This is the subproject for coral typeing typing
The Island Sustainability Research Program (the Program), housed at the Gump South Pacific Research Station (UC Berkeley), carries out research and related educational and outreach activities to advance and improve biodiversity conservation, public health, and sustainable development in French Polynesia.
A subproject on rori to explore how we might use this system for permit tracking and other stuff…
Temae Beach, located on the eastern tip of Mo’orea, is home to one of the most biodiverse coral reefs in the South Pacific. The sector of Temae where our evaluation took place is a marine protected area (MPA), and adjacent to it is a control area. The location and management of Temae Beach present an interesting dynamic. It is protected under the MPA while also being home to a public beach and private overwater bungalows, battling active community disputes over the privatization of the shore.
Through the Scavenger Hunt assignment, the UC Berkeley Island Sustainability Program (ISP) 2025 cohort was tasked with exploring the reef’s biodiversity by identifying and photographing species across various categories: Algae & Cyanobacteria, Sponges, Corals & Cnidarians, Marine Worms, Mollusks (Bivalves & Gastropods), Flatworms, Crustaceans, Echinoderms, Tunicates & Bryozoans, Fish, Large Marine Animals, Birds, as well as ecological interactions. Our exploration and data collection took place on February 8, 2025, focusing on species active during the daytime.
In February 2025, the Island Sustainability Program cohort sampled eDNA (environmental DNA) from different locations around Mo’orea, French Polynesia. eDNA is DNA collected in aggregate from the environment rather than from an individual organism. It allows for rapid monitoring and measurement of biodiversity and species presence without collecting a living sample. eDNA serves as a proxy for biodiversity, as the eDNA sample can be sequenced to detect the number and types of species that have shed their genetic material in the water. The sample is parsed apart by DNA sequencing methods like metagenomics and metabarcoding, in which the sequence is compared against existing DNA libraries. Sampling biodiversity from different sites across Mo’orea allows us to assess how the species composition and richness of ecological communities varies across an island ecosystem. This also allows us to examine how different factors such as salinity, distance from the ocean, pristine versus impacted reef, proximity to population centers, and anthropogenic inputs impacts biodiversity.
The Island Sustainability program provides an exceptional learning experience and advanced training for undergraduates like yourself. It draws on the diverse interdisciplinary research carried out at the Gump Station by leading researchers from around the world, blended with the traditional wisdom of the Polynesian people. The incorporation of the cultural and traditional aspects of the program is made possible through the unique partnership between UC Berkeley and the Tahitian community via the Atitia Center.
This partnership is with a Tahitian community-based organization, the Association Te Pu 'Atiti'a, which is made up of local educators and traditional experts. The Atitia Center develops common educational and research programs focused on marine and terrestrial biodiversity, traditional knowledge, culture, and the relationship between human societies and natural ecosystems. Students will also be exposed to a variety of local and international NGOs working in the region and will benefit from the blend of European, American and Polynesian perspectives affecting all aspects of life and sustainability on the beautiful, tropical islands of French Polynesia.
Although most individuals don’t associate sea cucumbers with coral reef health, they play an essential role in maintaining reef ecosystems. These echinoderms are found on the sea-bed worldwide and live on filtering detritus and organic matter. Sea cucumber microbiomes can offer insight into the health and diversity of a coral reef- particularly regarding the various cryptic species and microorganisms that reside within other organisms. The primary objective of this project is to conduct a feasibility study. Particularly to identify the feasibility of participation in a scientific experiment among elementary school students (9–11 years old) in collecting sea cucumbers and their feces. In other words, the main objective of this study is to ensure that elementary-aged students can meaningfully engage with scientific projects taking place in their communities.
This project aims to assess coastal erosion and sea level rise by documenting the current state of Mo’orea’s coastline through observations of coastal armoring, benthic surveys, and boat activity. Data collection, conducted between 2022 and 2025 by UC Berkeley's Island Sustainability classes, will help identify potential links between maritime activity and shoreline integrity by correlating these observations with localized erosion patterns. This coastal monitoring procedure has been tested along most of Mo’orea’s coastline and is designed for long-term assessment. The protocol outlines the steps for collecting observational data on coastal armoring and boat activity along shoreline transects.
