fauna

The Hawaiian Silversword: Another Warning on Climate Change

by Zach Fitzner

The Hawaiian silversword (Argyroxyphium sandwicense), a beautiful, spiny plant from the volcanic Hawaiian highlands may not survive the ravages of climate change, according to a new study in Global Change Biology. An unmistakable plant, the silversword has long, sword-shaped leaves covered in silver hair and beautiful flowering stalks that may tower to a height of three meters.

The Hawaiian silversword flowers only once in its life of 20 to 90 years, not unlike the much-loved agave. Because of this, records show that the number of silversword flowering in any given year varies wildly from zero to 6,632 plants. It depends on pollination from other individual plants for reproduction, so the trigger for flowering events is a key piece of a puzzle not currently understood, like many aspects of ecology…

(read more: Monga Bay)

(photos: T - Paul Krushelnycky; B - Forest and Kim Starr)

Sea-Level Rise Forecasted in New Study Poses Grave Threat to Many Nesting Birds at Pacific Islands

ABC media release

Dynamic modeling of sea-level rise, which takes storm wind and wave action into account, paints a much graver picture for birds  at some low-lying Pacific islands under climate-change scenarios than the so-called passive models used in earlier research, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) report.

 A team led by research oceanographer Curt Storlazzi of the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center compared passive “bathtub” inundation models (which analyze rising sea levels without considering effects of wave action and storm wind) with dynamic models for two of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. The team studied Midway, a classic atoll with islands on the shallow (2–8 meters or 6–26 feet deep) atoll rim and a deep, central lagoon, and Laysan, which is higher, with a 20–30 meter (65–98 feet) deep rim and an island in the center of the atoll.

Together, the two locations exhibit landforms and coastal features common to many Pacific islands. Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, they are also among the world’s most important seabird nesting sites, as well as being home to the endangered Laysan Duck, Laysan Finch, and a recently established population of Millerbirds…

(read more: American Bird Conservancy)        (photo: USFWS)

Studying Endangered Birds on Laysan Island

by Megan Dalton

My first month on Laysan, where I’m helping to monitor the recently reintroduced Millerbird population, has been a bit of a whirlwind. So many new sights and sounds to take in and places to explore on this island, while simultaneously trying to get settled into camp and, most excitingly, jumping right into our Millerbird monitoring tasks.

It’s been a challenge to catch up on all the Millerbirds’ movements, pairings, and activities since the field crew was evacuated last fall, especially since there appear to be many more younger, unbanded birds in the area trying to stake out their own territories amongst the older, more experienced birds. A rather pleasant problem to have with this recently translocated population – more Millerbird activity than we can handle! …

(read more: American Bird Conservancy)

(photos by Megan Dalton: T - Nihoa Millerbird; B: Wedge-tailed Shearwaters)

Nine of the World’s Most breath-taking Canyons

by Brittany Johnson

Although there is only one that has been named as such, our planet is home to many grand canyons. From steep cliffs to narrow valleys, each evoke a sense of wonder and amazement while documenting thousands of years of geological history. Although each is unique in its own right, we have found nine canyons that are must-sees for any nature lover. But beware, if you have a fear of heights, you may feel uncomfortable just gazing at these pictures, as some of these grandiose layers of rock plummet to depths of close to 10,000 feet…

(read more: Sierra Club)

(photos - istockphoto: demerzel21, fernandoAH, JanRoode, clodio, lillisphotography)

Federal Court Gives Green Light to Palila Protection

Removal of grazing mammals that destroy endangered bird habitat to resume

Earth Justice media release

Honolulu, HI — Yesterday, the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaiʻi issued an order clearing the way for the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to resume aerial hunts to remove grazing mammals from the last forest habitat of the critically endangered Palila (Loxioides bailleui) atop Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaiʻi.

Read the Court’s order.

Earthjustice, representing the Hawaiʻi Chapter of the Sierra Club, the Hawaiʻi Audubon Society and the National Audubon Society, has been in court since 1978 to protect the palila from feral sheep and goats and mouflon sheep that ravage the māmane-naio forest on which the palila depends.

In a series of orders beginning in 1979, the Court found that, to prevent the bird’s extinction, DLNR must permanently remove the mammals from the palila’s designated critical habitat through all necessary means, including aerial hunts. DLNR had suspended the hunts following passage of a Hawaiʻi County ordinance in July 2012 that sought to ban them. The Court held that, under the U.S. Constitution, the federal Endangered Species Act trumps the county law…

(read more: Earth Justice)                        

(photo: USFWS, San Diego Zoo/USGS)

steepravine:

Amazing Hawaiian Snail

I went for a walk this morning to take pictures of the flowers around our hotel. On the way back to the room I came across this amazing snail, I’ve never seen anything like it! It was headed in the wrong direction towards a world of concrete so I picked it up and transported it back to the garden. I was very surprised it could fit all the way into the shell as you can see from the last picture!

(Hanalei, Kauai - 2/2013)

This is a Rosy Wolf Snail (Euglandina rosea), which was introduced from the mainland United States into Hawaii to help control the also introduced (and injurious to crops) African Giant Snail (Achatina fulica). However, beyond preying on the African Giant, the Rosy Wolf went on to prey on the already beleaguered native Hawiian snails, driving some to extinction and others into near extinction.

astronomy-to-zoology:

‘I’iwi  (Vestiaria coccinea)

is a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper native to you guessed it Hawaii. Like most Hawaiian birds this species has taken up the niche left behind by other birds, this species has taken up the position of hummingbirds. Using their powerful wings and curved bill to drink nectar. This species is actually one of the only non hummingbirds that can hover. unfortunately they are like most Hawaiian birds in that they are endangered and urban development and introduced diseases has killed over 90% of their original population, but several conservation projects are aimed to save the species.

Phylogeny

Animalia-Chordata-Aves-Passeriformes-Passeri-Fringillidae-Drepanidinae-Vestiaria-coccinea

Image Source(s)