learn now will make a difference in the future of these species."

The authors say their study demonstrates both the resilience and the vulnerability of Pacific seabird populations. While bird species recolonized Tern Island despite intense human disturbance that included 38 years of weekly air traffic, they face an uncertain future as a result of sea-level rise and associated habitat loss.

70 Percent of Beaches Eroding on Hawaiian Islands Kauai, Oahu, and Maui

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 7 May 2012 15:00:00 EDT

HONOLULU — An assessment of coastal change over the past century has found 70 percent of beaches on the islands of Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, and Maui are undergoing long-term erosion, according to a U.S. Geological Survey and University of Hawaiʻi report released today.

Scientists from the USGS and the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology at UH studied more than 150 miles of island coastline (essentially every beach) and found the average rate of coastal change – taking into account beaches that are both eroding and accreting – was 0.4 feet of erosion per year from the early 1900s to 2000s. Of those beaches eroding, the most extreme case was nearly 6 feet per year near Kualoa Point, East Oʻahu.

"The inevitable fate of the Hawaiian Islands millions of years into the future is seen to the northwest in the spires of French Frigate Shoals and the remnants of other once mighty islands, ancestors of today's Hawaii, but now sunken beneath the sea through the forces of waves, rivers, and the slow subsidence of the seafloor," explained USGS Director Marcia McNutt.

"These data have allowed State and County agencies in Hawaii to account for shoreline change as early as possible in the planning and development process so that coastal communities and public infrastructure can be sited safely away from erosion hazards areas," said William J. Aila Jr., Chairperson, Department of Land and Natural Resources, State of Hawaii. "This will vastly improve upon public safety and will ensure that Hawaii's beautiful beaches will be protected from inappropriate shoreline development."

Of the three islands, Maui beaches experienced the highest rates and greatest extent of beach erosion with 85% of beaches eroding. Erosion is the dominant trend of coastal change on all three islands with 71% of beaches eroding on Kauai and 60% of beaches eroding on Oʻahu.

The researchers found that, although Hawaii beaches are dominated by erosion as a whole, coastal change is highly variable along the shore – with ‘cells’ of erosion and accretion typically separated by 100s of feet on continuous beaches or by rocky headlands that divide the coast into many small embayments. Most Hawaii beaches are composed of a mix of sediment derived from adjacent reefs and from the volcanic rock of the islands. Sediment availability and transport are important factors in shoreline change, and human interference in natural processes appears to have impacted the rates of change. For example, more than 13 miles of beaches in the study were completely lost to erosion – nearly all previously in front of seawalls.

"Over a century of building along the Hawaiian shoreline, without this sort of detailed knowledge about shoreline change, has led to some development that is located too close to the ocean," said Dr. Charles Fletcher, UH Geology and Geophysics Professor and lead author. "A better understanding of historical shoreline change and human responses to erosion may improve our ability to avoid erosion hazards in the future."

The researchers used historical data sources such as maps and aerial photographs to measure shoreline change at more than 12,000 locations. Shoreline changes are measured in specialized Geographic Information System software.

This analysis of past and present trends of shoreline movement is designed to allow for future repeatable analyses of shoreline movement, coastal erosion, and land loss. "The results of this research provide critical coastal change information that can be used to inform a wide variety of coastal management decisions," said Dr. Rob Thieler, sponsor of the study with the USGS.

The research was also supported by grants from a number of federal, state, and county agencies as well as non-profit organizations. The report, titled "National Assessment of Shoreline Change: Historical Shoreline Change in the Hawaiian Islands," is the sixth report produced as part of the USGS’s National Assessment of Shoreline Change project, which already includes the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts, as well as California. An accompanying report that provides the GIS data used to conduct the Hawaii coastal change analysis is being released simultaneously.

A Big Day for Science: Citizens Have Contributed One Million Observations to Top Nature Database

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 3 May 2012 9:00:00 EDT

RESTON, Va. — Thanks to citizen-scientists around the country, the USA National Phenology Network hit a major milestone this week by reaching its one millionth nature observation.

The millionth observation was done by Lucille Tower, a citizen-scientist in Portland, Ore., who entered a record about seeing maple vines flowering. Her data, like all of the entries, came in through USA-NPN’s online observation program, Nature's Notebook, which engages more than 4,000 volunteers across the country to observe and record phenology – the timing of the recurring life events of plants and animals such as when cherry trees or lilacs blossom, when robins build their nests, when salmon swim upstream to spawn or when leaves turn colors in the fall.

