Ohia forest decline: its spread and severity in Hawaii

Edwin Q. P. Petteys; Robert E. Burgan; Robert E. Nelson

Treesearch

Ohia forest decline: its spread and severity in Hawaii

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Edwin Q. P. Petteys, Robert E. Burgan, Robert E. Nelson

Year:

1975

Type:

Research Paper

Station:

Pacific Southwest Research Station

Source:

Res. Pap. PSW-105. Berkeley, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station. 11 p

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Download (PDF 891 KB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/29562.pdf

Abstract

Ohia forest decline–its severity and rate of spread–was studied by aerial photographic techniques on a 197,000-acre (80,000-ha) portion of the island of Hawaii. In 1954, only 300 acres (121 ha) showed signs of severe decline; by 1972, the acreage of severely affected forest had increased to 85,200 acres (34,480 ha). Rate of decline and current severity were related to mean annual precipitation and to elevation. The epidemic is continuing. Some forests on other Hawaiian islands also display decline symptoms.

Keywords

ohia decline, forest diseases, epidemics, aerial photography, Hawaii

Citation

Petteys, Edwin Q. P.; Burgan, Robert E.; Nelson, Robert E. 1975. Ohia forest decline: its spread and severity in Hawaii. Res. Pap. PSW-105. Berkeley, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station. 11 p