Kealia Pond Graphs

Kealia Pond

The Kealia National Wild Life Reserve is one of the few wetland refuges in Hawaiian. The Kealia Pond is located on the Island of Maui. The Kealia National Wild Life Refuge (WLR) is home to native plants, birds and many migrator water birds who make their way to Kealia National WLR to nest during the winter. The Hawaian Coot and Hawaiian Stilt are two native wetland birds that are important to Hawaiian Islands.

Hawaiian Coot

Scientific Name: Fulica alai

Hawaiian Name: `alae ke `oke`o

Endimic

Fisical Features: The Hawaiian Coot has a white beak and a frontal shield, they have dark feathers and red eyes. These bird can get as large as 15 inches.

Hawaiian Stilt

Scientific Name: Himantopus mexicanus knudseni

Hawaiian Name: Ae`o (one standing tall)

Endemic

Fiscul Features: The Hawaiian Stilt can reach 16 inches in length, they have a black head and a white belly, with long pink legs. These birds are an endangered species that eat worms, crab and small fish.

The significance of this study was to conduct experiment on an invasive species that have begun to overpower the native plant species living in Kealia Pond. This is causing problems with not only the native plant species but also the native birds which are unable to nest in the dense undergrowth. Through data collected from experiments taken by our class we hope to find a way in which to eliminate any threat of the California Bulrush.

For this study we worked at Kealia Pond, the goal of our project was to consider different ways we might be able to eradicate the growing problem of the invasive species the California Bulrush. Once students formulated different ways in which to remove the invasive species three tests were chosen. After being chosen our science class went out onto the field and conducted the experiment by removing the California Bulrush by using a spray that would only kill the plant but at the same time would not endanger the lives of the other native species. The two other tests that we did were to cut the plants and lastly we combined both procedures and we cut and sprayed the plant. Finally we gathered and then analyzed the data to figure out which method of removing the California Bulrush worked the best.

Through this study we learned that the method of spraying with biological spray had the best results of eradicating the Bulrush from within the Kealia Pond without harming any of the wild life or native plants.

Biblography

Picture of Kealia Pond

http://www.biogeographer.com/IMGP1524.JPG

Picture of Hawaiian Stilt

http://www.alaska-in-pictures.com/data/media/1/endangered-hawaiian-stilt_8153.jpg

Picture of Hawaiian Coot

http://www.oahunaturetours.com/photogallery/birds/images/indextablec01.JPG

REEF Survey

1. What is the mission of REEF?

The Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) mission is to preserve the marine life, by education and teaming up with divers, scientist and others who are concerned about the marine life. REEF joins up with with these people to make a collection of data on the marine life and other related activities.

2. A description of the location and the procedure used during the survey.

For this survey we went to the fish pond. For this activity we where required to wear snorkel gear, in order to see better in the water. We also needed the suppl es provided by REEF which was given to use by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAH). Some of this supple included note pad, water proof paper and pencil and a fish chart used as reference.

3. Reflection of REEF Survey.

During this field trip we experienced poor conditions, it had just recently rained, and it was partly cloud making it hard to see fish in the water. Also the water was a little churned up causing the sand to be kicked up and making the water even murkier. Even during these poor conditions I was able to see a small group of fish of three but I was unable to identify what type of fish they were because of weather conditions and both fish scattered out of my line of sight.

Link to REEF Main Website by Clicking on Picture Below

Maui's Loko I'a Kalo

Loko I'a Kalo

Cultural Significants

The Loko I'a Kalo is the only fish pond that was managed by the common people, or maka'ainana. This fish pond was used to harvest fresh water fish, shrimp and to grow taro. The women took care of this fish pond but the men were allowed to help when the women alloweded them. The reason for this is that fresh water fish pond's water is clear. According to the Hawaiians woman were clean and pure so they could not tamper with water that was dirty and salty, while the men were to stay out of the clean water. The harvesting of the fish was done by the women; they would catch the fish with nets, when the fish had grow the appropriate size. The materials used in this fish pond are the land /mud, water and taro.The Loko I’a Kalo is both a fish pond and taro field, making it a important part of the Hawaiians diet. The fish pond was usually made close by a river, the fields were swamped with fresh water from a channel the Hawaiians made that would be redirected towards the taro field flooding the area.


