The effects of feral pigs on a montane rain forest in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Author:

Katahira, Larry

Title:

The effects of feral pigs on a montane rain forest in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Periodical:

Proceedings, Third Conference in Natural Sciences, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Year:

1980

Pages:

p.173-176

Subject:

Feral swine ecology Hawaii Island Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Rain forest ecology Hawaii Island

Summary:

Feral pigs (Sus scrofa L.) are probably one of the most disruptive exotic agents in the rainforest, mountain parkland, and grassland communities of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Their damage to native vegetation has been described in many studies (Tomich 1969; Spatz & Mueller-Dombois 1972; Jacobi & Warshauer 1975; Warshauer 1976; Giffin 1978; Baker 1979). Although there is public hunting year-round with no bag limit and periodic hunting by Park employees, pigs are still very numerous and their destruction to Park lands extensive. In July 1975 an experimental study site was selected along the east rift zone of Kilauea Volcano 450 m southwest of Napau crater at 850 m (2789 ft ) elevation. The vegetation type in this montane rain forest consists of 15 to 20 m closed ohia (Metrosideros collina) canopy with hapuu (Cibotium glaucum Sm.) understory. A pig fence enclosure, 25m x 16m, was constructed on the floor of a shallow prehistoric pit crater to assess pig damage and vegetation recovery. Extensive pig activity was noted with much of the herbaceous layer severely damaged or absent. Only the steep crater walls, which were inaccessible to pigs, supported plants that may have once represented the ecosystem typical of the crater floor.

URL:

https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10125/18389

Collection:

Monographs