NOAA ecologist to discuss El Niño, hurricanes and Hawaiʻi reefs Oct. 13

The effects of El Niño and hurricanes on Hawaiʻi’s coral reefs will be the focus of a free virtual presentation at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 13 on Zoom, according to an announcement from the Maui Nui Marine Resource Council.

Thomas Oliver, a research ecologist with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, will be the featured speaker for the Know Your Ocean virtual speaker series. His presentation, “El Niño Impacts: Hurricanes & Hawaiʻi Reefs,” will explore pressures on reefs, including hurricane damage, changes in ocean temperatures and coral bleaching.

Oliver will discuss how corals respond to stress and what researchers have observed across Hawaiʻi and the Pacific. He also will explain what those findings suggest about reef recovery and future changes.

A live question-and-answer session will follow the presentation.

To register for the online event, click here.