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Research about Hawaii

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Hawaii.

At least 595 records · Page 33Linked to original sources
USGS2013

Plant invasions in protected areas of tropical pacific islands, with special reference to Hawaii

Isolated tropical islands are notoriously vulnerable to plant invasions. Serious management for protection of native biodiversity in Hawaii began in the 1970s, arguably at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Concerted alien plant management began there in the 1980s and has in a sense become a model for protected areas throughout Hawaii and Pacific Island countries and territories. We review the relative successes of their strategies and touch upon how their experience has been applied elsewhere. Protected areas in Hawaii are fortunate in having relatively good resources for addressing plant invasions, but many invasions remain intractable, and invasions from outside the boundaries continue from a highly globalised society with a penchant for horticultural novelty. There are likely few efforts in most Pacific Islands to combat alien plant invasions in protected areas, but such areas may often have fewer plant invasions as a result of their relative remoteness and/or socio-economic development status. The greatest current needs for protected areas in this region may be for establishment of yet more protected areas, for better resources to combat invasions in Pacific Island countries and territories, for more effective control methods including biological control programme to contain intractable species, and for meaningful efforts to address prevention and early detection of potential new invaders.

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USGS2013

Very long period conduit oscillations induced by rockfalls at Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

Eruptive activity at the summit of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, beginning in 2010 and continuing to the present time is characterized by transient outgassing bursts accompanied by very long period (VLP) seismic signals triggered by rockfalls from the vent walls impacting a lava lake in a pit within the Halemaumau pit crater. We use raw data recorded with an 11-station broadband network to model the source mechanism of signals accompanying two large rockfalls on 29 August 2012 and two smaller average rockfalls obtained by stacking over all events with similar waveforms to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. To determine the source centroid location and source mechanism, we minimize the residual error between data and synthetics calculated by the finite difference method for a point source embedded in a homogeneous medium that takes topography into account. We apply a new waveform inversion method that accounts for the contributions from both translation and tilt in horizontal seismograms through the use of Green's functions representing the seismometer response to translation and tilt ground motions. This method enables a robust description of the source mechanism over the period range 1–1000 s. The VLP signals associated with the rockfalls originate in a source region ∼1 km below the eastern perimeter of the Halemaumau pit crater. The observed waveforms are well explained by a simple volumetric source with geometry composed of two intersecting cracks including an east striking crack (dike) dipping 80° to the north, intersecting a north striking crack (another dike) dipping 65° to the east. Each rockfall is marked by a similar step-like inflation trailed by decaying oscillations of the volumetric source, attributed to the efficient coupling at the source centroid location of the pressure and momentum changes induced by the rock mass impacting the top of the lava column. Assuming a simple lumped parameter representation of the shallow magmatic system, the observed pressure and volume variations can be modeled with the following attributes: rockfall volume (200–4500 m 3 ), length of magma column (120–210 m), diameter of pipe connecting the Halemaumau pit crater to the subjacent dike system (6 m), average thickness of the two underlying dikes (3–6 m), and effective magma viscosity (30–210 Pa s). Most rockfalls occur during episodes of sustained deflation of the Kilauea summit. The mass loss rate in the shallow magmatic system is estimated to be 1400–15,000 kg s −1 based on measurements of the temporal variation of VLP period in the two large rockfalls that occurred on 29 August 2012.