Each record not only represents a single data point — the status of a specific life stage of an individual plant or animal on one day – but also benefits both science and society by helping researchers understand how plants and animals are responding to climate change and, in turn, how those responses are affecting people and ecological systems.

"My dream is that through the wonders of modern technology and the National Phenology Network we could turn the more than six billion people on the planet into components of our scientific observing system," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "We could make giant leaps in science education, improve the spatial and temporal coverage of the planet, lower the cost of scientific data collection, and all while making ordinary citizens feel a part of the scientific process."

Jake Weltzin, a U.S. Geological Survey scientist and the executive director of USA-NPN, concurs. "Hitting the one millionth observation is exciting because researchers and decision-makers need more information to understand and respond to our rapidly changing planet. More information means better-informed decisions that ensure the continued vitality of our natural areas that we all depend on and enjoy."

For example, said Weltzin, the data in Nature's Notebook are already being used to benefit society, including the development of more accurate indicators of spring, forecasting the onset of allergy seasons or the chances of western wildfires, managing wildlife and invasive plants, and setting goals for habitat restoration. Ultimately, such information can be used for better managing water resources, wildlife and ecosystem management, and even help farmers and ranchers across the nation.

Changes in phenology are among the most sensitive biological indicators of global change. Across the world, many springtime events are occurring earlier — and fall events happening later — than in the past. These changes are happening quickly for some species and more slowly, or not at all, for others, altering relationships and processes that have been dynamically stable for thousands of years. Some wildlife —like caribou and butterflies — are becoming mismatched from their plant food resources, which are responding differently. Migrations for some birds are changing too, as they can now overwinter instead of moving south for the winter, or as they fly north more quickly to keep pace with an advancing front of spring flowering.

Because of this, said Weltzin, scientists need more and better information about the pace and pattern of nature — locally to nationally — to answer important scientific and societal questions, and to build the tools and models needed to help people understand and adapt to the changes.

"So much of our improved understanding about global environmental changes is driven by varied and valuable sources of information that include networks of citizen-scientists," said John Wingfield, National Science Foundation’s assistant director for biological sciences. "The public at large has played an important role collecting observations and data for a hundred years and more. Knowledge and data gained from their work will continue to have a lasting effect on how we understand regularly recurring biological phenomena for hundreds of plant and animal species and contribute to the policy arena."

Gwen Lundburg in Seattle is one citizen-scientist who has contributed hundreds of entries into Nature’s Notebook. "Just noticing small changes like tiny purple lilac buds suddenly turning green has taught me to look more closely at my plants," Lundburg said. "I see things in my garden I never saw before."

With the help of citizen-scientist volunteers, working in concert with professionals, the USA-NPN, which was established in 2007, collects, stores and freely shares phenological data on more than 800 species of plants and animals. The Nature’s Notebook observing program has been in operation since 2009. The coordinating office of the organization is located at 1955 E. 6^th St., Tucson, Ariz., 85721. For more information, visit the USA National Phenology Network, or contact Jake Weltzin at 520-626-3821 or jweltzin@usgs.gov.

Colorful New Publication Illustrates a Century of Volcano Science in Hawaii

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Thu, 5 Apr 2012 13:30:00 EDT

The Story of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory— A Remarkable First 100 Years of Tracking Eruptions and Earthquakes (Online publication (PDF).

HAWAII ISLAND, Hawaii —2012 marks 100 years of continuous volcano and earthquake monitoring at the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. As part of HVO's centennial celebration, the USGS has published a new general-interest publication, "The Story of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory—A Remarkable First 100 Years of Tracking Eruptions and Earthquakes."

This 62-page, full-color booklet recounts the founding of HVO, the first volcano observatory in the United States, and its pioneering achievements in the science of volcano monitoring over the past century. Written in a reader-friendly style, the booklet will appeal to anyone interested in earth science and volcanoes.

"Born from cracks opened by earthquakes and fed by fountains of hot molten lava, the volcanoes of Hawaiʻi rise as much as 30,000 feet above the floor of the surrounding deep sea, making them the largest volcanoes on the planet," said USGS Director Marcia McNutt. "It is a marvelous detective story to read how scientists have used data collected over the last 100 years to understand volcanic history extending back a million years, as well as what the volcanic future might be."