The presenters described Tereheamanu, a southern-Tahiti community of municipalities that became a 2025 resilience-planning pilot, with citizen consultations surfacing needs around water, energy, food sovereignty and combined medicine. They framed it as a 'space of opportunity' to embed action-research and co-management before development pressures intensify.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
The presenters exposed a data gap whereby the World Database on Protected Areas held only five points and no spatial data for French Polynesia, against their own 252 active features of local stewardship such as rāhui. Citing jurisdictional overlap, land-sea overlap and 'illegibility', Mawyer called for an epistemic shift to redesign blue bioeconomies around place-sensitive, biocultural realities.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Hattori introduced PIDP — founded in 1980 and secretariat to the Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders — and the '2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent' as a guiding star for regional values. She warned of US funding and DEIA cuts and tightening visa restrictions, urging allies to create safe spaces and scholarships for Indigenous scientists.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Huke traced Rapa Nui from its 1888 loss of sovereignty to becoming, in 2018, sole administrator of the Rapa Nui National Park and its surrounding Marine Protected Area. He stressed genealogy as a guideline for research — scientists must answer 'who you are' and 'who brought you here' — and the ongoing struggle to repatriate artefacts and human remains.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Takoko centred Indigenous authority over marine space through Indigenous-led sanctuaries and the recognition of whale personhood, moving whale management from scientific category to Indigenous governance. She argued benefits from 'Blue Natural Capital' must flow back to the communities who steward these spaces.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Murphy presented Voice of the Ocean, a 2022 Indigenous-led concept gathering Pacific peoples' feelings about the sea, using the octopus (faʻe) as a symbol of the connections linking Oceania. It has been carried to forums such as the International Seabed Authority to argue for underwater cultural heritage in deep-sea-mining regulation.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Bailey presented Honu, a pair of three-person, 1,200-metre-rated acrylic-sphere submersibles diving as a buddy pair to democratise access to the mesopelagic zone, which holds roughly 70% of ocean biomass. At about €5,000–8,000 per dive with a minimal crew, Honu pairs luxury tourism with science; the subs are under construction in Alameda with DOER, with a research programme to be formalised in January 2026.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Mawyer proposed shifting from species transects to 'knowledge transects' that sample how observations, models and practices distribute across the 4Site hubs (Hawaii, Palmyra, Tetiaroa, Moorea). He cast these as convergence infrastructure linking Indigenous knowledge with science, and envisioned the network growing into a translocal 'N-Site' system of planetary intelligence.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Donahue and Bruno presented stewardship at Moku o Loʻe (Coconut Island), whose 'Pono Research' framework places eight stewardship considerations — prioritising system integrity — ahead of human infrastructure. They highlighted the challenge of data management and institutional trust amid high lab turnover, advocating automated tracking and station-based information managers.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Wegmann traced 25 years of conservation science at Palmyra Atoll, managed by TNC through its Climate Adaptation and Resilience Laboratory across island, reef and blue-water research. Highlights included 2011 rat eradication, converting coconut plantations back to native forest for seabird–reef nutrient subsidies, and the 2024 reintroduction of the Guam Kingfisher (Sihek).