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USGS2013

A geochemical and geophysical assessment of coastal groundwater discharge at select sites in Maui and O’ahu, Hawai’i

This chapter summarizes fieldwork conducted to derive new estimates of coastal groundwater discharge and associated nutrient loadings at select coastal sites in Hawai’i, USA. Locations for this work were typically identified based on pronounced, recent ecosystem degradation that may at least partially be attributable to sustained coastal groundwater discharge. Our suite of tools used to evaluate groundwater discharge included select U/Th series radionuclides, a broad spectrum of geochemical analytes, multi-channel electrical resistivity, and in situ oceanographic observations. Based on the submarine groundwater discharge tracer 222Rn, coastal groundwater discharge rates ranged from about 22–50 cm per day at Kahekili, a site in the Ka’anapali region north of Lahaina in west Maui, while at Black Point in Maunalua Bay along southern O’ahu, coastal groundwater discharge rates ranged up to 700 cm per day, although the mean discharge rate at this site was 60 cm per day. The water chemistry of the discharging groundwater can be dramatically different than ambient seawater at both coastal sites. For example, at Kahekili the average concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), dissolved silicate (DSi) and total dissolved phosphorus (TDP) were roughly 188-, 36-, and 106-times higher in the discharging groundwater relative to ambient seawater, respectively. Such data extend our basic understanding of the physical controls on coastal groundwater discharge and provide an estimate of the magnitude and physical forcings of submarine groundwater discharge and associated trace metal and nutrient loads conveyed by this submarine route.

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USGS2013

Drivers of circulation in a fringing coral reef embayment: A wave-flow coupled numerical modeling study of Hanalei Bay, Hawaii

A coupled wave-circulation numerical model of Hanalei Bay, Hawaii, was constructed to investigate controls on nearshore hydrodynamics and overall circulation of a bathymetrically-complex coral reef embayment that is exposed to large waves and river floods several times per annum. The model was calibrated using in situ data representative of the two conditions that dominate the region's wave climate: one associated with local trade winds and associated trade-wind waves, and the other with distant-source episodic large swells. The model results were improved by including spatially-varying hydrodynamic bed roughness and making the semi-empirical wave-breaking parameter dependent on incident wave steepness and reef slope. During trade-wind conditions, circulation was primarily wind-driven and volume flux-based flushing times of the bay were on the order of 35 h. Under the episodic swell conditions, circulation were dominated by wave-driven flows and flushing times decreased to as little as 2 h. The vigorous hydrodynamics that occur during the upper 10% most energetic swell conditions indicate that only a few (0–10) events each year are likely capable of exporting significant volumes of sediment from the bay. Like many fringing reef areas backed by steep-sided watersheds on tropical and sub-tropical high islands worldwide, Hanalei Bay receives high episodic fluvial sediment load during a similarly low number of flood events. These similarly episodic but decoupled processes of sediment delivery and removal identified here suggest that the water quality and sedimentary environment of Hanalei Bay and similar linked watershed-reef systems are sensitive to changes in annual storm frequency and intensity.

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USGS2013

Contrasting patterns of vesiculation in low, intermediate, and high Hawaiian fountains: A case study of the 1969 Mauna Ulu eruption

Hawaiian-style eruptions, or Hawaiian fountains, typically occur at basaltic volcanoes and are sustained, weakly explosive jets of gas and dominantly coarse, juvenile ejecta (dense spatter to delicate reticulite). Almost the entire range of styles and mass eruption rates within Hawaiian fountaining occurred during twelve fountaining episodes recorded at Mauna Ulu, Kīlauea between May and December 1969. Such diversity in intensity and style is controlled during magma ascent by many processes that can be constrained by the size and shape of vesicles in the 1969 pyroclasts. This paper describes pyroclast vesicularity from high, intermediate, and low fountaining episodes with eruption rates from 0.05 to 1.3 × 10 6 m 3 h − 1 . As each eruptive episode progressed, magma ascent slowed in and around the vent system, offering extended time for bubbles to grow and coalesce. Late ejected pyroclasts are thus characterized by populations of fewer and larger vesicles with relaxed shapes. This progression continued in the intervals between episodes after termination of fountain activity. The time scale for this process of shallow growth, coalescence and relaxation of bubbles is typically tens of hours. Rims and cores of pumiceous pyroclasts from moderate to high fountaining episodes record a second post-fragmentation form of vesicle maturation. Partially thermally insulated pyroclasts can have internal bubble populations evolve more dynamically with continued growth and coalescence, on a time scale of only minutes, during transport in the fountains. Reticulite, which formed in a short-lived fountain 540 m in height, underwent late, short-lived bubble nucleation followed by rapid growth of a uniform bubble population in a thermally insulated fountain, and quenched at the onset of permeability before significant coalescence. These contrasting patterns of shallow degassing and outgassing were the dominant controls in determining both the form and duration of fountaining episodes at Mauna Ulu, and probably for many other Hawaiian-style eruptions.

