Jens W Knudsen Enewetak Atoll Marshall Islands

Beginning in 1965, with funding from the National Science Foundation and the Atomic Energy Commission, Knudsen embarked on a multi phase study of ecosystem recovery on Enewetak Atoll (historically spelled Eniwetok) in the Marshall Islands. Between 1948 and 1958, a total of 43 nuclear tests were performed on Enewetak, including testing of the first hydrogen bomb on November 1, 1952.

During his nearly annual visits (1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972), Knudsen and his students focused on studying the Enewetak Atoll birds (Pearson & Knudsen 1967) and crabs (Garth et al. 1987). The latter project’s three phases included: (1) an evaluation of the relationship between crabs and coral hosts (Knudsen 1967), (2) an evaluation of crab ecology (110 species), and (3) the publication of a detailed monograph of over 200 species of crabs discovered in the Marshall Islands (>35 had not been previously recorded there) (Garth et al. 1987). Multiple coral specimens collected in Enewetak by Knudsen are also part of the Burton T. Ostenson Museum collection of Pacific Lutheran University, where Knudsen taught.

* Pearson, D.L. and J.W. Knudsen (1967) Avifaunal records from Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands. The Condor 69(2): 201–203.

* Knudsen, J.W. (1967) Trapezia and Tetralia (Decapoda, Brachyura, Xanthidae) as obligate ectoparasites of pocilloporid and acroporid corals. Pacific Science 21(1): 51–57.

* Garth, J.S., J. Haig, and J.W. Knudsen (1987) Crustacea Decapoda (Brachyura and Anomura) of Enewetak Atoll. Pp. 235–261 in Devaney, D.M., E.S. Reese, B.L. Burch, and P. Helfrich (eds.) The Natural History of Enewetak Atoll. Volume II. Biogeography and Systematics, DOE/EV/07003-T1-Vol. 2 (DE87006111). U. S. Department of Energy, Office of Scientific and Technical Information, Oak Ridge, Tennessee.