Browsing by Author "Pratt, Thane"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Avian monitoring entry form version 2.1 Hawai`i forest bird inter-agency database project
    (2016-01-25) Camp, Richard; Lam, Roger; Matsui, Victoriya; Cramer, Ashley; Pratt, Thane; Woodsworth, Bethany; Gorressen, P. Marcos; Nash, Sarah
    From 1976–1981, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted systematic surveys of forest birds and plant communities on the main Hawaiian Islands as part of the Hawaii Forest Bird Surveys (HFBS; Scott et al. 1986) Since the HFBS, more than 600 surveys of forest birds have been conducted in Hawai`i a variety of organizations, including the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Hawai`i Department of Land and Natural Resources, Kamehameha Schools, University of Hawai`i, The Nature Conservancy, and private consultants. Prior to the initiation of the present project, these surveys were scattered among many different individuals and agencies, and most had never been entered into a computer, analyzed, or reported. These survey data represent a phenomenal informational resource that has not previously been widely available. The Hawai`i Forest Bird Interagency Database Project (HFBIDP) has as its goals to make these data usable and accessible by creating a centralized, standardized database of all forest bird surveys collected since the HFBS; develop current population size estimates, species-habitat models, and distribution maps for all native and exotic forest birds in Hawai`i; examine population trends in species of concern; and present these results in publications and on a webpage, making them available to cooperators throughout Hawai`i.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Rare and endangered species of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park
    (2016-01-26) Pratt, Linda; Pratt, Thane; Foote, David; Gorressen, P. Marcos
    Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park (HAVO) is the largest area in the State of Hawai`i protected for its geology and landscapes and its native flora and fauna. The park covers approximately 135,000 hectares or 333,000 acres in all. These lands stretch from the seacoast of Kīlauea Volcano to far above timberline on the summit of Mauna Loa (Figure 1). This vast area includes expanses of forests, woodlands, shrublands, and barren lava flows that represent an array of native ecosystems. Contained within these communities are a great many species of rare animals and plants, most of them unique to the island of Hawai`i, and some of them surviving only in the park. These are the biological treasures of Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park. Our book is a guide to all animal and plant species in HAVO that are specially recognized as endangered species in the general sense. (The official designations at four levels and the unofficial designation of species of concern are explained later.) There are 23 such animal species and 71 plant species covered in the handbook, including six species planted in HAVO but not naturally occurring. In addition, we describe seven rare communities. In some cases, HAVO offers the best opportunity to save these species and communities from extinction. Increasingly, the park has attempted to restore rare populations by conducting surveys to locate them, controlling threats such as feral livestock, and bolstering existing populations or creating new ones by planting nursery stock. To aid such efforts, our original intent was to publish an identification guide for researchers and field management personnel. Particularly, we wanted to familiarize the reader with the many rare plant species which otherwise are known mainly from the technical literature. Because we soon came to realize that this handbook would be useful to a much larger, general readership, our aim is to make this information available to anyone interested in endangered animals and plants at Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Status and trends of the land bird avifauna on Tinian and Aguiguan, Mariana Islands.
    (2016-01-26) Camp, Richard; Pratt, Thane; Amidon, Fred; Marshall, Ann; Kremer, Shelly; Laut, Megan
    Avian surveys were conducted on the islands of Tinian and Aguiguan, Marianas Islands, in 2008 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide current baseline densities and abundances and assess population trends using data collected from previous surveys. On Tinian, during the three surveys (1982, 1996, and 2008), 18 species were detected, and abundances and trends were assessed for 12 species. Half of the 10 native species—Yellow Bittern (Ixobrychus sinensis), White-throated Ground-Dove (Gallicolumba xanthonura), Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris), Rufous Fantail (Rhipidura rufifrons), and Micronesian Starling (Aplonis opaca)—and one alien bird—Island Collared-Dove (Streptopelia bitorquata)—have increased since 1982. Three native birds—Mariana Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus roseicapilla), Micronesian Honeyeater (Myzomela rubratra), and Tinian Monarch (Monarcha takatsukasae)—have decreased since 1982. Trends for the remaining two native birds—White Tern (Gygis alba) and Bridled White-eye (Zosterops saypani)—and one alien bird—Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)—were considered relatively stable. Only five birds—White-throated Ground-Dove, Mariana Fruit-Dove, Tinian Monarch, Rufous Fantail, and Bridled White-eye—showed significant differences among regions of Tinian by year. Tinian Monarch was found in all habitat types, with the greatest monarch densities observed in limestone forest, secondary forest, and tangantangan (Leucaena leucocephala) thicket and the smallest densities found in open fields and urban/residential habitats. On Aguiguan, 19 species were detected on one or both of the surveys (1982 and 2008), and abundance estimates were produced for nine native and one alien species. Densities for seven of the nine native birds—White-throated Ground-Dove, Mariana Fruit-Dove, Collared Kingfisher, Rufous Fantail, Bridled White-eye, Golden White-eye (Cleptornis marchei), and Micronesian Starling—and the alien bird—Island Collared-Dove—were significantly greater in 2008 than 1982. No differences in densities were detected between the two surveys for White Tern and Micronesian Honeyeater. Three native land birds—Micronesian Megapode (Megapodius laperouse), Guam Swiftlet (Collocalia bartschi), and Nightingale Reed-Warbler (Acrocephalus luscinia)—were either not detected during the point-transect counts or the numbers of birds detected were too small to estimate densities for either island. Increased military operations on Tinian may result in increases in habitat clearings and the human population, which would expand human-dominated habitats, and declines in some bird populations would be likely to continue or be exacerbated with these actions. Expanded military activities on Tinian would also mean increased movement between Guam and Tinian, elevating the probability of transporting the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) to Tinian.