Nonindigenous Marine Species Survey of Waikiki and Hawaii Kai

NOAA surveys documented marine algae, invertebrates, and reef fishes at Waikiki and Kuapa Pond-Maunalua Bay, Oahu, to assess nonindigenous species presence and impact. The study recorded 749 species across 15 Waikiki stations in 2001 and 317 species across 5 Hawaii Kai stations in 2002. Findings were compared against historical records and Bishop Museum collections to calculate introduced species components and report chronologies.

Use Cases

• Calculating the percentage of nonindigenous or cryptogenic species within local biota using taxonomic counts and status designations.
• Comparing current species observations against historical records from literature and museum collections to identify new reports.
• Analyzing the spatial and temporal chronology of first reports for introduced species, particularly from harbor areas.
• Assessing differences in invasion pressure between reef sites (Waikiki) and pond/bay systems (Kuapa Pond-Maunalua Bay) using station-level data.

Strengths

• Surveys provide detailed species counts, with 925 taxa (749 species) recorded at Waikiki and 384 taxa (317 species) at Hawaii Kai.
• Data integration includes field observations from 20 total stations combined with a systematic review of historical records and museum collections.
• Study quantifies nonindigenous species (NIS) component precisely: 6.9% of species at Waikiki and 18% at Hawaii Kai were introduced or cryptogenic.

Limitations

• Column names and detailed data structure are not provided by any source platform, limiting direct analysis.
• Conflicting metadata exists: the 'last updated' date is listed as 2026-04-01 on Data.gov but 2002-02-06 on NASA EarthData, suggesting a metadata error.
• The dataset's primary file format (APPLICATION/VND.LOTUS-ORGANIZER) is outdated and may require specialized software for access.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Field observations and collections at designated stations, combined with a literature review and queries of Bishop Museum specimen collections.

Time Range

2001-01 to 2002-02

Freshness

2002-02-06

Geography

Waikiki and Kuapa Pond-Maunalua Bay areas of Hawaii Kai, Oahu, Hawaii, Central Pacific Ocean.