Guam, the southernmost island of the Mariana Islands, is likely to encounter a significant typhoon every seven years. During the last thirty years two typhoons have passed directly over GuamKaren (11 November 1962) and Pamela (21 May 1976). Pamela had maximum winds of 120 kt (145 estimated), minimum sea level pressure of 930 mb, a speed of movement at 7 kt, a diameter of 20 nautical miles, and 33 inches of rainfall during the typhoon passage.
Reef fish assemblages were monitored annually from 1978 to 1981 at a series of stations adjacent to an airport runway construction site on Moen, Truk. Monitoring began prior to construction activities and continued through three years during which dredging and filling of adjacent reef areas took place. As a result of construction activities, large amounts of sediments were released into the water. Turbidity was measured monthly
This report is an assessment of the status of coral reef ecosystems in Guam from 2002 to 2004. Data on coral reef ecosystems were synthesized from assessments and monitoring programs conducted by local and federal organizations. Included in the report are assessments of the environmental and anthropogenic stressors affecting coral reefs, information on data gathering activities and the condition of coral reef ecosystem resources, a description of current conservation management activities, and overall conclusions and recom-
Guam is the largest and southern-most island in
the Marianas chain. It lies about.13° North latitude
and has a wet and dry season of approximately equal
lengths. The island is about 30 miles long and ranges
from four in the middle to eight miles in width and is
oriented in a northeast, southwest direction. The pre-
vailing winds are easterly and bring an average annual
rainfall of about 85 inches. A range of hills extends
from the waist toward the south on the western side.
The highest of these hills, 1300 feet, is Mt. Lamlam