What Will We See in the Pacific Remote Islands Now That It’s Protected?

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This past Thursday, Sept. 25 2014, United States Secretary of State John Kerry announced the expansion of a marine protected area (MPA), which in size is three times larger than the state of California. The new expansion an amendment to the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument covers nearly 490,000 square miles, and is six times larger than previously was. And it's a sign towards the U.S.'s greater efforts in conservation on a global scale. But the question remains: what can we expect to see in the remote atoll, and what species will we likely discover?

Over its short-lived history, the United States has come to acquire a small list of territories outside of its continental limits. And as it happens some are more well-protected than others.

During the Guano Islands Act of 1856, the United States acquired a region of South Pacific islands known as "Palmyra", an atoll of roughly 50 low-lying islands surrounding Kingman Reef, just off of the coast of Hawaii. And now that the guano market has dried up, as farmers are turning towards ammonia-based fertilizers, the United States has developed other plans to protect the secluded islands.

Over 130 stony coral species populate the tropical reefs, with even more diverse flora and fauna than many reef systems found worldwide. Amongst the most notable species are the more than 400 species of fish, however, the estimated 15 to 44 percent of species endemic to the area can range from the large melonhead whales all the way to smallest species of nudibranch Vayssierea felis (recently discovered on the coral reefs). Other natives include the endangered hawksbill turtles that swim within the local lagoons, and several species of boobies including the red-footed booby and masked boobies that nest on Palmyra.

While the impressive species reported to have a home amongst the islands and the vast coral reefs, an even more impressive truth lies in that nearly 10 percent of invertebrates found in Palmyra are entirely undiscovered by science. With so many possibilities for marine and terrestrial research, the new marine protected area will undoubtedly be a breeding zone for some of science's greatest discoveries thanks to the United States' newest decision.