Coastal Circulation and Potential Coral larval Dispersal in Maunalua Bay, O?ahu, Hawaii? Measurements of Waves, Currents, Temperature, Salinity, June?September 2010

This report presents a summary of fieldwork conducted in Maunalua Bay, O‘ahu, Hawaiito address coral-larval dispersal and recruitment from June through September, 2010. Theobjectives of this study were to understand the temporal and spatial variations in currents, waves,tides, temperature, and salinity in Maunalua Bay during the summer coral-spawning season ofMontipora capitata. Short-term vessel surveys and satellite-tracked drifters were deployed tomeasure currents during the June 2010 spawning event and to supplement the longer-termmeasurements of currents and water-column properties by fixed, bottom-mounted instrumentsdeployed in Maunalua Bay. These data show that currents at the surface and just below thesurface where coral larvae are found are often oriented in opposite directions due primarily totidal and trade-winds forcing as the primary mechanisms of circulation in the bay. These dataextend our understanding of coral-larvae dispersal patterns due to tidal and wind-driven currentsand may be applicable to larvae of other Hawaiian corals.