GEOL 275
Geology and Natural
History of Hawaii
January 2013
Instructor: Dr. David Griffing
Office: JSC 243
Phone: 607-431-4629
E-mail: griffingd@hartwick.edu
Instructor: Dr. Eric Johnson
Office: JSC 245
Phone: 607-431-4658
E-mail: johnsone@hartwick.edu
Brief Course Description: This course will allow students to visit four of the Hawaiian Islands (Oahu, Kauai,
Maui and Hawai’i) in order to study the geological and environmental aspects of island formation and evolution.
Participants will explore many unique and breathtaking geological, biological, oceanographic and cultural
destinations. Through a series of field and reflective assignments, students will compare/contrast the physical
characteristics and environments observed on/around each island, paying close attention to the influence of geology
on human society and the impact humans have had on the natural world. This course is both intellectually and
physically demanding; participants will be in the field nearly every day and can expect to do a great deal of hiking,
often in steep/wet/muddy conditions, and sometimes at high altitude. Other activities include geologic mapping,
snorkeling among nearshore reefs, a whale watch, a lava watch, and visits to historic Polynesian sites. This course is
open to all students who have satisfied the prerequisite requirements or who have permission of the instructors.
Preference will be given to science majors.
The Hawaiian Islands possess several geological and environmental phenomena that are unique on Earth
(including the most active and accessible volcano on Earth), thus there are few other places on Earth where this
collection of educational experiences can be mimicked, much less replicated.
Purpose/Rationale: The primary goal of this course is to introduce you to field science. In order to become a
competent field scientist, you will need to sharpen your observational, data collecting, field data recording, and
communication skills. These skills are useful to many different disciplines beyond geology. The successful field
scientist will fit observations on diverse natural phenomena into a cohesive interpretive framework, based on wellsupported physical, chemical and biological concepts. A secondary purpose of this course is to help you develop an
understanding of: 1) the geological development of Pacific Ocean islands, 2) the biological development of the
ecosystems they support, and 3) the interaction between humans and the island environments.
Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
1. be able to locate themselves in the field,
2. be able to make scientific observations on natural phenomena,
3. be able to interpret natural phenomena in the context of major scientific concepts like plate tectonics, oceanic
magmatism, weathering, erosion, evolution, and introduced/invasive species.
4. be able describe and interpret phenomena in effective scientific field notes,
5. be able to incorporate their observations, collected data, and interpretations into a broader
understanding of the development of the Hawaiian Islands.
6. be able to communicate scientific ideas in both written and spoken English.
Outcomes Assessment: The course learning outcomes above will be assessed by the following methods: A) Each
student will be evaluated by their ability to lead the group in location navigation (as van navigator) and group
discussion, through an oral presentation related to the phenomena observed in the islands (LO1.2); B) note books will
be graded for organization, content, and reflective statements regarding the phenomena observed and the concepts
covered(LO1.1, LO3,LO4, LO5&LO6); C) each student will be evaluated on the quality of content and delivery of
an oral presentation that interprets the geologic history of a geologic feature encountered during the trip (LO1.2,
LO7); each student will contribute information and writing toward the completion of a reflective paper summarizing
the phenomena observed and their significance. These group papers will be graded on the efficiency/quality of the
written communication, the content/accuracy of described and interpreted phenomena, and how well personal
observations and experiences are integrated into discussions of the overall concepts (LO1.1, LO3, LO06, LO7).
Prerequisite: GEOL 250 – Special Topics in Geology: Hawaii (1 credit), offered during the Fall 2012 semester. The
course meets 1 hour each week and once during a weekend, for a ½ day challenge education team building exercise at
Pine Lake (scheduled on a weekend in the early Fall). Course includes logistical course trip preparation and
introductory curriculum.
Required Text:
MacDonald, G.A., Abbott, A.T. & Peterson, F.L. (1983). Volcanoes in the Sea: The Geology of Hawaii (2nd Edition):
University of Hawaii Press. 517p. ISBN 0-8248-0832-0.
Academic Requirements and Basis for Grading:
1) Participation and behavior (5% of final Grade). This is a very important part of a successful trip, and an
important part of your grade. Please note that "participation" does not mean that you simply show up for an event. It
is a combination of your attitude, your contributions to the group, your willingness to help out, etc.
2) Field notebooks (collectively 20% of final grade). You will need to keep a daily record of your observations of
both geology and natural history throughout the trip. You should endeavor to make thorough observations, and also
record your thoughts (of a scientific nature), speculations, hypotheses etc. You might also consider taking notes on the
readings in your notebooks. You are also expected to take notes on the oral presentations (below). Field notebooks
will be collected at unspecified intervals throughout the trip, so keep them up to date!
3) Oral presentation (25% of final grade). At some point during the trip, you will be responsible for making a 15minute oral presentation to the group. You will choose your topic ahead of time; you can pick one from a list of
suggested topics (attached), or you may suggest your own. We need to know before we break for the holidays what
your topic is. You will have to prepare a typed abstract (summary) of your presentation before we depart for Hawaii
and bring enough copies for the entire group with you on the trip. If there are complicated figures that you would like
to show, make handouts of these along with the abstracts. You will be graded on the quality of your written abstract
(how informative it is, how well it reflects the important points of your presentation) as well as the quality of your oral
presentation (how well you inform the group, how well you understand the topic, quality of handouts and/or figures).
