The investigation combines field monitoring with field, microcosm, and 
laboratory experiments. The spatial distribution of variables in the bay is 
relatively well established; we have been gathering time-series data in the bay 
since early 1976. The outfall is due to be diverted shortly after this is written 
(November 1977), and we anticipate continued collection of time-series data 
for at least one year after the diversion. 
PROJECT DESIGN 
Kaneohe Bay is relatively well-described spatially, and methods by which 
chemical and biological characteristics of marine environments are measured 
are reasonably standardized. Therefore the analytical details of the study do 
not need discussion at this juncture. Let us instead examine the conceptual 
approach to this analysis. 
Sewage discharge presently imposes a large and well-documented loading of 
biologically active materials on the ecosystem. The change of that discharge 
volume with time is known, and the termination date of the discharge will be a 
discrete, well-defined event. The discharged materials alter the water 
composition near the discharge sites, become incorporated into the food web 
cycle within the ecosystem, and flush from the ecosystem. In addition to 
biostimulatory responses from the fertilization of the ecosystem, there may be 
responses from the loading of plant and/or animal toxins on the system. When 
the discharge terminates, there will be ecosystem responses as both direct and 
indirect ramifications of the sewage diversion. 
There are three main components to the present study. 
1. Routine field sampling, to document the sequence of chemical, plant, 
and animal changes through time. This sequence may be divided into “before 
diversion” and “after diversion” periods which may be compared as two 
distinct statistical populations of data, each of which may show seasonal or 
other temporal variations. The frequency of the time-series sampling is largely 
dependent upon the assumed or documented time scale of variability. For 
example, some water composition variables are measured one or more times 
per week, while characteristics of the benthos are measured every two months. 
Important adjuncts to the routine monitoring are the utilization of available 
Kaneohe Bay field data antecedent to our own, and use of data from 
environments which may be comparable to Kaneohe Bay with respect to some 
(but not all) of the natural and artificial ecosystem characteristics. 
2. Field studies, designed to answer specific questions about the ecosystem. 
These studies may also establish time sequences and spatial variations in the 
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