The influence of feral pigs on a native alpine grassland in Haleakala National Park

Author:

Jacobi, James D.

Title:

The influence of feral pigs on a native alpine grassland in Haleakala National Park

Periodical:

Proceedings First conference in natural sciences Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Year:

1976

Pages:

107-112

Subject:

Feral swine ecology Hawaii Island Grassland ecology Hawaii Island

Summary:

There has been considerable discussion concerning the impact feral pigs have on the Hawaiian biota, and what steps may be taken to control their influence. Where pigs are present, they pose a serious threat to the stability of the native ecosystems in terms of physical damage to the vegetation by their rooting that may be invaded by vigorously competing exotic species of plants which could be subsequently become firmly established in the community. The author conducted a study in the Haleakala National Park to determine the impact that feral pigs have on the native alpine grassland of Ka-lapa-wili Ridge. This work was initiated in 1973 when members of the Hana Rain Forest Project spent several months studying various aspects of the ecology of the outer northeast slopes of Hale-aka-la. Since that time, additional support has come from both the Haleakala National Park and the Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit, University of Hawaii (CPSU/UH) to continue this work. The objectives of this study are to: 1) quantitatively assess the degree of pig damage in this community, 2) determine the role pigs play in the introduction and establishment of exotic plant species in this grassland, and 3) determine to what extent the native vegetation may be expected to recover if feral pigs were entirely removed from this area. This will be an ongoing project that will last several years but while the study is in progress, the purpose of this paper is to briefly describe the study area and to summarize the results of the study to date.

URL:

http://hdl.handle.net/10125/18269

Collection:

Monographs