The Phoenix Islands (part of the Pacific Island nation of Kiribati) are unique for several reasons. Not only are they part of one of the world’s largest marine protected areas – a UNESCO World Heritage site about 1,000 miles southwest of Hawaii, but their entire population numbers 23. Very few people have ever visited this area, and even fewer researchers have been able to get a glimpse into this special ecosystem.
Kelton McMahon (postdoc), Gerrit Nanninga (PhD student), and Mark (Sparky) Priest (research tech) are onboard the research vessel, the Nai’a, as well as Camrin Braun (incoming KAUST MSc student in Fall 2012), Kate Furby (Scripps PhD student and frequent visitor to KAUST) and Kathryn Rose (WHOI research tech) whom some will have met during the Aegeo cruise. These researchers and the rest of the scientific team met the vessel in Samoa and cruised for several days to reach the study area.
The expedition is a joint venture between the New England Aquarium, KAUST, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography; the KAUST researchers are all part of Professor Mike Berumen’s lab. This voyage is part of a regular series of scientific expeditions to investigate coral health and study ecosystems and biodiversity in the region. Already the team has tagged several giant mantas near Kanton Island.
The findings from remote, pristine environs such as the Phoenix Islands allow us to put other systems, including the Red Sea, into a global context. You can read more details about individual projects and follow the team’s progress through the blog at:
1 comment
I watched a Discovery program last night on the island nation of Kiribati – the sealife is amazing ! Good luck with your research.