UH Hilo’s Graham awarded DoD grant to reduce invasive species

Date: Monday, December 2, 2024
Contact: Alyson Kakugawa-Leong, (808) 932-7669

For Immediate Release

A University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo faculty member was recently awarded nearly $2 million from the Department of Defense’s Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) to develop methods for mitigating the impact of invasive species through early detection using DNA and predictive modeling. The project is a collaboration with the Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) in Champaign, IL.

Dr. Natalie Graham, assistant professor of biology, received a collaborative award of $1.99 million for “A Predictive Model for Invasive Terrestrial Arthropod Species in the Indo-Pacific.” The project, which begins in January 2026, will be conducted with collaborators at various institutions, including PI Mark D. Johnson of the Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL), and co-investigators at UC Berkeley, Virginia Tech, Northern Arizona University, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

According to Graham, the project will produce the following primary products:

* DNA Reference Library: Creation of a more comprehensive DNA reference library for Indo-Pacific arthropods to support DNA-based applications for arthropod monitoring

* Horizon Scan Exercise: Use arthropod trait and distribution records to conduct a horizon scan and identify potential invasion threats and biosecurity priorities

* Predictive Modeling: Modeling the colonization and establishment of potential invasive species on Indo-Pacific islands with DoD installations, and quantifying their possible environmental and economic impacts

“This project aims to address the urgent need for early warning capabilities for invasive terrestrial arthropod species that threaten biodiversity and Department of Defense operations in the Indo-Pacific,” Graham noted. “By developing a comprehensive DNA reference library and predictive models, we aim to pinpoint potential threats and enhance biosecurity measures to protect sensitive island habitats, which are increasingly vulnerable to biodiversity loss and invasive species.”

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