HVO, perched on the rim of Kīlauea Volcano's summit caldera, closely monitors the volcanic and seismic activity of Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, two of the most active volcanoes in the world, and other Hawaiian volcanoes. HVO’s monitoring data, eruption forecasts, and timely warnings of potential hazards help protect the public—a key mission of HVO since 1912, when geologist Thomas A. Jaggar, founded the observatory.

The new booklet describes the development of the tools and techniques used by HVO to monitor Hawai‘i's volcanic and seismic activity over the past 100 years. Whereas Jaggar had only a few early seismometers to track eruptions and earthquakes, HVO scientists today can access huge amounts of digital data from a dense network of seismometers, tiltmeters, GPS receivers, gas sensors, and other technologically advanced monitoring instruments.

Archival photos in "The Story of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory" portray dramatic changes in Kilauea's landscape, such as the formation of a 400-foot-deep lava lake filling the bottom of Kīlauea Iki Crater in 1959, the growth of a 370-foot-high lava shield during the 1969–1974 Mauna Ulu eruption, and the explosive eruptions of Halema’uma’u Crater in 1924 that increased its diameter from 1,200 feet to more than 3,000 feet. A timeline in the book features archival photographs from significant eruptions and earthquakes that have affected Hawai‘i residents since 1912.

HVO scientists have made great strides in understanding how Hawaiian volcanoes work, and the booklet summarizes their key discoveries during the past 100 years. Some of these include the relationship of earthquakes and volcanic tremors to volcanic activity, the precursory signals of an eruption, the evolution and internal structure of Hawaiian volcanoes, the dynamics of lava flows and lava lakes, and the formation of summit calderas.

The story concludes with a look toward the next 100 years, and the challenges and opportunities that will keep the next generation of HVO scientists busy.

USGS General Information Product 135, "The Story of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory—A Remarkable First 100 Years of Tracking Eruptions and Earthquakes," by Janet L. Babb, James P. Kauahikaua, and Robert I. Tilling, is available free online (PDF).

A limited number of free printed booklets can be ordered (for a $5.00 handling fee) from the USGS online Store, or by writing to USGS Information Services, Box 25286,  Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225; telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS; e-mail: infoservices@usgs.gov.

Another Vertebrate Species Reported Extinct from the Hawaiian Islands

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:30:00 EDT

HONOLULU – A species of lizard is now extinct from the Hawaiian Islands, making it the latest native vertebrate species to become extirpated from this tropical archipelago.

The copper striped blue-tailed skink (Emoia impar) — a sleek lizard with smooth, polished scales and a long, sky-blue tail — was last confirmed in the Na’Pali coast of Kauai in the 1960s. But repeated field surveys on Kauai, Oahu, Maui and Hawai’i islands from 1988 to 2008 have yielded no sightings or specimens.

"No other landscape in these United States has been more impacted by extinction events and species invasions in historic times than the Hawaiian Islands, with as yet unknown long-term cascading consequences to the ecosystem," said U.S. Geological Survey director Marcia McNutt. "Today, we close the book on one more animal that is unlikely to ever be re-established in this fragile island home."

"This skink was once common throughout the Hawaiian Islands, and in fact the species can still be found on many other island groups in the tropical Pacific," says Robert Fisher, a biologist with the USGS Western Ecological Research Center. "That's what makes this extinction so intriguing: if an otherwise common animal can be completely extirpated from one island ecosystem but not others, then what does that tell us?"

Fisher and colleague Ivan Ineich of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle in Paris announced their findings on E. impar this month in the international conservation journal "Oryx," published by Fauna and Flora International.

Small animals like this skink are prone to what Fisher and Ineich call "cryptic extinction" — when a species is easily confused with similar species that their extinction can go unnoticed for decades.

"The extinction of native Hawaiian bird species is well documented, partly because their presence and sounds had been so distinctive to humans," says Ineich, who is also a researcher with the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). "But without regular field surveys, we tend to overlook the disappearances of smaller, secretive species, along with the causes of their extinction."

