Commonwealth Of The Northern Mariana Islands Research Articles

Age, growth, reproductive biology and spawning periodicity of the forktail rabbitfish (Siganus argenteus) from the Mariana Islands

In the present study, life-history traits of importance to fisheries management were estimated for the forktail rabbitfish (Siganus argenteus) based on fishery-dependent samples collected over a 2-year period in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Age-based and reproductive information was derived from analysis of sagittal otoliths and gonads. The species is short-lived, with a maximum age of 7+ years, and females reach sexual maturity at ~1.3 years (21.8-cm fork length). Age distributions and total mortality rates were similar between sexes. However, females on average reached larger asymptotic sizes, with estimates of mean asymptotic length exceeding that of males by 2cm. Reproductive cycles, based on temporal variation in gonadosomatic index values and proportional frequency of active ovaries, demonstrated two annual activity peaks, consistent across 2years of sampling. Peak spawning occurred from March to May–June, whereas a second, smaller peak spanned August and September. In the Mariana Islands, S. argenteus represents a short-lived species with potential for rapid population turnover; 85% of the population is under 3years of age, whereas approximately half of all harvested individuals have reached reproductive maturity. Derived estimates of natural and fishing mortality indicate minimal concerns for the long-term fishery sustainability of this species under present levels of exploitation.

Elevated Colonization of Microborers at a Volcanically Acidified Coral Reef.

Experiments have demonstrated that ocean acidification (OA) conditions projected to occur by the end of the century will slow the calcification of numerous coral species and accelerate the biological erosion of reef habitats (bioerosion). Microborers, which bore holes less than 100 μm diameter, are one of the most pervasive agents of bioerosion and are present throughout all calcium carbonate substrates within the reef environment. The response of diverse reef functional groups to OA is known from real-world ecosystems, but to date our understanding of the relationship between ocean pH and carbonate dissolution by microborers is limited to controlled laboratory experiments. Here we examine the settlement of microborers to pure mineral calcium carbonate substrates (calcite) along a natural pH gradient at a volcanically acidified reef at Maug, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Colonization of pioneer microborers was higher in the lower pH waters near the vent field. Depth of microborer penetration was highly variable both among and within sites (4.2–195.5 μm) over the short duration of the study (3 mo.) and no clear relationship to increasing CO2 was observed. Calculated rates of biogenic dissolution, however, were highest at the two sites closer to the vent and were not significantly different from each other. These data represent the first evidence of OA-enhancement of microboring flora colonization in newly available substrates and provide further evidence that microborers, especially bioeroding chlorophytes, respond positively to low pH. The accelerated breakdown and dissolution of reef framework structures with OA will likely lead to declines in structural complexity and integrity, as well as possible loss of essential habitat.

Home Range Estimates of Feral Cats (Felis catus) on Rota Island and Determining Asymptotic Convergence

Abstract: Feral cats (Felis catus) have been shown to be a main contributor to species decline throughout the world and are especially threatening to insular species that lack appropriate defense characteristics. To mitigate the impact of feral cats on threatened species, space-use data are commonly used to design control strategies. In this article we report on the performance of GPS datalogging collars and provide baseline information on daily space use and home ranges of feral cats that threaten an endangered species on Rota Island in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Using 100% Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP), average adult male home range was 1.32 km2 (n = 2) and average adult female home range was 0.22 km2 (n = 3). Home ranges were deemed fully revealed if asymptotes were approached using incremental analysis. Currently, there is no objective method for assessing where an asymptote is approached. Here, we describe a methodology to do so with the application of a Michaelis-Menten model t...

Increasing active physical education in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids

Objectives: Pacific Islander children’s obesity-risk demands attention, particularly via physical activity (PA). SPARK (Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids) is proven to increase students’ PA, but has limited application with Pacific Islanders. We evaluated the SPARK program implementation in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Public School System (CNMI-PSS). Methods: Fourteen elementary, four junior high, and five senior high schools from CNMI-PSS were invited with 2–5 representatives to SPARK trainings. The System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time was utilized to observe a random sample of classes within a random sample of schools representing each level and was validated with pedometers. Results: Students increased their walking and vigorous activity during PE classes by 10% over the school year. Increases were found for lesson contexts of fitness activities and game play; and teacher interactions of promoting fitness, and managing. Teacher interactions in demonstrating fitness, instructing, and observing decreased. Conclusions: SPARK’s success in changing PE instruction and increasing PA time of CNMI students during the PE highlight suggests SPARK programs should be disseminated to other Pacific Islands and potentially beyond.

