Free Marine Environment Lecture Series at the Hanapepe Library

On the first Thursday of the month from 6-7:30pm, the Hanapepe Library presents a lecture on the marine environment. Last week on August 4th, research biologist, Dr. Robert Baird gave a talk entitled, “False Killer Whales—Hawaii’s Next Endangered Species?” He discussed their behavior, movement, and ecology. He also explained the threats to their existence here in Hawaii and how the resident population of these top predators has significantly declined.

The lecture series will resume on Thursday Seprtember 1, 2011with a talk about the origin of Hawaii’s coralgal reefs and associated beaches. Dr. Chuck Blay, coauthor of Kauai’s Geologic History: A Simplified Guide, will be discussing the different types and composition of nearshore reefs found in Hawaii. This is an interesting topic considering that the dominant portion of many nearshore Hawaiian reefs is comprised of coralline algae as opposed to coral.

On Thursday October 6, 2011, Yumi Yasutake, an Outreach Program Coordinator for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, will be giving an Overview of Reef Fish Abundance and Diversity in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. She will also be explaining how reef fish assemblages differ from nearshore reef communities in the main Hawaiian Islands.

The lecture series is sponsored by Friends of the Hanapepe Public Library and is free and open to the public. For more information, or to request special accommodations, you may call the library staff at (808)335-8418.