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USGS2013

Pushing the Volcanic Explosivity Index to its limit and beyond: Constraints from exceptionally weak explosive eruptions at Kīlauea in 2008

Estimating the mass, volume, and dispersal of the deposits of very small and/or extremely weak explosive eruptions is difficult, unless they can be sampled on eruption. During explosive eruptions of Halema‘uma‘u Crater (Kīlauea, Hawaii) in 2008, we constrained for the first time deposits of bulk volumes as small as 9–300 m 3 (1 × 10 4 to 8 × 10 5 kg) and can demonstrate that they show simple exponential thinning with distance from the vent. There is no simple fit for such products within classifications such as the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI). The VEI is being increasingly used as the measure of magnitude of explosive eruptions, and as an input for both hazard modeling and forecasting of atmospheric dispersal of tephra. The 2008 deposits demonstrate a problem for the use of the VEI, as originally defined, which classifies small, yet ballistic-producing, explosive eruptions at Kīlauea and other basaltic volcanoes as nonexplosive. We suggest a simple change to extend the scale in a fashion inclusive of such very small deposits, and to make the VEI more consistent with other magnitude scales such as the Richter scale for earthquakes. Eruptions of this magnitude constitute a significant risk at Kīlauea and elsewhere because of their high frequency and the growing number of “volcano tourists” visiting basaltic volcanoes.

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USGS2013

Distribution of invasive ants and methods for their control in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

