Mo'orea Coral Reef LTER

Location

17° 29' 27.0564" S, 149° 49' 34.0284" W
Brief Site Description: 
The Moorea Coral Reef LTER is located on the island of Moorea 20 km northwest of the main island of Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Detailed Site Description: 

Mo'orea Coral Reef LTER

Research Topics:

The science themes that form the nucleus of the Mo'orea Coral Reef LTER program include:

  1. the biological bases for variation in ecological performance of stony corals (the foundational group);
  2. population dynamics of key groups;
  3. food web and nutrient dynamics; and
  4. maintenance and functional consequences of diversity.

Two additional research components cut across these themes:

  • (a) an explicit focus on physical – biological coupling over multiple scales; and
  • (b) physical and ecological models to synthesize field results and obtain generality.

Identified issues within each thematic area will be explored through focused, process-oriented studies and by long-term experiments and time series of key abiotic conditions, ecosystem functions, and community and population attributes of major functional groups.

Description:
The Mo'orea  Coral Reef LTER is located on the island of Moorea 20 km northwest of the main island of Tahiti, French Polynesia. Moorea is a high, 1.2 million year old volcanic island surrounded by a well developed coral reef and lagoon system. Read More

History:
The Moorea Coral Reef LTER was established in September 2004.

Field Site Type: 
US affiliate
Registration: 
Unregistered
Network(s): 
LTER
Study Start Date: 
2004
Mean Annual Precipitation: 
1 330 millimeters / year
Average Annual Temperature: 
26°C
Average Summer Temperature: 
29°C
Average Winter Temperature: 
19°C
Land Cover: 
Open Water
Geology: 
igneous-mafic extrusive
other igneous
Soil Order: 
Unknown
Hydrology: Name: 
n/a
Hydrology: Surface water stream order: 
Unknown
Hydrology: Surface water - Stream Flow Performance: 
Unknown
Hydrology: Groundwater: 
Unknown
Climate: 
Tropical
Sub-Climate: 
Unknown
Group visibility: 
Public - accessible to all site users