The Sedimentary Consequence of Coastal Coconut Plantations

Changes to vegetative community structure from production crop introductions, non-native species invasions, and climate change, may significantly alter soil development patterns in the coastal zone. Because of their unique shape Atoll Islands exist in their entirety within the coastal zone, and the soils that develop on these islands are closely tied to nearshore biological communities, freshwater lens regulation and sedimentary processes. Cocos nucifera, the common coconut, is a particularly important production crop on Atoll Island throughout the world, though it is yet unclear how the production of coconuts is altering the soil distribution on these islands. To better understand how coconuts might alter the soil distribution on the islands, we collected soil and sediment data from the small tropical atoll of Nikumaroro in the Phoenix Island Protected Area, Kiribati. Using electromagnetic induction, ground penetrating radar, soil samples, climate and satellite data, we present preliminary findings on the distribution of coconut altered soils in the coastal zone.