The first invasive ants were detected in Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park (HAVO) more than 80 years ago. Ecological impacts of these ants are largely unknown, but studies in Hawai`i and elsewhere increasingly show that invasive ants can reduce abundance and diversity of native arthropod communities as well as disrupt pollination and food webs. Prior to the present study, knowledge of ant distributions in HAVO has primarily been restricted to road- and trail-side surveys of the Kīlauea and Mauna Loa Strip sections of the park. Due to the risks that ants pose to HAVO resources, understanding their distributions and identifying tools to eradicate or control populations of the most aggressive species is an important objective of park managers. We mapped ant distributions in two of the most intensively managed sections of the park, Mauna Loa Strip and Kahuku. We also tested the efficacy of baits to control the Argentine ant ( Linepithema humile ) and the big-headed ant ( Pheidole megacephala ), two of the most aggressive and ecologically destructive species in Hawai`i. Efficacy testing of formicidal bait was designed to provide park managers with options for eradicating small populations or controlling populations that occur at levels beyond which they can be eradicated. Within the Mauna Loa Strip and Kahuku sections of HAVO we conducted systematic surveys of ant distributions at 1625 stations covering nearly 200 km of roads, fences, and transects between August 2008 and April 2010. Overall, 15 ant species were collected in the two areas, with 12 being found on Mauna Loa Strip and 11 at Kahuku. Cardiocondyla kagutsuchi was most widespread at both sites, ranging in elevation from 920 to 2014 m, and was the only species found above 1530 m. Argentine ants and big-headed ants were also found in both areas, but their distributions did not overlap. Surveys of Argentine ants identified areas of infestation covering 560 ha at Mauna Loa Strip and 585 ha at Kahuku. At both sites, upper boundaries of big-headed ants coincided with lower boundaries of Argentine ants. Significantly, Wasmannia auropunctata (little fire ant) was not detected during our surveys. Formicidal baits tested for controlling Argentine ants included Xstinguish TM (containing fipronil at 0.01%), Maxforce ® (hydramethylnon 1.0%), and Australian Distance ® (pyriproxyfen 0.5%). Each bait was distributed evenly over four 2500 m 2 replicate plots. Applications were repeated approximately four weeks after the initial treatment. Plots were subdivided into 25 subplots and ants monitored within each subplot using paper cards containing tuna bait at approximately one week intervals for about 14 weeks. All treatments reduced ant numbers, but none eradicated ants on any of the plots. Xstinguish TM produced a strong and lasting effect, depressing ant abundance below 1% of control plot levels within the first week and for about eight weeks afterward. Maxforce ® was slower to attain maximum effectiveness, reducing ants to 8% of control levels after one week and 3% after six weeks. Australian Distance ® was least effective, decreasing ant abundance to 19% of control levels after one week with numbers subsequently rebounding to 40% of controls at four weeks and 72% at 10 weeks. In measurements of the proportion of bait cards at which ants were detected, Xstinguish TM clearly out-performed Maxforce ® , reaching a minimum detection rate of 3% of bait cards at one week compared to a low of 19% for Maxforce ® two weeks following the second treatment. Although ant abundances were dramatically reduced on Xstinguish TM plots, it is not currently registered for use in the USA. Our results suggest that ant abundance can be greatly reduced using registered baits, but further research is needed before even small-scale eradication of Argentine ants can be achieved. Formicidal baits tested to control big-headed ants included Amdro ® (hydramethylnon 0.75%), Xstinguish TM (fipronil 0.01%), Extinguish ® Plus (a blend of hydramethylnon 0.365% and S- methoprene 0.25%), and Australian Distance ® Plus (hydramethylnon 0.365% and pyriproxyfen 0.25%). Application methods were the same as used for Argentine ants, with baits being applied on two occasions (approximately four weeks apart) on four 2500 m 2 replicate plots. All four baits reduced populations to below 2% of control plot levels within one week of treatment. Amdro ® was particularly effective as no ants were detected on two of the four Amdro ® plots immediately following treatment. Suppression was long-lived in three of the treatments; Amdro ® , Australian Distance ® Plus, and Extinguish ® Plus all maintained ant abundances at levels less than 1% of control plots over 12 weeks of study. In contrast, ant abundances in Xstinguish TM plots rose to 7% of control plots after four weeks and 20% after 10 weeks. Our results corroborate other recent studies indicating that small populations of big-headed ants can be controlled in natural areas using products registered in the USA.

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USGS2012

A deep research drill hole at the summit of an active volcano, Kilauea, Hawaii

Drilling and geophysical logging data for a 1,262 m‐deep bore hole in the area inferred to overlie the magma reservoir of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, support earlier interpretations based on surface geophysical surveys that a zone of brackish or saline water lies above the reservoir. Temperatures encountered within the hole are not sufficiently high to warrant commercial interest; the maximum temperature, 137°C, is at the hole bottom. However, the temperature gradient toward the bottom of the hole (approximately 160 m below sea level) increases sharply to about 370°C/km, perhaps partly reflecting the effect of decreased water circulation as suggested by the geophysical logging data. If this gradient persists or increases with depth, magmatic temperatures would be attained within 3 km from the hole bottom (i.e., approximately 4 km from ground surface)—a depth in accord with data from ground‐deformation and seismic studies.

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USGS2012

Field measurements of apparent Curie temperatures in a cooling basaltic lava lake, Kilauea Iki, Hawaii

Magnetic susceptibility and temperature measurements have been made in two of three holes drilled in 1975 through the crust and into the still molten lens of tholeiitic basalt in Kilauea Iki lava lake (formed in 1959). The temperature above which magnetic susceptibility drops to zero—the apparent Curie temperature—is 540°C. at depths of 34.7‐35.9 m below the lake surface. These field measurements suggest that the dominant ferromagnetic mineral in the cooling basalt is titanomagnetite containing about 10 mol percent ulvöspinel.

