Posted: August 16, 2018

The 2018 RAMP Expedition to Papahānaumokuākea Embarks


A Galapagos shark (mano) cruises the waters at French Frigate Shoals.
A Galapagos shark (mano) cruises the waters at French Frigate Shoals. Credit: Andrew Gray/NOAA

The 2018 Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) expedition to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands was delayed by Hurricane Lane and mechanical issues which have yet to be resolved. A sailing date will be set once repairs are completed.

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Monitoring reef fish, algae, corals and other invertebrates

A reef at Pearl and Hermes Atoll showcases the diversity of fish found in Papahānaumokuākea.
A reef at Pearl and Hermes Atoll showcases the diversity of fish found in Papahānaumokuākea. Credit: Andrew Gray/NOAA

Divers will conduct rapid ecological assessments (REAs) of reef fish, corals and non-coral invertebrates on shallow (10-30 meters or 30-100 feet) sites to improve our understanding of the health of coral reef ecosystems throughout the archipelago and to look for changes over time. In addition, scientists will perform follow up studies to the 2014 coral bleaching mortality and recovery on Lisianski reefs, and limu (algae) expert Dr. Heather Spalding will characterize macroalgae of shallow reefs. A new activity being conducted this year is 3D photogrammetry – using photographs to measure and ultimately create three dimensional models – to record and quantify the structural complexity of the reef at each site.

RAMP rapid ecological assessments have been conducted annually in the NWHI since 2000. Long-term monitoring provides information on the status and trends of reef conditions that helps managers make decisions about Monument management.


Mesophotic Exploration

NOAA scientist surfaces from a dive at Pearl and Hermes Atoll.
NOAA scientist surfaces from a dive at Pearl and Hermes Atoll. Credit: Andrew Gray/NOAA

Advanced-technology divers utilizing closed-circuit rebreathers will continue exploration of Papahānaumokuākea’s “twilight zone” reefs between 50-100 meters (150 to over 300 feet) depth, including quantitative fish and seafloor surveys and deep-reef algae collections. Recent forays by PMNM technical divers into the coral reef “twilight zone” have yielded numerous new species of fishes and algae. For the first time this year, the technical diving team will also be conducting 3D photogrammetry and will be collecting eDNA samples.


eDNA

A yellowstripe coris enjoys a grooming from this scarlet cleaner shrimp at Pearl and Hermes Atoll.
A yellowstripe coris enjoys a grooming from this scarlet cleaner shrimp at Pearl and Hermes Atoll. Credit: Andrew Gray/NOAA

Researchers from the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology will collect and filter water samples to analyze for fragments of fish eDNA (“environmental DNA” refers to fragments of DNA sloughed off from skin, mucous, etc. that are extracted from the water or sand). This cutting-edge technology will allow for species-level identification of fishes at a given site, and will enhance our ability to detect the presence of cryptic (hidden) and nocturnal fishes that may not be seen in daytime surveys. The presence or absence of species detected by eDNA will be compared to visual fish count data to evaluate the relative effectiveness of both methods.


Tying it all together

A day octopus blends in perfectly with the reef at Pearl and Hermes Atoll.
A day octopus blends in perfectly with the reef at Pearl and Hermes Atoll. Credit: Andrew Gray/NOAA

Both the 3D imagery and the eDNA will be analyzed with visual fish survey data to determine what reef structural characteristics seem to influence fish community composition and fish abundance.


QUEST to RAMP

QUEST program alumnus and current PMNM NOAA diver Keo Lopes conducts underwater survey during RAMP cruise.
QUEST program alumnus and current PMNM NOAA diver Keo Lopes conducts underwater survey during RAMP cruise. Credit: Andrew Gray/NOAA

Four students from the University of Hawaiʻi will be participating in reef monitoring operations this year. They were selected from the UH Hilo QUEST (Quantitative Underwater Ecological Surveying Techniques) class through a partnership with UH’s Marine Option Program, and received additional training from scientists from PMNM and NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center’s Ecosystem Science Division. The interns will collect RAMP data alongside NOAA scientists, giving the students "real-world" science experience and contributing to monitoring data analyzed and published by NOAA. Some students will use the data for senior and Master's theses. Four current PMNM scientists on this cruise are QUEST alumni, validating the real-world application of this program.


The scientific team of this year’s RAMP expedition includes researchers from NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries’ Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, NOAA’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai‘i-Hilo, Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa Botany Department, and the Association for Marine Exploration.