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Tate set out the CASUP 2.0 roadmap to 2035, synthesising local priorities (community engagement, cultural integration) with experts' emphasis on funding, enforcement and measurable outcomes. Its three-layer strategy would preserve species programmes, integrate fragmented coordination and fill gaps via community ownership, sustainable fisheries use and a Marine Education Area.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Rowland and Murphy reviewed the first decade of Tetiaroa's voluntary CASUP, citing a Scientific Advisory Board, the Tetiaroa Ecostation, a renewable-powered Brando resort, rat eradication and sea-turtle protection, while flagging weak fisheries enforcement. Bilingual stakeholder surveys exposed divergent priorities, feeding a CASUP 2.0 due 26 April 2026 built on Preserve, Integrate and Fill Gaps.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Kleykamp presented a funder's view of impact measurement and management, distinguishing investor from company impact and outputs from outcomes across the foundation's four portfolios. She advocated building a Theory of Change by starting at intended impact and working backward, cautioning (via a Kenyan water-filter example) that context is paramount and metrics must be useful to partners.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
The team introduced Ocean ELP, an ocean-focused, Pacific-grounded extension of UC Berkeley's 25-year Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program for mid-career professionals. Moorea was chosen as the 'living laboratory' for its Gump and CRIOBE stations, long-term reef datasets and strong Polynesian cultural anchors, establishing a permanent Berkeley–Moorea bridge.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Hill drew seven lessons from Californian agriculture — using the 'baby carrot' model to show how processing innovation and circularity turned 70% waste into a high-value product. She urged French Polynesia to design its macroalgae bioeconomy from the outset for safer, better-paid jobs and social sustainability.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Marakai presented the Educational Marine Managed Areas model — born in the Marquesas in 2012 — built on three pillars: Know, Live and Transmit. It now spans 29 zones and 2,500+ students in French Polynesia (and some 200,000 across France), entering a consolidation phase focused on teacher training and researcher collaboration.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Kusenko paired supplemental maths assignments with Kudu's KAI assistant to address gaps in introductory physics, designing the AI for learning rather than cheating. A rigorous UCLA study found the tools significantly raised exam scores, with the largest gains among less-prepared and underrepresented students.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Murphy traced the Atitia Center's two decades as a space to give back to community and transmit traditional knowledge, built on a five-year journey of trust anchored by translating science into Tahitian. Guided by Ite deodora — knowledge lived hands-on — the centre has reached over 10,000 children and now plans expansion, an innovation lab and professionalisation over its next decade.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Vieglais framed 'contextual collapse' — research losing its ties to geographic, ethical and social origin in global repositories — and presented iPlaces as a platform keeping place-based projects connected to downstream research. It integrates Local Contexts Labels for consent and mints DOIs so communities retain access and institutions gain recognition.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Essey described Kudu, a platform that bypasses the multi-year textbook lag by turning field research into educational content in near real-time, with its KAI assistant trained only on an instructor's vetted materials. Independent validation at UCLA and UCSD showed improved engagement and outcomes, especially for less-prepared students.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Marchioni addressed compliance with the UN BBNJ treaty and its Standardised Batch Identifier for tracking marine genetic resources and benefit-sharing. Arguing that 'trust is a local matter', he proposed tamper-detectable 'sealed envelopes' of metadata that preserve local control while proving identity, intent and integrity.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Stoll presented geospatial monitoring of Tetiaroa, including a 1955–2023 geomorphological review of its 12 motu and a machine-learning pipeline (by PhD student Tobias Fischer) using XGBoost and transfer learning to automate shoreline extraction. The system flags surface, lateral, shape and vertical change, acting as a climate-adaptation alert tool transferable across atolls.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Takoko detailed the movement for legal personhood for whales, grounded in He Whakaputanga Moana and customary Ariki leadership acting as kaitiaki guardians. The framework — including Moananui sanctuaries and legislation letting whales sue polluters — seeks a shift from 'resource management' to recognition of the whale's sentience, whakapapa and mana.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Anderson presented Local Contexts and its Traditional Knowledge and Biocultural Labels, which assert Indigenous data sovereignty and make Indigenous data visible in repositories such as GBIF. She also described work with Taylor & Francis to recognise non-human entities — rivers, forests, lagoons — as authors, and to establish community data trusts.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Hill defined social licence to operate as ongoing community acceptance, presenting a pyramid from rejection to endorsement built on legitimacy, credibility and trust. Drawing on California's seaweed sector, she identified permitting, environmental uncertainty and community acceptance as the key barriers, arguing the licence must be built proactively.