RESEARCH PROJECTS
PI-CASC supports research that generates actionable climate science within several key focus areas defined by regional stakeholder needs.
2024 SURF Projects
Four students completed projects in climate adaptation science for the 2024 SURF program, investigating the effects of ocean warming on cleaner wrasse behavior, finding the best soil amendments for encouraging native Hawaiian plant regeneration, modeling the optimal pathway for using the RAD framework on Hawaiʻi biomes, and using non-intrusive methods to investigate climate effects of coral growth rates.
Evaluating the resilience of productive rocky intertidal ecosystems to SLR using a community-based approach
PI: Haunani Kane, Assistant Professor of Earth Sciences, UH Mānoa
Graduate Scholar: Makoa Pascoe, Dept of Oceanography, UH Mānoa
Co-Is: Atsuko Fukunaga, Assistant Researcher, CIMAR, UH Mānoa; John Burns, Associate Professor of Marine Science, UH Hilo; Kainalu Steward, Dept of Earth Sciences, UH Mānoa
Funded: FY2024
Graduate Scholar: Makoa Pascoe, Dept of Oceanography, UH Mānoa
Co-Is: Atsuko Fukunaga, Assistant Researcher, CIMAR, UH Mānoa; John Burns, Associate Professor of Marine Science, UH Hilo; Kainalu Steward, Dept of Earth Sciences, UH Mānoa
Funded: FY2024
Assessing the sensitivity of coral reef accretion and bioerosion to acidification and eutrophication
PI: Andrea Kealoha, Asst. Professor of Oceanography, UH Mānoa
Graduate Scholar: Raffi Isah, Dept of Oceanography, UH Mānoa
Co-I: Katie Shamberger, Assoc. Professor of Oceanography, Texas A&M University
Funded: FY2024
Graduate Scholar: Raffi Isah, Dept of Oceanography, UH Mānoa
Co-I: Katie Shamberger, Assoc. Professor of Oceanography, Texas A&M University
Funded: FY2024
Effects of climate-driven increases in sediment delivery on coral reef ecosystem productivity and accretion
PI: Andrea Kealoha, Asst. Professor of Oceanography, UH Mānoa
Graduate Scholar: Sean Swift, Dept of Oceanography, UH Mānoa
Co-I: Craig Nelson, Assoc. Researcher of Oceanography, UH Mānoa
Funded: FY2024
Graduate Scholar: Sean Swift, Dept of Oceanography, UH Mānoa
Co-I: Craig Nelson, Assoc. Researcher of Oceanography, UH Mānoa
Funded: FY2024
Community value-based management of coastal Pandanus forests to mitigate the effects of climate change in Hawaiʻi
PI: Nina Rønsted, Deputy Director of Research, Natural History Museum of Denmark
Graduate Scholar: Tehina Kahikina, Dept of Hawaiian Studies, UH Mānoa
Co-Is: Tim Gallaher, Botanist, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum; Tamara Ticktin, Professor of Botany, UH Mānoa; Kalikoaloha Martin Instructor, Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge, UH Mānoa
Funded: FY2024
Graduate Scholar: Tehina Kahikina, Dept of Hawaiian Studies, UH Mānoa
Co-Is: Tim Gallaher, Botanist, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum; Tamara Ticktin, Professor of Botany, UH Mānoa; Kalikoaloha Martin Instructor, Hawaiʻinuiākea School of Hawaiian Knowledge, UH Mānoa
Funded: FY2024
Vegetation and climate reconstructions for Palmyra Atoll to develop adaptation strategies for lowland plant communities
PI: David Wahl, Research Scientist, Geology, Minerals, Energy and Geophysics Science Center, USGS
Co-Is: Miriam Jones, Research Geologist, USGS; Kelly Goodale Wildlife Biologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service
Funded: FY2024
Co-Is: Miriam Jones, Research Geologist, USGS; Kelly Goodale Wildlife Biologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service
Funded: FY2024
2023 SURF Projects
Four students completed projects in climate adaptation science for the 2023 SURF program, investigating how forests vegetation shifts in response to climate change, the connection between climate and humpback whale health, whether added nutrients can improve coral thermal resilience, and sea-level rise impacts to community infrastructure.
Unlocking reef resilience drivers to inform Pacific coral reef management
PI: Megan Donahue, Marine Researcher, HIMB, UH Mānoa
Graduate Scholar: Jessica Glazner, Dept of Marine Biology, UH Mānoa
Co-I: Chad Wiggins, Palmyra Program Director, The Nature Conservancy
Funded: FY2022
Graduate Scholar: Jessica Glazner, Dept of Marine Biology, UH Mānoa
Co-I: Chad Wiggins, Palmyra Program Director, The Nature Conservancy
Funded: FY2022
Developing a Pacific mangrove monitoring network (PACMAN) in response to sea-level rise
PI: Richard Mackenzie, Research Ecologist, USDA FS Pacific Southwest Research Station
Graduate Scholar: Maybeleen Apwong, TCBES, UH Hilo
Funded: FY2022
Graduate Scholar: Maybeleen Apwong, TCBES, UH Hilo
Funded: FY2022
Predicting sea level rise impacts to coastal wastewater infrastructure and water quality
PI: Tracy Wiegner, Professor of Marine Sciences, UH Hilo
MCC Graduate Scholar: Ihilani Kamau, TCBES, UH Hilo
Co-Is: Steven Colbert, Associate Professor of Marine Sciences, UH Hilo; Ryan Perroy, Professor of Geography, UH Hilo
Funded: FY2022
MCC Graduate Scholar: Ihilani Kamau, TCBES, UH Hilo
Co-Is: Steven Colbert, Associate Professor of Marine Sciences, UH Hilo; Ryan Perroy, Professor of Geography, UH Hilo
Funded: FY2022
Prioritization planning for coastal wetland restoration on Molokaʻi
PI: Judith Drexler, Research Hydrologist, USGS California Water Science Center
Co-Is: James Jacobi, Biologist, USGS Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center; Curt Storlazzi, Research Geologist, USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Funded: FY2021
Co-Is: James Jacobi, Biologist, USGS Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center; Curt Storlazzi, Research Geologist, USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Funded: FY2021
Responses to transplanting corals to enhance reef resilience
PI: Crawford Drury, Affiliate Researcher, Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology, UH Mānoa
Funded: FY2021
Funded: FY2021
2021 SURF Projects
Six students completed projects in climate adaptation science for the 2021 SURF program, investigating stream flow quality and variability, coastal erosion, fish thermal tolerance, fishpond phytoplankton distribution, and reef microplastics.
Effect of extreme tidal events on future sea-level rise scenarios for He‘eia fish communities
PI: Yoshimi Rii, Research Coordinator, He'eia NERR/HIMB, UH Mānoa
Co-Is: Rob Toonen, Research Professor, HIMB, UH Mānoa; Kawika Winter, Reserve Manager, Heʻeia NERR/HIMB, UH Mānoa
Funded: FY2021
Co-Is: Rob Toonen, Research Professor, HIMB, UH Mānoa; Kawika Winter, Reserve Manager, Heʻeia NERR/HIMB, UH Mānoa
Funded: FY2021