Pearl Harbor

World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument USS Arizona Memorial, Hawaii National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior USS Arizona Pearl Harbor over time Once a site of human devastation, now a haven for marine life. pre-1800s Ke awalau 'o Pu'uloa (Pearl Harbor) was a vast wetland that provided an abundance of seafood. Hawaiian legends say a mo'o (supernatural lizard deity) brought i'a hamau leo,the native pearl oyster, to the area. Resting on the bottom of Pearl Harbor, the USS Arizona Memorial is now a place of healing and spiritual renewal. While water quality remains an issue, the wreck of the USS Arizona has been reborn as an artificial reef teeming with life. 1943 Pearl Harbor was the mobilization zone for WWII Pacific theater. An unfortunate side effect was the pollution of the Harbor with chemicals and heavy metals. US Navy Pearl Harbor sediment blankets the hull Life rebounds, even where disaster struck Oil continues to seep in small drops from the hull New marine species are introduced by shipping Hull deterioration is influenced by marine life The USS Arizona sits on top of deep mud. Most of the wreck is covered with about seven inches (~18 cm) of silt, built up from river sediment. Seven decades later, marine life rejuvenation in Pearl Harbor is represented by the diverse reef community growing on the hull. The USS Arizona sank with 1.5 million gallons (5.7 million liters) of oil aboard. About 0.5 million gallons (1.9 million liters) remain. Increased wartime shipping activity accelerated the rate of new marine species introduction, some of which persist and threaten native species. Corals, sponges, invertebrates, and algae encrust parts of the USS Arizona. Over time, these organisms are colonizing the hull. Oil leaks from the hull still rise to the surface of the water. This invasive red algae forms huge mounds and thrives where water quality is poor. Upland agriculture and development sediment runoff settles on the hull. Corals, sponges, and small reef fish have made the hull their home. 1962–1980 In 1962, the USS Arizona Memorial was dedicated. In 1980, the operation of the Memorial was transferred from the US Navy to the National Park Service. Encrusting marine life grow around a portal on the ship’s hull. present Nature is slowly reclaiming Pearl Harbor and the hull. World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument Brett Seymour F IC PA CI Brett Seymour ND NET W ISLA O Jane Hawkey RK National Park Service NP www.nps.gov/valr S Inv g rin ent ory & Monito Jennifer Smith Brett Seymour Pacific Island Network Inventory & Monitoring Program Integration & Application Network (IAN) National Park Service University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/pacn/ www.ian.umces.edu Brett Seymour