Project Investigator(s):James J. Jacobi
Lead Agency(s):United States Geological Survey
Project Contact:
James J. Jacobi
United States Geological Survey
P.O. Box 44
Bldg. 344
Hawaii National Park,
Hawaii
96718USA
808-967-7396
jim_jacobi@usgs.govObjective:This project will focus on surveying the HFU section of the Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge to determine the current distribution and abundance of invasive plant species and compare these results with surveys conducted
by Stone et al. (1991) in 1987. This analysis will be used to help refuge management staff identify new or developing problems with invasive species, particularly following the removal of feral cattle and pigs from this area over the past 20 years. Additionally, this study will provide information on the status and distribution of invasive plant species in the more recently acquired lower sections of the refuge. Without current data on the distribution and abundance of invasive species, it will be more difficult for
the refuge staff to prioritize and initiate management actions that need to be taken.
Management Question(s) Addressed:
Methodology:Presence of invasive plants will be documented in 5 x 10 m belt plots running along each transect. Additionally, cover for each species will be estimated using modified Braun-Blanquet cover ranges to allow for a semi-quantitative analysis of abundance values. All roads, trails, and fencelines within HFU will be walked to assess the distribution and frequency of invasive plants along these disturbance and dispersal corridors. For this survey we will record data in 50 m linear belt plots centered on the corridor (e.g., center of road or trail) and extending 10 m from the edge of the corridor (e.g., road or cleared
area for fenceline). We will also record species that are detected at greater than 10 m from the corridor but we will indicate these individuals were beyond this distance. The field data on location and abundance of weed species within HFU will serve as the basis for mapping their distribution within the Refuge. The potential distribution of selected invasive plant species will be modeled using location data for the plants as they relate to selected environmental parameters
Methodology Keywords:
Point CountTransect