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USGS2012

Externally triggered renewed bubble nucleation in basaltic magma: the 12 October 2008 eruption at Halema‘uma‘u Overlook vent, Kīlauea, Hawai‘i, USA

From October 2008 until present, dozens of small impulsive explosive eruptions occurred from the Overlook vent on the southeast side of Halema&lsquo;uma&lsquo;u Crater, at Kīlauea volcano, USA. These eruptions were triggered by rockfalls from the walls of the volcanic vent and conduit onto the top of the lava column. Here we use microtextural observations and data from clasts erupted during the well-characterized 12 October 2008 explosive eruption at Halema&lsquo;uma&lsquo;u to extend existing models of eruption triggering. We present a potential mechanism for this eruption by combining microtextural observations with existing geophysical and visual data sets. We measure the size and number density of bubbles preserved in juvenile ejecta using 2D images and X-ray microtomography. Our data suggest that accumulations of large bubbles with diameters of >50 &mu; m to at least millimeters existed at shallow levels within the conduit prior to the 12 October 2008 explosion. Furthermore, a high number density of small bubbles <50 &mu; m is measured in the clasts, implying very rapid nucleation of bubbles. Visual observations, combined with preexisting geophysical data, suggest that the impact of rockfalls onto the magma free surface induces pressure changes over short timescales that (1) nucleated new additional bubbles in the shallow conduit leading to high number densities of small bubbles and (2) expanded the preexisting bubbles driving upward acceleration. The trigger of eruption and bubble nucleation is thus external to the degassing system.

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USGS2012

The genome of Chelonid herpesvirus 5 harbors atypical genes

The Chelonid fibropapilloma-associated herpesvirus (CFPHV; ChHV5) is believed to be the causative agent of fibropapillomatosis (FP), a neoplastic disease of marine turtles. While clinical signs and pathology of FP are well known, research on ChHV5 has been impeded because no cell culture system for its propagation exists. We have cloned a BAC containing ChHV5 in pTARBAC2.1 and determined its nucleotide sequence. Accordingly, ChHV5 has a type D genome and its predominant gene order is typical for the varicellovirus genus within the alphaherpesvirinae . However, at least four genes that are atypical for an alphaherpesvirus genome were also detected, i.e. two members of the C-type lectin-like domain superfamily (F-lec1, F-lec2), an orthologue to the mouse cytomegalovirus M04 (F-M04) and a viral sialyltransferase (F-sial). Four lines of evidence suggest that these atypical genes are truly part of the ChHV5 genome: (1) the pTARBAC insertion interrupted the UL52 ORF, leaving parts of the gene to either side of the insertion and suggesting that an intact molecule had been cloned. (2) Using FP-associated UL52 (F-UL52) as an anchor and the BAC-derived sequences as a means to generate primers, overlapping PCR was performed with tumor-derived DNA as template, which confirmed the presence of the same stretch of &ldquo;atypical&rdquo; DNA in independent FP cases. (3) Pyrosequencing of DNA from independent tumors did not reveal previously undetected viral sequences, suggesting that no apparent loss of viral sequence had happened due to the cloning strategy. (4) The simultaneous presence of previously known ChHV5 sequences and F-sial as well as F-M04 sequences was also confirmed in geographically distinct Australian cases of FP. Finally, transcripts of F-sial and F-M04 but not transcripts of lytic viral genes were detected in tumors from Hawaiian FP-cases. Therefore, we suggest that F-sial and F-M04 may play a role in FP pathogenesis

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USGS2012

Fractal properties of tremor and gas piston events observed at Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii

Studies the fractal properties of shallow volcanic tremor and gas piston events associated with magma degassing at Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, using data from two dense short-baseline arrays of seismographs deployed near the active crater of Puu Oo on the east rift of the volcano. The existence of a categorically stable attractor characterizing both types of activities strongly suggests that the excitation mechanism of tremor is similar to that of gas piston events, which in turn are correlated with visual observations at the volcanic vent. Low values derived for the dimension of the attractor in phase space points to significant self-organization in the process of generation of tremor and offers general constraints on the dimensionality of attractors derived from models of acoustic emission associated with magma flow, vesiculation, and degassing. -from Authors