4) Geological reports (each paper worth 20% of final grade). Your academic work group will write 2 reports
covering the geology/natural history during the course of the trip: 1) one covering the islands of Oahu and Kauai, and
2) one covering the islands of Maui and Hawai'i. Your report will be neatly handwritten and should conform closely to
the following outline:
Table of Contents
Introduction and General Information
This section should include a colored geologic map and a map of the localities on the island that we visited. Also, you
may include cultural information, pertinent human history, etc.
Volcanic Stratigraphy and Petrology
Discuss each geologic unit--start with the oldest and end with the youngest.
Geomorphology
Discuss features of the landscape and the processes that produced them; erosion, faulting, volcanism, etc.
Other Aspects of “Natural History”
This may include oceanography, marine and terrestrial ecology, geologic/natural hazards, and other aspects of
natural history not covered elsewhere in the report.
Human interactions with the Environment
Focus here on how human activities are affected by/have affected the physical environment of the islands. Consider
issues of development, energy resources, availability of resources, impact on the environment, etc.
References Cited in the Report
While the point here is to provide a general overview of the geology of the islands, you should pay special attention
to the features that we have observed first-hand, and incorporate your own observations into your report to the fullest
extent possible. Typical resources available for writing your reports include the textbook, field guides and road logs,
your own notebooks, national park pamphlets, newspaper articles, etc. Make sure when writing your report that you
properly cite all sources of information (we'll discuss how to do this later). You will be graded on your individual
contribution to the report (so clearly sign your work) as well as the completeness and overall presentation made by
your group. You are strongly encouraged to get together in your groups and proofread each contribution before
turning it in.
5) Short field assignments and geography quiz (collectively 10% of final grade). A few short field-based
assignments include activities such as geological mapping and a museum information “treasure hunt.” During our first
few days in Hawaii you will have a quiz on the geography of Hawaii, so learn it!
Suggested Topics For Oral Presentations
Topic
Text Reference (a starting point for research)
Ocean and air currents and their affect
on climate in the Hawaiian Islands
Chapter 14 (Work of the Ocean)
Loihi seamont
Several chapters
Geologic history of Haleakala with
emphasis on younger cinder cones
Chapter 20 (Maui) Geologic map of Haleakala
Dating of polarity zones in the Hawaiian
Islands and the origin of “sea-floor stripes”
Chapter 16 (Age of the Islands)
Life stages of Hawaiian volcanoes
Chapter 6 (Life Stages…)
Littoral cones around SE Oahu
(Diamondhead, Hanauma Bay, etc.)
Chapter 21 (Oahu)
Growth and persistence of Hawaiian volcanic rift zones
Chapters 2 (…Volcanic Activity) & 19 (Hawaii)
Fluctuations in surface height of active lava
lakes during 1972-1974 Mauna Ulu eruption
Chapter 3 (Historic Eruptions)
Volcanic hazards and public response
Chapter 7 (…Associated Hazards)
Historic volcanism on Mauna Loa
Chapter 3 (Historic Eruptions)
The role of lava tubes in Hawaiian volcanoes
Chapter 2 (…Volcanic Activity)
The paired hot spot track of the Hawaiian Chain
Chapter 18 (Plate Tectonics and Origin…)
14C
Chapter 16 (Age of the Islands)
dating and datable charcoal beneath lava flows
Fresh water resources in Hawaii
Chapters 10 (Hydrologic Cycle) & 11 (Groundwater)
VOG, volcanic smog
Chapter 7 (…Associated Hazards)
Laterite or weathering products
Chapter 8 (Rock Weathering and Soils)
Tectonics of superplume events and the
Polynesian plume province
Chapter 18 (Plate Tectonics…)
Reef limestones, erosional notches, & sea-level change
Chapters 14 (….Ocean) & 15 (Sedimentary Rocks)
Reef environments & reef development in
the Hawaiian islands
Chapter 14 (Work of the Ocean)
Landslides and the Hawaiian coastline
Chapter 9 (Mass Wasting)
Endangered species in Hawaii
Invasive species in Hawaii
Alternative energy resources in Hawaii
Course Trip Fee: $3600.00*
Trip fee covers the following costs: 1) Roundtrip group airfare from Newark, NJ to Honolulu, HI
2) All inter-island airfare between Honolulu (Oahu) and the islands of
Kauai, Maui & Hawai’i
3) All lodging during the trip
4) 3 meals each day once in the islands for 22 days (includes a luau,
cash allotments for meals during nights off in Waikiki and
Lahaina, and cash allotments for 3 days off) – 50% of meals
prepared by group
5) All van transportation on each island
6) All program-related activity fees (museum, aquarium and park entry
fees; lava tour boat fee; whale watch fee, etc.)…does not
include any fees for personal activities during the days off.
7) A share of the lodging, meals and transport costs for the faculty.
*Course fee is subject to increase due to increased costs at time of booking (Early October 2012). Although a
small increase in transportation (total airfare & van rentals) is factored into the price, prices may rise if a
more significant price increase occurs by the time of booking. Still, last minute prices increases are much less
likely on this domestic trip because there are no currency exchange issues.
Other potential expenses not covered by the course fee include:
1) Checked baggage fees & meals during flights
2) Snacks and extra beverages
3) Day-off activity fees (Ex. surfing lessons, dives, snorkel
tours, parasailing, helicopter rides)…optional
4) Personal shopping/Souvenirs
5) Postage or shipping of packages
6) Camera supplies