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Winter introduced biocultural restoration — restoring social-ecological systems rather than ecosystems in isolation — using Heʻeia NERR and 'ecomimicry' across eight strategies towards ʻāina momona (sustainable abundance). His fishpond research shows traditional fish houses actively increase reef-fish abundance, casting humanity as a potential solution rather than an inherent problem.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Zilberman defined the bioeconomy through natural resources, modern technologies and sustainable development, arguing it must be built 'one supply chain at a time' across linked innovation and product supply chains, with regulation the biggest barrier. He named marine biotechnology a 'weak link' needing more research and proposed an Ocean Environmental Leadership Program in Moorea as a 'Berkeley–Moorea bridge'.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
This keynote explores the limitations of 17th-century concepts like absolute sovereignty in addressing 21st-century planetary challenges. The talk distinguishes between "global" phenomena (human-intended flows like money) and "planetary" phenomena (ecosystem perturbations like carbon emissions) that exceed national borders. The methodology involves a critical analysis of geopolitical trends and environmental philosophy, positing that the interconnectedness of global ecological systems mirrors the vulnerable nature of island ecosystems. Current governance institutions, based on nation-state interests, are deemed unfit for climate change and zoonotic diseases. Instead of a single world government, the speakers propose "networked translocal governance" and "planetary subsidiarity," delegating decision-making to the smallest capable units while "delegating up" high-level policy goals. Findings emphasize that effective governance must shift toward more holistic, planetary-scale approaches. Highlighting small islands as laboratories for modeling these systems, the talk frames island sustainability within a broader global context of multi-species flourishing and the rights of nature. Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Comte defined blue carbon as sequestration in mangroves, seagrasses and salt marshes — clarifying that coral reefs are NOT classed as blue-carbon ecosystems — and mapped the voluntary and regulatory market landscape, including France's Label Bas-Carbone. He flagged integrity challenges of additionality and permanence, and a striking gap whereby only 2% of peer-reviewed blue-carbon science informs market methodologies.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Lo focused on valorising marine resources — repurposing oyster-shell waste for jewellery, concrete and traditional medicine — and on brand sovereignty through 100% local pearl nuclei made from shell powder. He also outlined regenerative aquaculture of blue shrimp and sea cucumbers using natural collection without medication.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Stewart described Coral Gardeners' movement-based reef restoration using asexual propagation of resilient corals, and its push to make 'coral gardening' a recognised profession for local water people. Their CG Labs apply AI-driven fish identification and bioacoustics to generate health metrics for corporate partners and emerging biodiversity-credit markets.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Kahn's research on Rurutu found that traditional leaf mulching sustains higher soil microbial richness than modern plastic sheeting, which can actually reduce soil carbon. Developed with the Rurutu Council of Elders, the work validates traditional irrigated taro terracing as both resilient and carbon-beneficial.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Bradly described a venture-development model moving from catalytic investment through proof-of-concept to commercialisation, illustrated by 'Save Our Scallops' and the urchin-removing ORA Reefs project. He also highlighted the Blue Nature Aotearoa programme, which mentors high-school students for the future blue economy.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Scolari explained life-cycle assessment as 'cradle-to-grave' accounting and showed why seaweed avoids the land, freshwater and fertiliser burdens of crops like corn ethanol. He stressed co-locating biofuel facilities with renewable energy to avoid processing on carbon-intensive diesel grids.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Takoko grounded ocean governance in the Rights of Nature and the personhood of marine species, introducing the One Moana Standard as a high-integrity model for Indigenous-led nature markets. She distinguished Blue Natural Capital from narrow Blue Carbon — which 'values out' island nations — and called for holistic Mauri (life-force) metrics and a redirection of climate finance to Indigenous-led projects.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Coates made the case for seaweed as a 'third-generation feedstock' needing no farmland, freshwater or fertiliser and containing no lignin, using Indonesia — where permits take 24 hours and only 1.6% of 12 million suitable hectares are used — as a benchmark. He estimated a ~$370 million annual market for a Polynesian seaweed industry and advocated a cascading biorefinery extracting high-value products before energy.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Correa framed seaweed-derived biofuels as a low-carbon substitute for the ~350 million litres of fossil fuels imported annually, avoiding the land and freshwater demands of terrestrial crops. Mapped potential suggests seaweed ethanol could displace up to 10% of local fuel use through a decentralised 'sub-hub' model.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Lison de Loma set a 2030 goal of transforming island food systems towards self-sufficiency, against 80% import reliance and fragmented value chains. Targets include doubling organic production, halving pesticide use and moving Moorea and Tahiti to 100% sustainable fishing, with schools and tourism as high-leverage entry points.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
