The coral reefs off the coast of West Maui have been greatly effected from 2000- 2015. The living reefs have decline from thirty percent to ten percent and is due to the runoff of sediment from rain storms. The process of photosynthesis by the coral is inhibited with large amounts of sediment present, which then leads to algae appearing, damaging the coral.
Carrie Kappel and Kim Selke are two senior fellows at UC Santa Barbara who are working with ecological economist Kirsten Oleson from University of Hawaii to address the problem. They have found that the most cost effective way to reduce sediment runoff is simply have landowner cooperation. In attrition, the team is also looking at new methods to improve agricultural roads, most of which are gravel, causing high amounts of runoff. What they found is that the most cost effective way to approach the road problem is to target runoff hot spots rather than all road segments. The problem that the team is facing is money. The budget is very small in Hawaii so researchers are trying to find the most efficient solution to save the coral reefs. The declining health of the reefs is a flashing sign of cultural eutrophication and what will result if we do not reverse our ways. Reefs are a fragile ecosystem and must be cared for at all costs. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170302143810.htm
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