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USGS2012

Broad trends in geomagnetic paleointensity on Hawaii during Holocene time

Paleointensity determinations have been obtained from 22 basaltic lava flows on the island of Hawaii using the Thelliers' method. Radiocarbon dating indicates that these flows erupted at intervals ranging from about 200 to 1000 years, and results of the experiments provide an estimate of broad trends in geomagnetic paleointensity during Holocene time in the vicinity of Hawaii. Most of the samples were obtained from quickly cooled flow margins and, as a consequence, typically contain two titanomagnetite populations. Only two of the 79 samples analyzed failed to yield an estimate of the paleofield, demonstrating that paleointensities can be obtained from such samples if carefully selected. Virtual dipole moments calculated for the flows are compared with a published curve of dipole field intensity that was constructed using worldwide archeomagnetic data. The large nondipole fields that were previously postulated for the vicinity of Hawaii are confirmed, and the present data indicate that they were present from about 5000 years B.P. to perhaps as recently as the past 200 years. The data indicate, however, that these nondipole sources must have been virtually absent between about 12,000 and 5000 years B.P. as they are at the present time.

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USGS2012

Deep volcanic tremor and magma ascent mechanism under Kilauea, Hawaii

Deep harmonic tremor originating at depths around 40 km under Kilauea was studied using records accumulated since 1962 at the Hawaii Volcano Observatory of the U.S. Geological Survey. The deep source of the tremor was determined by onset times and confirmed by the relative amplitude across the island-wide network of seismometers. The period of tremor was conclusively shown to be determined by the source effect and not by the path or station site effect because the period would change considerably in time but maintained uniformity across the seismic net during the tremor episode. The tremor appeared to be primarily composed of P waves. We interpret the observed period and amplitude in terms of the stationary crack model of Aki et al. (1977) and find that the seismic moment rates for deep tremors are considerably larger than those for shallow-tremors suggesting more vigorous transport for the former. We propose a kinematic source model which may be more appropriate for deep tremor. According to this model, a measurable quantity called ‘reduced displacement’ is directly proportional to the rate of magma flow. A systematic search for deep tremor episodes was made for the period from 1962 through 1979, and the amplitude, period, and duration of the tremor were tabulated. We then constructed a cumulative reduced-displacement plot over the 18-year period. The result shows a generally steady process which does not seem to be significantly affected by major eruptions and large earthquakes near the surface. The total magma flow estimated from the reduced displacement is however, one order of magnitude smaller than that estimated by Swanson (1972). It may be that most channels transport magma aseismically, and only those with strong barriers generate tremor.

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USGS2012

Geomagnetic paleointensities from excursion sequences in lavas on Oahu, Hawaii

Paleomagnetic data demonstrating three late Tertiary excursions in the direction of the geomagnetic field recorded in sequences of basaltic lavas on the island of Oahu, Hawaii were published by R. R. Doell and G. B. Dalrymple in 1973. We have determined geomagnetic paleointensities by the Thelliers' method for 14 lavas from the three sites. During these experiments, considerable difficulty was encountered because of the presence of titanomaghemite in many lavas and the contamination of natural remanent magnetization by lightning in many others. Moreover, we often observed the production of spurious high‐temperature chemical remanent magnetization during the Thellier experiments. An analysis of this particularly troublesome problem is presented. Two of the sites showed low paleointensities associated with angular departures of the paleomagnetic field direction from that of a geocentric axial dipole, which suggests that these excursions represent aborted reversals or fragments of reversals. At the third site, however, the paleointensity did not become low as the field diverged. This excursion may reflect the variation of a large nondipole source near Hawaii.

