Eyes of the ReefIn stressed or disturbed environments, normally benign native algal and invertebrate species can bloom or grown out of control. As human impacts on local reefs increase, we can not predict when, where or which species will become a problem. Signs of native blooms include changes in biodiversity, species composition and habitat. Please report any changes on your local reef.
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- A native cyanobacteria bloomed at Honaunau, forming large thick, smothering mats.
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- A native cyanobacteria forms reddish soft cushions.
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- A native cyanobacteria forms reddish soft cushions attached to finger coral tips.
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- Leptolyngbya crosbyana smothering plates corals at 60 ft at Honaunau.
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- Leptolyngbya crosbyana smothering plates corals at 60 ft at Honaunau. Notice bleached corals nearby.
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- Leptolyngbya crosbyana killed plate corals at 60 ft at Honaunau. Notice algal-covered areas.
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- Large mats of cyanobacteria Leptolyngbya crosbyana accumulates in sand channel at Honaunau.
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- The native Cladophora sericea forms delicate feather-like branches.
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- Coral abrasion (pink areas) caused by Cladophora sericea whipping against the colony.
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- Blue Octocoral (Sarcothelia edmondsoni) growing up finger corals, smothering them.
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- Octocorals have been exhibiting blooming tendencies by overgrowing and smothering corals. (in this picture: Sarcothelia edmondsoni)
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- There are 11 known species of octocorals in Hawai‘i. Octocorals have been exhibiting blooming tendencies on Kona Coast.
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- Unidentified octocoral smothering corals on Kona Coast.
Eyes of the Reef 