Ecosystem monitoring for ecosystem‐based management: using a polycentric approach to balance information trade‐offs

Ecosystem monitoring for ecosystem‐based management: using a polycentric approach to balance information trade‐offs

Capacity Building for Rare Bleeding Disorders in the Remote Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

The US Pacific Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is home to an underserved hemophilia population. We developed a strategy in 2014 to build sustainable island-wide medical, patient and family, and community support for this rare disease. Collaboration with regional bleeding disorder leadership galvanized a weeklong conference series. More than 200 participants attended discipline-specific seminars; pre-post test evaluations documented educational benefits. This time-concentrated island-wide education intervention promoted the rapid identification of new cases and stimulated sustainable bleeding disorder care development. The education series proved feasible, efficient, and effective in increasing knowledge and reducing patient and professional isolation, serving as a model for improving capacity for orphan diseases (those that affect fewer than 200 000 people in any particular country) in underresourced areas.

Validation of Reef-Scale Thermal Stress Satellite Products for Coral Bleaching Monitoring

Satellite monitoring of thermal stress on coral reefs has become an essential component of reef management practice around the world. A recent development by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coral Reef Watch (NOAA CRW) program provides daily global monitoring at 5 km resolution—at or near the scale of most coral reefs. In this paper, we introduce two new monitoring products in the CRW Decision Support System for coral reef management: Regional Virtual Stations, a regional synthesis of thermal stress conditions, and Seven-day Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Trend, describing recent changes in temperature at each location. We describe how these products provided information in support of management activities prior to, during and after the 2014 thermal stress event in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Using in situ survey data from this event, we undertake the first quantitative comparison between 5 km satellite monitoring products and coral bleaching observations. Analysis of coral community characteristics, historical temperature conditions and thermal stress revealed a strong influence of coral biodiversity in the patterns of observed bleaching. This resulted in a model based on thermal stress and generic richness that explained 97% of the variance in observed bleaching. These findings illustrate the importance of using local benthic characteristics to interpret the level of impact from thermal stress exposure. In an era of continuing climate change, accurate monitoring of thermal stress and prediction of coral bleaching are essential for stakeholders to direct resources to the most effective management actions to conserve coral reefs.

Okinawa as Transported Landscape: Understanding Japanese Archaeological Remains on Tinian Using Ryūkyū Ethnohistory and Ethnography

abstract: The two islands of Okinawa and Tinian in the western Pacific are often linked in the modern archaeological literature by a common ethnic heritage in the early twentieth century, with Okinawan culture serving as a template for interpreting the archaeological remains of the Japanese sugarcane plantation era in Tinian. Tens of thousands of Okinawans immigrated to Tinian and other Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to be tenant farmers or contract laborers on the plantations between the 1920s and 1944, when they could no longer leave. Structural and functional parallels do indeed exist between the architectural remains of many farmsteads of the plantation era on both islands. The extent to which these archaeological remains on Tinian reflect a “transported landscape” from Okinawa versus a Japanese colonial construct is explored, using the vehicle of Okinawan ethnohistory and ethnography.

Assessing relative resilience potential of coral reefs to inform management

Ecological resilience assessments are an important part of resilience-based management (RBM) and can help prioritize and target management actions. Use of such assessments has been limited due to a lack of clear guidance on the assessment process. This study builds on the latest scientific advances in RBM to provide that guidance from a resilience assessment undertaken in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). We assessed spatial variation in ecological resilience potential at 78 forereef sites near the populated islands of the CNMI: Saipan, Tinian/Aguijan, and Rota. The assessments are based on measuring indicators of resilience processes and are combined with information on anthropogenic stress and larval connectivity. We find great spatial variation in relative resilience potential with many high resilience sites near Saipan (5 of 7) and low resilience sites near Rota (7 of 9). Criteria were developed to identify priority sites for six types of management actions (e.g., conservation, land-based sources of pollution reduction, and fishery management and enforcement) and 51 of the 78 sites met at least one of the sets of criteria. The connectivity simulations developed indicate that Tinian and Aguijan are each roughly 10 × the larvae source that Rota is and twice as frequent a destination. These results may explain the lower relative resilience potential of Rota reefs and indicates that actions in Saipan and Tinian/Aguijan will be important to maintaining supply of larvae. The process we describe for undertaking resilience assessments can be tailored for use in coral reef areas globally and applied to other ecosystems.

