# Maui coral reef environmental impact research

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/maui-coral-reef-environmental-impact-research
> Updated: 2026-10-22T16:38:31.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

Research led by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has utilized a 253-year-old coral core from Olowalu Reef to reconstruct environmental conditions in Maui from 1760 to 2013. The study documents how various stages of human activity, including Western contact, plantation agriculture, and modern coastal development, have impacted the marine ecosystem.

Scientists identified a significant decline in the reef’s growth rate beginning in the late 1960s, which coincided with the expansion of the plantation economy. The findings establish a link between historical sugarcane production, water quality, and reef health. Additionally, researchers discovered 25 different contaminants from agricultural, industrial, and pharmaceutical sources accumulated in coral tissues.

These anthropogenic disturbances have reduced energy and nutrient availability within the corals, lowering their resilience to stressors such as rising temperatures and ocean acidification. The research aims to provide land managers with a roadmap for “ridge-to-shore” decision-making to protect the reef.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-22: Maui coral reef study reveals link between land use and reef health

A study of a 253-year-old coral core from Maui’s Olowalu reef reveals how historical land use, including the sugar-plantation economy, has directly impacted reef growth and water quality.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/maui-coral-reef-study-reveals-link-between-land-use-and-reef-health

### 2026-10-01: Maui coral reef research reveals impact of 250 years of human activity

Studies of coral cores and tissue near Maui reveal that 250 years of land-use changes and human contaminants are reducing coral resilience to climate stressors.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/maui-coral-reef-research-reveals-impact-of-250-years-of-human-activity

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Cite as: Maui coral reef environmental impact research. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/maui-coral-reef-environmental-impact-research