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Publications

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Seasonal surveillance confirms the range expansion of Aedes japonicus japonicas (Theobald) (Diptera: Culicidae) to the Hawaiian Islands of Oahu and Kauai

The Asian bush mosquito, Aedes japonicus japonicus (Theobald) was not known to occur in the Hawaii archipelago until it was identified on the island of Hawaii in 2003. This mosquito species remained undetected on the neighboring islands for 8 years before it was discovered at the Honolulu International Airport on Oahu in 2012. By 2015, four Ae. j. japonicus mosquitoes were collected in the western
Authors
James Harwood, Jodi Fiorenzanoa, Elizabeth Gerardoa, Theodore Black, Jeomhee Hasty, Dennis Lapointe

2017-2018 Palila abundance estimates and trend

The palila (Loxioides bailleui) population was surveyed annually from 1998–2018 on Mauna Kea Volcanoto determine abundance, population trend, and spatial distribution. In the latest surveys, the 2017population was estimated at 1,177−1,813 birds (point estimate: 1,461) and the 2018 population wasestimated at 778−1,420 (point estimate: 1,051). Only two palila were detected outside the core surveyare
Authors
Ayesha S. Genz, Kevin W. Brinck, Richard J. Camp, Paul C. Banko

Identifying opportunities for long-lasting habitat conservation and restoration in Hawaii’s shifting climate

Conservation efforts in isolated archipelagos such as Hawaii often focus on habitat-based conservation and restoration efforts that benefit multiple species. Unfortunately, identifying locations where such efforts are safer from climatic shifts is still challenging. We aimed to provide a method to approximate these potential habitat shifts for similar data- and research-limited contexts. We modele
Authors
Lucas B. Fortini, James D. Jacobi

Invasive rat control is an efficient, yet insufficient, method for recovery of the critically endangered Hawaiian plant hau kuahiwi (Hibiscadelphus giffardianus)

Biological invasions of rodents and other species have been especially problematic on tropical islands. Invasive Rattus rattus consumption of Hibiscadelphus giffardianus (Malvaceae; common Hawaiian name hau kuahiwi) fruit and seeds has been hypothesized to be the most-limiting factor inhibiting the critically endangered tree, but this has not been experimentally tested, and little is known about o
Authors
Nathan S. Gill, Stephanie G. Yelenik, Paul C. Banko, Christopher B. Dixon, Kelly Jaenecke, Robert Peck

Multi-state occupancy models of foraging habitat use by the Hawaiian hoary bat Lasiurus cinereus semotus

Multi-state occupancy modeling can often improve assessments of habitat use and site quality when animal activity or behavior data are available. We examine the use of the approach for evaluating foraging habitat suitability of the endangered Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus) from classifications of site occupancy based on flight activity levels and feeding behavior. In addition, we u
Authors
P. Marcos Gorresen, Kevin W. Brinck, Megan A. DeLisle, Kristina Montoya-Aiona, Corinna A. Pinzari, Frank Bonaccorso

Long-term impacts of exotic grazer removal on native shrub recovery, Santa Cruz Island, California

A combination of overgrazing and exotic species introduction has led to the degradation of habitats worldwide. It is often unclear whether removal of exotic ungulates will lead to the natural reestablishment of native plant communities without further management inputs. I describe here my return to sites on Santa Cruz Island, California, 12 years after initial sampling in order to gain a long-term

Authors
Stephanie G. Yelenik

A test of sex specific genetic markers in the Hawaiian hoary bat and relevance to population studies

We tested the utility of a protocol using genetic markers that previously proved successful to identify the sex of Vespertilionid bats on tissues collected from live bats and carcasses of varying age from the Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus). This molecular method is based on genes unique to X and Y chromosomes in mammals and previously was used successfully on North American hoary b
Authors
Corinna A. Pinzari, Frank Bonaccorso

Floristic and climatic reconstructions of two Lower Cretaceous successions from Peru

Climate during the Early Cretaceous in tropical South America has often been reconstructed as arid. However, some areas seem to have been humid. We reconstructed the floristic composition of two tropical stratigraphic successions in Peru using quantitative palynology (rarefied species richness and abundance), and used the abundance of aridity vs. humidity indicator species to infer the predominant
Authors
Paula J. Mejia-Velasquez, Steven R. Manchester, Carlos A. Jaramillo, Luiz Quiroz, Lucas B. Fortini

Patch age since disturbance drives patch dynamics for flycatchers breeding in both reservoir and riverine habitat

Species dependent upon early-successional landscapes often occupy patches at different stages of recovery after disturbance. The demographic processes that drive patch dynamics in these systems have rarely been described but are important for developing effective conservation and management plans, especially when humans have modified the timing and intensity of disturbances that drive regeneration
Authors
Tad C Theimer, Mark K. Sogge, Eben H. Paxton

The risk of rodent introductions from shipwrecks to seabirds on Aleutian and Bering Sea islands

Accidental introductions of rodents present one of the greatest threats to indigenous island biota, especially seabirds. On uninhabited remote islands, such introductions are likely to come from shipwrecks. Here we use a comprehensive database of shipwrecks in Western Alaska to model the frequency of shipwrecks per Aleutian and Bering Sea island, taken as a proxy for the threat of rodent introduct

Authors
Martin Renner, Eric Nelson, Jordan Watson, Alan Haynie, Aaron Poe, Martin D. Robards, Steve C. Hess

Density estimation of sound-producing terrestrial animals using single automatic acoustic recorders and distance sampling

Obtaining accurate information on the distribution, density, and abundance of animals is an important first step toward their conservation. Methodological approaches using automatic acoustic recorders for species that communicate acoustically are gaining increased interest because of their advantages over traditional sampling methods. In this study, we created and evaluated a protocol to estimate
Authors
Esther Sebastián-González, Richard J. Camp, Ann M. Tanimoto, Priscilla Monteiro de Oliveira, Bruna Barreto Lima, Tiago A. Marques, Patrick J. Hart

Research and management priorities for Hawaiian forest birds

Hawai‘i's forest birds face a number of conservation challenges that, if unaddressed, will likely lead to the extinction of multiple species in the coming decades. Threats include habitat loss, invasive plants, non-native predators, and introduced diseases. Climate change is predicted to increase the geographic extent and intensity of these threats, adding urgency to implementation of tractable co
Authors
Eben H. Paxton, Megan Laut, John P. Vetter, Steve J. Kendall