Inventory, Monitoring, Research Catalog
4/15/13
1. Topic
Periodic Inventory of Soil Distributions
2. Background
The summit region of Mauna Kea will be exposed to continuing natural and anthropogenic impacts
during the coming decades that will include: visitor traffic; use of existing, and possible installation
of new, trails and access paths; ongoing road maintenance and possible expansion; climate change
impacts; variations in the makeup and relative populations of native and non-native biota; as well as
changes in astronomy infrastructure. All of these processes and changes will have varying degrees
of impacts on surface contours and redistribution of soils across the summit region as well as loss of
soils from the summit region. Those changes will also, in turn, have secondary impacts on the
biological communities that occupy or traverse the Mauna Kea summit.
3. Purpose
Define the key processes and surface modifications that impact soils distribution around the summit
region; determine, to the extent possible, the natural rates of soils evolution and transport; develop
a method of gauging and anticipating anthropogenic impacts on soils redistribution.
4. Research Objectives
Conduct periodic assessments of soils distributions across the summit region; develop protocols for
tracking soils redistribution and loss (e.g. frequency, location, and design of surveys); conduct
analyses of redistribution rates and mitigation measures that can be applied to minimize
anthropogenic effects while allowing natural process to proceed.
5. Management Applications
Potential uses of Periodic Inventory of Soil Distribution could: assist management authority in
assessing and mitigating anthropogenic impacts, and non-native impacts, on the naturally occurring
processes that affect soils distributions at the Mauna Kea summit.
6. Comprehensive Management Plan (and Sub-Plans) Applicability
a. Priority –to be completed
b. NRMP Source – Section 4.1-29, 4.1-30, 4.1-31
7. Desired Outcomes
 Provide updated maps, at periodic intervals, of soil distributions and the most significantly
impacted areas.
 Provide an analysis of the most significant impacts that are occurring at the summit that
affect soils distributions and redistributions, and what impacts those redistributions are
having on the biological communities at the summit.
 Provide management recommendations to reduce anthropogenic impacts on the summit.
Prepared by: D.Thomas