Palmyra Atoll offers unparalleled opportunities for integrative research into biodiversity and ecosystem function, as well as ocean and climate systems. Research activities at Palmyra Atoll range from small, single-researcher projects to large, multi-institutional initiatives. A sampling of some of the ongoing PARC research themes include:
- tracking the movements of large animals, including manta rays, sharks, other reef fishes, seabirds, and endangered sea turtles
- investigating the role of top predators (like sharks and snappers) in coral reef health, and comparing the ecology of heavily fished and unfished reefs
- monitoring coral reef health in the face of coral disease, invasive species, climate change, and ocean acidification
- characterizing Palmyra's unique terrestrial and marine biodiversity
- understanding the ecology of Palmyra’s lagoons, including habitat use by resident species, parasite communities, food web structure, and land-sea ecosystem connections
- monitoring rare seabird and coconut crab populations
- removing invasive species (such as rats) and studying the resulting effects on island forest ecosystems
- assessing ongoing hydrological and pollution impacts from historical military occupation
