Neogeoaeolian habitats on new lava flows on Hawaii Island: an ecosystem supported by windborne debris

Author:

Howarth, Francis G.

Title:

Neogeoaeolian habitats on new lava flows on Hawaii Island: an ecosystem supported by windborne debris

Periodical:

Pacific Insects

Year:

1979

Volume:

20

Pages:

133-144

Subject:

Crickets Kilauea Volcano Spiders Aeolian

Summary:

The Hawaiian Archipelago is a string of oceanic volcanic islands that stretches more than 250 kilometers across the mid-Pacific region. The island of Hawaii is the youngest island where lava flows of pahoehoe basalt from the Kilauea Volcano are colonized by arthropods. This happens within months after an eruption and six months or more before the first macroscopic plants appear. This document describes how while the xeric, windy, and barren rock surface of this area is subject to high isolation and to daily temperature extremes, that this area also provides numerous cracks and surface irregularities that provides refuge for the animals. These animals then scavenge on allochthonous windborne (aeolain) organic debris. It was surprising to find that the most abundant scavenger was a remarkable, specialized, and new species of cricket, (Caconemobius fori), that appeared to be restricted to the unvegetated lava flows near Kilauea. A native wolf spider, Lycosa sp., was also found to colonize the very young flows. However, few other native or exotic Hawaiian arthropods are able to exploit this rigorous environment.

Label:

Ecology

URL:

http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/pi/pdf/20%282%29-133.pdf

Date:

May 1979

Collection:

Periodicals