Aspects of the Biology and Geomorphology of Johnston and Wake Atolls, Pacific Ocean

Johnston Atoll and Wake Atoll are isolated and independent atolls in the North Pacific Ocean with a long history of military use. These atolls are also frequently referred to by the name of their main islands: Johnston Island and Wake Island. They have in common that they are both coral atolls located in the North Pacific Ocean (Fig. 17.1), both are exclusive properties of the US Department of Defense and neither had an indigenous islander population prior to military occupation. The two atolls are separated by 2,500 km (~1,600 miles) of open ocean. Both enjoyed the protection of being restricted access military bases until recently. In June 2003, Johnston Atoll was abandoned. Wake Atoll is currently in minimal caretaker status due to extensive damage from the last typhoon (Ioke on August 31, 2006). As of May 2007, the future of these atolls is uncertain because of a long-standing political quagmire among US Government agencies over natural resource management responsibilities and financing of the properties.

Johnston Atoll (Fig. 17.2) is isolated in the Central Pacific Ocean (16°45' N 169°31' W). The nearest landfall is French Frigate Shoals, 804 km (500 miles) north in the northwest Hawaiian Islands. It is about 1,287 km (800 miles) southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii. The Line Islands of Kiribati are about 1,440 km (900 miles) south and the Marshall Islands are about 2,560 km (1,600 miles) to the southwest.