Climate Adaptation Planning in the Northern Mariana Islands: Adapting Guidance for a Locally Appropriate Approach

This case study describes the climate adaptation planning efforts that were undertaken on the island of Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This effort focused on establishing a multi-agency Climate Change Working Group. The adaptation planning efforts on Saipan used two main sources of guidance: one document written for application to coastal jurisdictions throughout the United States and a set of tools designed for small island communities in the Pacific. These sources were combined with inspiration from adaptation processes in other jurisdictions and adjustments were made to fit Saipan's situation. Modifications were based on available knowledge or expertise, technical capacities, and local needs. Several themes that are common to adaptation processes elsewhere were important in Saipan: leadership and political will, stakeholder involvement, level of climate knowledge, building on existing collaborations, and technical capacity. These themes are examined, with an emphasis on how we adjusted to meet the challenges that arose in the context of Saipan's social, political, and economic landscape.

Use of monitoring data to support conservation management and policy decisions in Micronesia.

Adaptive management implies a continuous knowledge-based decision-making process in conservation. Yet, the coupling of scientific monitoring and management frameworks remains rare in practice because formal and informal communication pathways are lacking. We examined 4 cases in Micronesia where conservation practitioners are using new knowledge in the form of monitoring data to advance marine conservation. These cases were drawn from projects in Micronesia Challenge jurisdictions that received funding for coupled monitoring-to-management frameworks and encompassed all segments of adaptive management. Monitoring in Helen Reef, Republic of Palau, was catalyzed by coral bleaching and revealed evidence of overfishing that led to increased enforcement and outreach. In Nimpal Channel, Yap, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), monitoring the recovery of marine food resources after customary restrictions were put in place led to new, more effective enforcement approaches. Monitoring in Laolao Bay, Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, was catalyzed by observable sediment loads from poor land-use practices and resulted in actions that reduced land-based threats, particularly littering and illegal burning, and revealed additional threats from overfishing. Pohnpei (FSM) began monitoring after observed declines in grouper spawning aggregations. This data led to adjusting marine conservation area boundaries and implementing market-based size class restrictions. Two themes emerged from these cases. First, in each case monitoring was conducted in a manner relevant to the social and ecological systems and integrated into the decision-making process. Second, conservation practitioners and scientists in these cases integrated culturally appropriate stakeholder engagement throughout all phases of the adaptive management cycle. More broadly, our study suggests, when describing adaptive management, providing more details on how monitoring and management activities are linked at similar spatial scales and across similar time frames can enhance the application of knowledge.

Young Children's Physical Activities (PA) in the US Affiliated Pacific (USAP): The Children's Healthy Living (CHL) Program

Little is known about the activities of children in the USAP. Our objectives were to examine the top 10 activities most frequently reported by the CHL jurisdictions (Hawaii (HI), Alaska (AK), American Samoa (AS), Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)) and compare jurisdictional differences. Children (2‐8 y) were recruited from selected communities within the jurisdictions. Parents/caregivers completed PA logs for their children to include a description of each activity for two 24‐hour periods. This report represents 1,746 children. Upon removing the “default for additional minutes”, eating was most frequently reported, followed by sleeping, watching TV and riding in a car. The average time spent in PA was 39 minutes. Jurisdictional differences in the PA reported frequently occurred. In CNMI, light running/jogging was one of the top PA reported. For Alaska, child dressing and undressing and getting ready for bed were within the top 10, while AS included child taking notes/class discussion. In this sample, sedentary and light PA behaviors were predominant. Moderate and vigorous PA were reported less frequently. There exists opportunities to promote active lifestyles across the USAP.
 Supported by: USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Coordinated Agricultural Program Grant no 2011‐68001‐30335

Fast Food Environment among Low‐Income Communities in the Pacific Region: Findings from the Children's Healthy Living Program

Understanding community fast food environments is important to address obesity, particularly in low‐income populations. This study examines menus of fast food restaurants (FFR) across 4 US Affiliated Pacific Regions in the Children's Healthy Living Program. 
 A total of 91 FFR were surveyed using a modified Fast Food Observation Form from the Bridging the Gap Community Obesity Measures Project, including 40 in Alaska, 9 in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), 5 in Guam, and 37 in Hawaii. Burger and Fries, Sandwich/Sub Shop, Plate Lunch/Lunch Truck, and Chinese/Pan‐Asian were the top 4 FFR types.
 Food and beverages offered on the menu were assessed in 80 FFR. The most common foods were salad (48%), sandwich (44%), fries (44%), and cheeseburger (36%). The most common beverages were fountain drink (73%), bottled water (71%), can/bottled soda (56%), and 100% juice (48%). Among 87 FFR assessed for fruit and vegetable (FV) dishes on the menu, 75% had at least one. Among 16 FFR with a dollar menu, 56% had FV, salad, or yogurt (FVSY) items. Among 34 restaurants with a children's menu, 76% had FVSY items and 76% had skim/1% milk, 100% juice, or bottled water. Significant regional differences were found on the availability of FV as sides (p<0.01, with Alaska highest, CNMI lowest) or of FVSY items on a children's menu (p=0.04, with Hawaii highest, CNMI lowest). 
 Intervention messages aimed at changing eating behaviors among families in low‐income communities can focus on availability and identification of healthy food and beverage options among FFR.