While the exact causes of the skink's Hawaiian extinction is unclear, Fisher and Ineich note that island extinctions around the world often share similar factors, such as the loss of habitat due to uncontrolled human development. Another is competition or predation from invasive species accidentally or intentionally introduced through human migration and activity.

"There's some evidence that an invasive ant was preying on these skinks," Fisher says. "That's a new factor we'll need to examine as we look out for other at-risk species in the Pacific islands."

Earthquake Swarm Continues Between Kīlauea and Mauna Loa Volcanoes

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:30:32 EDT

HAWAI‘I ISLAND, Hawaii – The U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) has recorded more than 100 earthquakes in a swarm that began around 1:17 a.m., HST, on Wednesday, February 22, 2012. The earthquakes are located about 5 km (3 mi) north-northwest of Kīlauea volcano's summit, near Nāmakanipaio in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, at depths of 2–5 km (1–3 mi).

The largest earthquakes of the ongoing swarm have been a magnitude-4.1 quake at 9:02 p.m. last night and a magnitude-4.3 quake at 3:52 a.m. this morning. These earthquakes were widely felt on the Island of Hawai‘i. As of 9:00 a.m. Friday, the USGS “Did you feel it?” website had received 74 felt reports for the 9:02 p.m. earthquake and more than 60 felt reports for the 3:52 a.m. event.

The initial magnitude of the 9:02 p.m. earthquake was estimated at 4.1 by HVO’s automated software system, but then increased to magnitude-4.3. After close review by HVO seismic analysts this morning, the earthquake’s magnitude has been calculated to be 4.1.

The effects of the early morning magnitude-4.3 earthquake were evident at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory building, which is located less than 4 km (2.5 mi) from the swarm’s center. HVO staff noticed that a few books and other items had fallen off shelves and some small ceiling fixtures were dislodged. Several residents of the Volcano Golf Course subdivision, located about 3 km (2 mi) from the earthquake epicenter, also reported items falling from shelves, causing some minor breakage.

As of this morning, the seismic swarm has also included 3 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.0 and 3.9, and 25 earthquakes with magnitudes of 2.0 to 2.9. The magnitudes of another 88 located earthquakes are between 1.0 and 1.9.

The earthquake swarm is located at the north end of the Ka‘ōiki Pali, near the boundary between Mauna Loa and Kīlauea volcanoes. This area has experienced previous seismic swarms in 1990, 1993, 1997, and 2006, each of which lasted from 1 day to several weeks.

According to Jim Kauahikaua, HVO’s Scientist-in-Charge, it’s likely that high rates of seismicity could continue in this area for several days. He added that the earthquake swarm has not caused any obvious changes in Kīlauea’s magma plumbing system or ongoing eruptions, but that the magnitude-4.3 earthquake did cause a small rockfall in the active vent located within Halema‘uma‘u Crater at the summit of Kīlauea.

Earthquake Swarm Located Between Kīlauea and Mauna Loa Volcanoes

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:50:32 EDT

HAWAI‘I ISLAND, Hawaii – The U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) recorded an earthquake swarm that began around 1:17 a.m., HST, on Wednesday, February 22, 2012. The earthquakes are located about 5 km (3 mi) north-northwest of Kīlauea volcano's summit, near Namakanipaio in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, at depths of 2–5 km (1–3 mi).

The seismic swarm, which continues as of 3:00 p.m., has included more than 60 earthquakes, 14 of which were greater than magnitude-2. The largest was a magnitude-3.2 earthquake at 6:55 a.m.

These small earthquakes have not been widely felt on the Island of Hawai‘i. The USGS “Did you feel it?” website received less than 10 felt reports in the first12 hours following the onset of the swarm.

The earthquakes are located along the Ka‘ōiki Pali, a southeast-dipping normal fault near the boundary between Mauna Loa and Kīlauea volcanoes. This area has experienced episodic seismicity since the magnitude-6.6 Ka‘ōiki earthquake that occurred in November 1983.

Previous earthquake swarms have occurred along the Ka‘ōiki seismic zone in 1990, 1993, 1997, and, most recently, in February-March 2006. These swarms lasted from 1 day to several weeks, with earthquakes rarely exceeding magnitude-4.

Seismic swarms in the Ka‘ōiki area have sometimes heralded changes in Kīlauea’s ongoing east rift zone eruption, but as of this writing, HVO monitoring networks have not detected any apparent changes in Kīlauea’s summit or east rift zone eruptions or on Mauna Loa resulting from today’s swarm.

