Many people gain a sense of the ocean's majesty while snorkeling or scuba diving. The abundance of life and biodiversity inspires us to love and care for nature. Hawaii is one such place where we may have such encounters.

Hawaii is the most isolated chain of islands in the world and contains around 80% of the coral reef under US jurisdiction. About 25% of the coral species and 24% of the fish found in Hawaii's waters are endemic to Hawaii, and cannot be found anywhere else in the world (from "Pacific Whale" website).

This website will begin with a background of the coral reef ecosystems and keystone species that make these ecosystems possible ("Background I..." and "Background II...), then focus on the effects of ocean acidification on coral ("Climatic Threat to Coral Reefs I...") and of oceanic warming on coral ("Climatic Threat to Coral Reefs II..."). Ocean acidification and oceanic warming are independent but correlative phenomena, so although they are treated separately here, keep in mind that they complement each other. Using what will be established on ocean acidification and warming, we will predict the future of the Hawaiian coral reefs ("Predictions..."). Lastly, we will discuss the importance of the coral reef ecosystems in terms of Economy and Culture ("Why We Should Care...").

Original Diagram - will be explained in "Predictions" tab

For a detailed look at the science of climate change please visit www.realclimate.org.