Intakes of key dietary indicators among children 2‐8 years participating in the Children's Healthy Living (CHL) Program

Studies evaluating dietary intakes of children in Alaska, Hawaii, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam are limited. The CHL program is addressing this gap as part of a community trial to prevent childhood obesity. Intervention targets are intakes of fruit (FRT), vegetables (VEG), water, and sugar‐sweetened beverages (SSB) among children 2‐8y. Our objective is to present preliminary data regarding CHL targets using an age‐ and sex‐stratified random sample (n=318) from baseline data. Parents completed 2‐d dietary records which were analyzed with Pacific Tracker 3. The sample was composed of 54% boys, 60% 2‐5y, and 40% 6‐8y. Mean VEG intake was 0.58 cups (sd 1.4) and 8% of children met the 蠅1.5 cups/d of the My Daily Food Plan (MDFP) recommendation. Mean FRT consumption was 0.98 cups (sd 1.1) with 42% meeting the MDFP of 蠅 1 cup. Mean intake of water/d among girls 2‐5y and 6‐8y was 1.5 cups and 1.4 cups, respectively (similar to NHANES, 2‐5y, 1.3 cups and 6‐11y, 1.8 cups). Boys' water intake was 1.5 cups/d for 2‐5y and 2.4 cups/d for 6‐8y compared to NHANES of 1.3 and 1.9 cups, respectively. 68% of children consumed SSB, the most common being sweetened tea. Among those consuming SSB, the mean intake was 2.75 cups/d (sd 3.3) and 40% drank over 2 cups/d. There were no significant differences in any of the targets by sex, age, or jurisdiction. These data support the efforts of the CHL program to improve intakes of FRT and VEG among children in the Pacific region along with reducing consumption of SSB.

Memorialization, Graffiti and Artifact Movement: A Case Study of Cultural Impacts on WWII Underwater Cultural Heritage in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Cultural tourism in the Pacific has always offered an underwater option for those who snorkel or are certified to dive. In addition to the coral reefs and marine life, World War II (WWII) shipwrecks, aircraft wrecks and other submerged vehicles draw hundreds of tourists to the Pacific each year. While it is encouraging that so many are interested in the cultural heritage of battlefields, these same visitors can cause considerable amounts of damage. This paper presents a case study of cultural impacts on submerged WWII sites in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) where diving heritage tourism is a growing industry. Cultural impacts in the CNMI include a diverse range of direct and indirect impacts including vandalism, the act of memorialization, looting and collecting souvenirs, anchor and mooring damage, and moving artifacts. What is often viewed as detrimental cultural impacts by archaeologists and managers can also be examined as behavior that reflects various stakeholders’ values and attitudes towards heritage sites. As such, these behaviors can and should be examined and considered concurrently during research and management discussions.

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

The Office of the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is currently seeking applicants for the position of Chief Prosecutor. The successful applicant will serve as head of the Criminal Division, Office of the Attorney General. The Commonwealth is a government in political union with the United States of America. It consists of several islands in the Pacific Ocean located north of Guam, including the islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. The Commonwealth judiciary consists of five Superior Court judges and a Supreme Court consisting of three justices. The Commonwealth is part of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Using the ANGELO model to develop the children's healthy living program multilevel intervention to promote obesity preventing behaviors for young children in the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Region.

Almost 40% of children are overweight or obese by age 8 years in the US-Affiliated Pacific, inclusive of the five jurisdictions of Alaska, Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. This article describes how the Children's Healthy Living (CHL) Program used the ANGELO (Analysis Grid for Environments/Elements Linked to Obesity) model to design a regional intervention to increase fruit and vegetable intake, water consumption, physical activity, and sleep duration and decrease recreational screen time and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in young children ages 2-8 years. Using the ANGELO model, CHL (1) engaged community to identify preferred intervention strategies, (2) reviewed scientific literature, (3) merged findings from community and literature, and (4) formulated the regional intervention. More than 900 community members across the Pacific helped identify intervention strategies on importance and feasibility. Nine common intervention strategies emerged. Participants supported the idea of a regional intervention while noting that cultural and resource differences would require flexibility in its implementation in the five jurisdictions. Community findings were merged with the effective obesity-reducing strategies identified in the literature, resulting in a regional intervention with four cross-cutting functions: (1) initiate or strengthen school wellness policies; (2) partner and advocate for environmental change; (3) promote CHL messages; and (4) train trainers to promote CHL behavioral objectives for children ages 2-8 years. These broad functions guided intervention activities and allowed communities to tailor activities to maximize intervention fit. Using the ANGELO model assured that the regional intervention was evidence based while recognizing jurisdiction context, which should increase effectiveness and sustainability.

