UH Hilo Center for Maunakea Stewardship - Research Library

Proposal to furnish and deliver An arthropod assessment within selected areas of the Mauna Kea science reserve

Author:
Howarth, Francis G.
Title:
Proposal to furnish and deliver An arthropod assessment within selected areas of the Mauna Kea science reserve
Year:
1997
Pages:
16 p.
Subject:
Mauna Kea Science Reserve Wekiu bug Nysius wekiuicola
Summary:
The first resident native Hawaiian arthropods were discovered on Puu Wekiu on Mauna Kea, by S.L. Montgomery, W.P. Mull, and F.G. Howarth in 1979. The most notable discovery was the remarkable native seed bug. In 1982, two biological surveys were conducted above the 13,000 foot contour as part of environmental impact studies for planned construction of astronomical facilities. The second environmental impact study, that for the Mauna Kea Master Plan, was more inclusive and found 18 species of arthropods living in the summit area with about half of these species being restricted to that habitat. Since then, a few more species were found there; however, the distribution and ecology of most of the species remain poorly understood. At least 12 of the 20 or so resident species of arthropods now known from the summit area belong to native groups. The more remarkable are the Wekiu Bug, (Nysius wekiuicola), the day flying lichen moth (Agrotis sp., and the wolf spider (Lycosa sp.). Some physiological ecology work has been done on these three more conspicuous species. The 1982 Master Plan environmental impact statement recognized the unique and vulnerable nature of this aeolian fauna and recommended a follow-up survey in the future to monitor the health of the ecosystem, to determine possible effects of construction projects completed on the summit, and to conduct biological surveys of buffer areas near the summit. This proposed survey addressed these objectives, focusing on the native terrestrial arthropod communities within the Mauna Kea Science Reserve above the 12,000 feet elevation.
Date:
March 7, 1997
Collection:
Monographs