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USGS2012

Origin of Hawaiian tholeiite: A metasomatic model

Two voluminous magma types generated in the mantle underlying the Pacific plate are mid‐ocean ridge tholeiite (MORB) erupted at the East Pacific Rise spreading center and Hawaiian tholeiite (HT) erupted above the Hawaiian hot spot or melting anomaly. MORB has low initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios and low amounts of all incompatible trace elements including rare earths; chondrite‐normalized patterns are depleted in light rare earths. HT, by contrast, has higher initial 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and higher amounts of incompatible trace elements; chondrite‐nor‐malized patterns are enriched in the middle and light rare earths. HT is generally poorer in CaO and Al 2 O 3 and much richer in total iron and TiO 2 compared with MORB having the same MgO content. Primary magma compositions for the two volcanic systems are calculated in Fe‐Mg equilibrium with residual olivine (Fo 92 ). MORB is generated by partial melting of a trace element depleted Iherzolite source leaving a residual assemblage dominated by olivine and orthopyroxene. The percentage of partial melting for a primary magma containing 15% MgO is calculated to be 35–42% in a source mantle having a heavy rare earth content of 3×chondrite and 33–35% MgO. HT, represented by Kilauea tholeiite, is generated by partial melting of a mixture of unmelted and residual mantle for MORB which has been modified by metasomatic addition of a nephelinitic fluid, amphibole, and minor amounts of apatite and Fe‐bearing phases such as sulfide and magnetite/ilmenite. This model yields a picritic magma in equilbrium with magnesian dunite at high (>40%) degrees of partial melting. The source also has 35% MgO before partial melting. Melting in both systems in polyvariant and not controlled by lower‐temperature invariant equilibria. The low‐velocity zone is considered to be the source of metasomatic fluids that are driven upward into the lowermost lithosphere in response to a thermal plume. Picritic primary magmas are produced by shear melting, localized in the zone of thinned and metasomatized lithosphere beneath Hawaii. Melt extraction is rapid and episodic at intervals of months to decades; magma is not stored in the mantle but passes upward to a plexus of storage reservoirs located 2–6 km beneath the surface of Kilauea. Kilauea primary magmas fractionate olivine during upward transport to reach bulk compositions of 13–14% MgO in storage. Different magma batches erupted to the surface, distinguished by different major and minor element compositons compared at similar MgO content, represent combinations of differing degrees of metasomatic enrichment, differing degrees of partial melting, and some effects of premelting mantle heterogeneity.

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USGS2012

Population divergence and gene flow in an endangered and highly mobile seabird

Seabirds are highly vagile and can disperse up to thousands of kilometers, making it difficult to identify the factors that promote isolation between populations. The endemic Hawaiian petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis) is one such species. Today it is endangered, and known to breed only on the islands of Hawaii, Maui, Lanai and Kauai. Historical records indicate that a large population formerly bred on Molokai as well, but this population has recently been extirpated. Given the great dispersal potential of these petrels, it remains unclear if populations are genetically distinct and which factors may contribute to isolation between them. We sampled petrels from across their range, including individuals from the presumably extirpated Molokai population. We sequenced 524 bp of mitochondrial DNA, 741 bp from three nuclear introns, and genotyped 18 microsatellite loci in order to examine the patterns of divergence in this species and to investigate the potential underlying mechanisms. Both mitochondrial and nuclear data sets indicated significant genetic differentiation among all modern populations, but no differentiation was found between historic samples from Molokai and modern birds from Lanai. Population-specific nonbreeding distribution and strong natal philopatry may reduce gene flow between populations. However, the lack of population structure between extirpated Molokai birds and modern birds on Lanai indicates that there was substantial gene flow between these populations and that petrels may be able to overcome barriers to dispersal prior to complete extirpation. Hawaiian petrel populations could be considered distinct management units, however, the dwindling population on Hawaii may require translocation to prevent extirpation in the near future.

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