This was such a cool project to be a part of! We used ML models to build a high-res (1.4m) land cover map, and combined terrain+weather data w/ algae+water samples from >200 lagoon sites over 4 years to understand connections between land use, precipitation, water quality, and microbial communities.
Christian John
Extensive surveys on Mo'orea show that land use and rainfall patterns significantly influence lagoon water quality, highlighting the importance of integrated land-sea management for coral reef health. doi.org/hbcrmg
A massive, multi-year scientific expedition led by researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara and collaborating institutions, including the University of Hawai'i (UH) at Mānoa, determined that land use on tropical islands can shape water quality in lagoons and that rainfall can be an important mediator for connections between land and lagoon waters.
