Ecology of introduced small mammals on western Mauna Kea, Hawaii

Author:

Amarasekare, Priyanga

Title:

Ecology of introduced small mammals on western Mauna Kea, Hawaii

Periodical:

Journal of Mammalogy

Year:

1994

Volume:

75

Pages:

24-38

Subject:

Predatory animals Mammalian predation Hawaiian honeycreepers Drepanidinae Palila Loxioides bailleui Hawaii Amakihi Hemignathus virens Rats Rattus rattus Mice Feral cats Mongooses Mauna Kea

Summary:

A disproportionately high number of avian extinctions have involved island birds during the last three centuries and introduced mammalian predators have been implicated for about one-half of the extinctions of island birds. While this hypothesis has been suggested for Hawaii, it has been well established for New Zealand. As a result, the ecology of a community of introduced small mammals in a mamane-naio, (Sophora chrysophylla-Myoporum sandwicense), woodland ecosystem on western Mauna Kea, on the island of Hawaii, was investigated in this study as this ecosystem supported several endemic species of birds that included the palila (Loxioides bailleui), and the endangered Hawaiian honeycreeper. Also studied was the distribution, diet, and patterns of habitat utilization of introduced rodents (black rats, Rattus rattus, and house mice, Mus musculus). This was investigated at four elevational ranges along a gradient of 1,600-3,000 m. Black rats were rare, and their numbers were at least an order of magnitude lower than that of the palila and common amakihi (Hemignathus virens). Rats had the lowest densities in areas that had the highest abundance of palila. Palila and black rats also showed segregated microhabitat preferences. In addition, the diets of feral cats (Felis sylvestris), mongooses (Herpestes auropunctatus), and mice showed no evidence that they prey on eggs, nestlings, or adults of endemic birds. These trends gave no indication that introduced mammals could be important predators of honeycreepers and suggested that small mammals may be tracking a different set of resources or conditions from those of endemic birds.

Label:

Animals

URL:

http://cletus.uhh.hawaii.edu:2075/stable/1382233

Date:

1994

Collection:

Periodicals