For more information on recent earthquakes in Hawai‘i and eruption updates, visit the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory website.

Kilauea's Volcanic Gases and Their Environmental Impacts

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:20:18 EDT

Hawaii National Park, HI — The public is invited to learn about Kīlauea’s volcanic gases and vog (volcanic air pollution) in an “After Dark in the Park” program at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Tues., Jan. 31, at 7 p.m.

U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists Jeff Sutton and Tamar Elias will update information on Kīlauea Volcano’s gas emissions and associated environmental impacts. Their presentation will be at the park’s Kīlauea Visitor Center Auditorium. Park entrance fees apply.

Sutton and Elias will discuss how vog forms from sulfur dioxide gas emitted from Kīlauea’s east rift and summit vents. They will also provide an overview of existing resources that residents can consult to better deal with this notable aspect of the volcano’s ongoing eruptions. After their talk, an optional “gas tasting” session will be offered, during which attendees can safely learn to recognize individual volcanic gases by smell.

Kīlauea has been releasing large amounts of potentially hazardous volcanic gases for nearly three decades—since the beginning of the volcano’s east rift zone eruption in 1983. In March 2008, Kīlauea gas emissions increased further when a new vent opened in Halema‘uma‘u Crater at the summit of the volcano.

Average sulfur dioxide (SO₂) gas emissions from Kīlauea’s east rift zone vent declined significantly in 2010 but jumped briefly during the Kamoamoa eruption in March 2011. Kīlauea summit SO₂ emissions, overall, have remained high since the opening of the Halema‘uma‘u Overlook Vent in 2008. At of the end of 2011, the combined emission rate for these two sources was about half of what it was during 2008-2009. This lower combined rate has been comparatively good news for downwind residents and visitors of Hawai‘i Island.

This presentation is one of many programs offered by HVO during Hawai‘i Island’s Volcano Awareness Month in January 2012. For details about this After Dark in the Park program, please call 808-985-6011. More information about Volcano Awareness Month is posted on the HVO website.

A 100-year-long History of Earthquakes and Seismic Monitoring in Hawaii

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications and Publishing) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 9:14:22 EDT

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory’s 1912–2012 Centennial—100 Years of Tracking Eruptions and Earthquakes

HAWAI‘I ISLAND, Hawaii —The history of earthquakes and seismic monitoring in Hawai‘i during the past century will be the topic of a presentation at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo on Thursday, January 26, at 7:00 p.m.

Paul Okubo and Wes Thelen, seismologists with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, will talk about Hawai‘i’s and HVO’s rich seismological history in the University Classroom Building, Room 100, on the UH–Hilo main campus, 200 W. Kawili Street, in Hilo. A map of the campus is available online,

When Thomas A. Jaggar founded the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in 1912, seismology and volcanology were just beginning to develop as modern scientific fields of study. Seismometers, instruments built to record Earth movements, were few in number, and, compared to modern systems, they afforded somewhat limited means of viewing and interpreting their data.

During the past 100 years, new technologies have steadily improved and expanded seismic monitoring and research capabilities at HVO and around the world. Today, HVO's seismic network comprises dozens of seismic stations across the Island of Hawai`i. The 100-year seismic record produced by this network now contains nearly 250,000 individual local earthquakes—and counting.

In addition to large volumes of seismic data that continuously stream to HVO from the remote field stations, HVO’s network also produces a range of seismic monitoring and information products, such as the "Did you feel it?" website, for use in both the scientific and general communities.

Okubo and Thelen will provide an overview of HVO's history of seismic monitoring and research, including highlights of notable earthquakes that have occurred in Hawai‘i during the past 100 years. They will also talk about HVO’s role in making Kīlauea a world-renowned "seismic laboratory" where cutting-edge seismic monitoring and research continue today.

"Earthquakes in Hawai‘i—An Underappreciated but Serious Hazard," a new USGS Fact Sheet written by Okubo and his HVO colleague, Jennifer Nakata, will be distributed at his talk on Thursday evening. This publication can also be read online.

Okubo's and Thelen’s presentation is one of many programs offered by HVO during Volcano Awareness Month and in celebration of HVO’s 100th anniversary in January 2012. For more information, please visit the HVO website.