Review and Key to Aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Micronesia

Aphid species from 11 of the major islands of Micronesia ranging from Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands, in the east to Koror and Babeldaup, Republic of Palau, in the west, are documented based on 1,691 collections. Other islands sampled included Yap, Kosrae, and Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia; Saipan, Tinian, and Rota in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; and the Territory of Guam. Host-plant associations were documented at each collection site. Thirty-five aphid species were collected from 139 plant species in 43 different plant families. None of the aphids collected is indigenous to Micronesia. A key to the identification of the aphid species is provided.

Coral reef disturbance and recovery dynamics differ across gradients of localized stressors in the Mariana Islands.

The individual contribution of natural disturbances, localized stressors, and environmental regimes upon longer-term reef dynamics remains poorly resolved for many locales despite its significance for management. This study examined coral reefs in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands across a 12-year period that included elevated Crown-of-Thorns Starfish densities (COTS) and tropical storms that were drivers of spatially-inconsistent disturbance and recovery patterns. At the island scale, disturbance impacts were highest on Saipan with reduced fish sizes, grazing urchins, and water quality, despite having a more favorable geological foundation for coral growth compared with Rota. However, individual drivers of reef dynamics were better quantified through site-level investigations that built upon island generalizations. While COTS densities were the strongest predictors of coral decline as expected, interactive terms that included wave exposure and size of the overall fish assemblages improved models (R2 and AIC values). Both wave exposure and fish size diminished disturbance impacts and had negative associations with COTS. However, contrasting findings emerged when examining net ecological change across the 12-year period. Wave exposure had a ubiquitous, positive influence upon the net change in favorable benthic substrates (i.e. corals and other heavily calcifying substrates, R2 = 0.17 for all reeftypes grouped), yet including interactive terms for herbivore size and grazing urchin densities, as well as stratifying by major reeftypes, substantially improved models (R2 = 0.21 to 0.89, lower AIC scores). Net changes in coral assemblages (i.e., coral ordination scores) were more sensitive to herbivore size or the water quality proxy acting independently (R2 = 0.28 to 0.44). We conclude that COTS densities were the strongest drivers of coral decline, however, net ecological change was most influenced by localized stressors, especially herbivore sizes and grazing urchin densities. Interestingly, fish size, rather than biomass, was consistently a better predictor, supporting allometric, size-and-function relationships of fish assemblages. Management implications are discussed.

Coral reef disturbance and recovery dynamics differ across gradients of localized stressors in the Mariana Islands.

The individual contribution of natural disturbances, localized stressors, and environmental regimes upon longer-term reef dynamics remains poorly resolved for many locales despite its significance for management. This study examined coral reefs in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands across a 12-year period that included elevated Crown-of-Thorns Starfish densities (COTS) and tropical storms that were drivers of spatially-inconsistent disturbance and recovery patterns. At the island scale, disturbance impacts were highest on Saipan with reduced fish sizes, grazing urchins, and water quality, despite having a more favorable geological foundation for coral growth compared with Rota. However, individual drivers of reef dynamics were better quantified through site-level investigations that built upon island generalizations. While COTS densities were the strongest predictors of coral decline as expected, interactive terms that included wave exposure and size of the overall fish assemblages improved models (R2 and AIC values). Both wave exposure and fish size diminished disturbance impacts and had negative associations with COTS. However, contrasting findings emerged when examining net ecological change across the 12-year period. Wave exposure had a ubiquitous, positive influence upon the net change in favorable benthic substrates (i.e. corals and other heavily calcifying substrates, R2 = 0.17 for all reeftypes grouped), yet including interactive terms for herbivore size and grazing urchin densities, as well as stratifying by major reeftypes, substantially improved models (R2 = 0.21 to 0.89, lower AIC scores). Net changes in coral assemblages (i.e., coral ordination scores) were more sensitive to herbivore size or the water quality proxy acting independently (R2 = 0.28 to 0.44). We conclude that COTS densities were the strongest drivers of coral decline, however, net ecological change was most influenced by localized stressors, especially herbivore sizes and grazing urchin densities. Interestingly, fish size, rather than biomass, was consistently a better predictor, supporting allometric, size-and-function relationships of fish assemblages. Management implications are discussed.