water hyacinth). Native plants such as ilima (Sida fallax), naupaka kahakai (Scaevola taccada), and pōhuehue (Ipomoea pes-caprae brasiliensis) were found in the area. Wetlands The second largest spring complex on Hawaii Island is located at Punaluu and Ninole Cove. Stretching from Punaluu to Nīnole Springs through Kāwāa to Honupo, is a series of wetlands fed by basal springs and intermittent streams that support a broad range of native fauna. These spring and pool complexes contain individuals, particularly juveniles or recruits, of several marine invertebrates and fishes, suggesting it may be a significant refuge or nursery area for nearshore marine fauna on the southern coast of Hawaii Island. Anchialine pools Anchialine pools of various types occur near and around Punaluu and Ninole Cove. These pools are rare and localized brackish waters along coastal lava flows that exhibit tidal fluctuations without a surface connection to the sea. They include open pools near the shore as well as undisturbed pools in collapsed lava tubes, cracks, and caves. Endemic and native shrimp species live in pools and travel between and through them through underground cracks. The orange-black damselfly (Megalagrion xanthomelas) breeds in the anchialine pools while native insects perch on the nearby vegetation. Throughout the state, anchialine species are severely threatened by alien insects, habitat loss due to coastal development, and other human impacts. Anchialine ponds are one of Hawaii’s most threatened ecosystems. Anchialine pools are landlocked brackish ponds located close to the shoreline connected to the ocean via tunnels. Characterized by tidal fluctuations, these rare and fragile ponds are home to unusual plants and animals. In the U.S., this habitat exists only in the Hawaiian Islands and, of the approximately 700 known anchialine pools, the majority are located on the island of Hawaii. Formed by volcanic activity, these pools are home to a unique assemblage of invertebrate and algal species, some of which are known to exist only in this habitat. In the last 20 years, non-native fish species have been introduced and/or invaded a majority of the pools. These alien species have gradually destroyed the ecological balance in many of the pools by eliminating many of unique endemic species. Koa Punaluu has long been known for its koa (“fish houses”) where specific species of fish live in specific areas offshore. The pristine, spring fed waters of Punaluu mixing with the salt water of the ocean provide ideal habitat for a variety of