Species


1) Kalo (Taro)- it was believed by the Hawaiians that it had the most “life force.” It was a staple of the Hawaiians’ diet. They made poi by pounding the kalo’s roots, and wrapped their pig in kalo leaves before they put it in the imu to give it more flavor.

2) Limu (algae)- The Hawaiians used limu as a seasoning, when they combined it with sea salt and mashed kukui nuts. The women were the ones that gathered the limu in the tidepools, while the men gathered the algae in the outer reef.

3) O’opu (Stream guppy)- It is the representative of unflagging devotion to achieving one’s goals. Some people believe that the O’opu should be the state fish instead of the Humuhumunukunukuapua’a because of the cultural significance. The O’opu was also a major food source for the Hawaiians.

4) Opae (Spineless Shrimp)- This shrimp was a food source for the native Hawaiians.

5) Awa (Milk fish)- Awa grown in the fishponds were for the chiefs and nobles.

Intertidal Zones

Intro:

The intertidal zones are the portions of water that are covered by water at high tide but then exposed at low tide. I learned about the different tidal zones what the tide has to do with the different zones. There is the splash zone, this is the barren rocky exposed to ocean spray but never submerged in the water. There is the upper intertidal zone which is covered by water only when at high tide. Then there is the lower tidal zone which is exposed to the air only during low tide. Then there’s the tide pools this is a collection of water that never dries out or is over flooded. Finally there is the sub tidal zone this is the rocky area that is always covered by water and never exposed. The intertidal zones are important because many of the rocks and shrubs are used to shelter animals for extreme weather condition.

Research:

For this study we went down to Wai Pulini, this is a beach that has a reef which has some intertidal zones. The purpose of this study was to come up with a question such as "how many hermit crabs can be found in the different tidal pools are there affects from salinity weather and temperature? We would then try to answer this question and then write a lab write up of the project.

Results:

It is hard to make an acuret estimation of whether not the hermit crabs are affected by salinity and temperature in the intertidal zones, but from the three samples taken in three of the five intertidal zones I guess that hermit crabs are not primarily affected by salinity and temperature but rather wind, currents and the strength of the waves, for example are they big or small? From this project I found out that as I traveled deeper into the different tidal zones there were less hermit crabs.

Plankton Study

Intro:

1. What is Plankton?
   Plankton is a tiny microscopic creature that can not swim against the currents of the ocean but rather is pushed by the waters. There are two main types of plankton, zooplankton (animal plankton) and phytoplankton (plant plankton). Each of these creatures can be eaten by other larger fish that live in the sea.
   


2. Why is Plankton Important?
   Our oceans are full of plankton, even when we can't see them. Because of this many larger fish require plankton in order to maintain a healthy diet. Plankton is the creature that tends to rule the food chain they are what keeps the food chain in order with out plankton many animals would die.
   


3. Why did we Study Plankton? We study plankton this quarter because it is an important part of understanding the ocean, the tide pool, and the food chain of ocean animals.

Research:
For this project our class went to the Kihei Boat Ramp, located in Kihei, Hawaii. At the boat ramp we took samples of plankton, along with the salinity, temperature, and turbidity of the water.

Results:
What I discovered from this sampling. As a group we were able to catch indigenous plankton located at the Kihei Boat Ramp, after leaving them in the refrigerator over night we observed the sample to come up with an average of the amount of plankton that were living in our sample. Some of the sampling may have been not as accurate due to the fact that the plankton were taken our of their natural setting and place in a new environment. Over all the sampling was a success and we were able to learn more about Maui's plankton.