Metrosideros dieback in Hawaii: a comparison of adjacent dieback and non-dieback rain forest stands

Author:

Jacobi, James D.

Title:

Metrosideros dieback in Hawaii: a comparison of adjacent dieback and non-dieback rain forest stands

Periodical:

New Zealand Journal of Ecology

Year:

1983

Volume:

6

Pages:

79-97

Subject:

Plant ecology Forest ecology Rain forests Metrosideros polymorpha Myrtaceae Plant succession Ohia dieback

Summary:

Between the years of 1954 and 1977, approximately 50,000 ha of the native montane rainforest on the windward side of the island of Hawaii experienced a drastic reduction (dieback) of the dominant tree species that is known as the Ohia (Metrosideros polymorpha). While the initial cause was thought to be that the forests were dying due to introduced diseases, fungal pathogens that were first suspected to be the cause of a dieback that occurred on the island of Maui provided no conclusive evidence to support this theory. However, this drastic dieback caused considerable concern about the future quality of the forest watershed and the stability of this native ecosystem. As a result, this paper reports on the results of an investigation that was done on adjacent dieback and non-dieback forest stands in an area that was typical of ohia dieback. This study focused on describing the vegetation and dieback structure, the associated floristic composition, and the comparison of vegetation parameters with differences in gross substrate characteristics between the two sites.

Label:

Botany - Ohia

URL:

http://www.nzes.org.nz/nzje/free_issues/NZJEcol6_79.pdf

Date:

1983

Collection:

Periodicals