The presenters tied economic stability to the health of the land-sea continuum across 4,500 km of coastline, reporting a 2025 workshop that catalogued 39 monitoring programmes, 11 databases and 35 institutional actors. Flagship efforts include the €2 million COCOPOL contaminants project and AMUL, which uses lagoon algae as a watershed-health indicator.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Montell presented the discovery that the trpVa gene is essential for hearing and mating in Aedes aegypti, with mutant males rendered completely deaf and achieving a 0% fertilisation rate. This points to ways of giving sterile males a competitive edge to optimise the Sterile Insect Technique, serving the dual goal of protecting health and restoring the pre-invasion environment.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Ducatez noted that French Polynesia accounts for 8.5% of all global bird extinctions in 500 years, with 15 of 26 remaining endemic birds threatened, yet lacks measurable conservation objectives. He proposed a prioritisation matrix weighing endemism against cultural importance and feasibility, stressing co-construction with communities to avoid 'green colonialism'.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Bambridge introduced the Zone Atelier, a new CNRS infrastructure spanning the entire French Polynesian EEZ for long-term social-ecological research. Distinct from conventional ecological networks, it foregrounds the 'social' dimension by co-designing questions with government, NGO and private-sector partners over decades.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Noting that the territory imports 80% of its food — with transport driving over half its greenhouse-gas output — the presenters made the case for low-trophic 'blue foods' such as algae, sea cucumbers and bivalves. They highlighted IFREMER's revival of the indigenous rock oyster (Saccostrea) using genetic identification and solar-tide tables to overcome the parasites that collapsed the industry in the 1980s.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Correa described an initiative linking BioCode 2.0 genomic sequencing with Te Mauri Ora (EthnoCode), a Polynesian-led consolidation of traditional knowledge. It aims to keep scientific products useful to communities while protecting genomic-data sovereignty, matching Tahitian and scientific names and bringing the work into schools.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Zubia showed that tropical seaweeds are among the least-studied reef organisms — under 5% of global seaweed funding despite Pacific endemicity above 60% — with DNA barcoding now cataloguing roughly 531 species locally. She argued for targeting high-value alginates from proliferative Turbinaria ornata and edible species, linking reef restoration to a circular 'seaweed biorefinery'.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
Bossin showed that just three invasive mosquito species drive French Polynesia's disease and nuisance burden, carrying dengue, Zika and chikungunya to people and avian malaria that has pushed endemic birds towards extinction. He reported that ILM's Sterile Insect Technique has effectively removed mosquito nuisance at The Brando on Tetiaroa and is now scaling towards larger islands.
Summary derived from the conference transcript; not an author-supplied abstract of record.
The second Island Health & Sustainability Conference will be held in-person at the Gump South Pacific Research Station (Moorea, French Polynesia) 17-21 November 2025. It brings together local research institutions (RESIPOL consortium) and international colleagues to focus on research needs and opportunities for/from French Polynesia’s Climate Plan and Innovation Strategy, including societal challenges in island food systems, energy, economy, land-sea resilience, and public health. Collaborative working sessions this year will address key scientific domains: (1) seaweed as a major feedstock for the blue bioeconomy (food/fertilizer, energy, medicines, cosmetics), (2) rori - sea cucumbers as an example of how indigenous biocultural heritage and advanced biotechnology can combine to benefit food, health, and environmental sectors, (3) mosquitoes as a tractable target for eliminating significant threats to human health and economic growth, (4) the carbon cycle as an indicator of ecological resilience and a potential source of financing (e.g., sustainable tourism carbon credits). Informed by these scientific domains, the conference will explore governance models and social-technological infrastructure (e.g., digital twins and AI) with local to planetary perspectives: how the research community can contribute to island-scale policy and management decisions, democratically engaging communities, and respecting the rights of nature. The conference will consider all of these topics through place-based use cases ranging in scale and complexity: Tetiaroa (Tetiaroa Society’s Conservation & Sustainable Use Plan), Moorea (e.g., the island’s Marine Management Plan), Tahiti (e.g., the federation of communes: Tereheamanu), and French Polynesia Exclusive Economic Zone (the world’s largest MPA).
The in-person workshop will focus on publishing data and metadata (including legal and social information such as government permits and community consent) related to place-based scientific sampling. How can digital infrastructure help encourage ethical practices and improve provenance tracking? The goal is to generate greater interdisciplinary value from material samples in science, and to maximize their benefits to broader society.