Treesearch

We quantified the population dynamics and life history diversity of seven brood years of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) using a life-cycle approach. Four life history patterns, composed of fry, fry–nomad, parr, and yearling migrants indicated the importance of connectivity and access to a full range of freshwater and estuarine rearing environments through the year. Survival of each life history type varied annually with the yearling migrants contributing an average of 70% to the spawners in all but one return year. Fifty-eight percent of the spawners of the 2013 return year had an...

In this Pule Ho‘oulu(prayer for inspiration), we are calling ourselves and you, the reader, to embrace growth and perpetuation of life’s many sacred manifestations, to honour the guardians of our places and the sources of our knowledge, and affirm the profound responsibility that is conservation management. This chant initiates the process of kuahu, an altar of Native Hawaiian spiritual practice within Hālau ‘Ōhi‘a, a ritual-based stewardship program in Hawai‘i led by Kumu(master teacher, a primary holder and source of knowledge for the community) Kekuhi Kealiikanakaoleohaililani. This...

Physical dormancy in seeds can challenge restoration efforts where scarification conditions for optimal germination and seedling vigor are unknown. For species that occur along wide environmental gradients, optimal scarification conditions may also differ by seed source. We examined intraspecific variation in optimal scarification conditions for germination and seedling performance in koa (Acacia koa), which occurs across a wide range of environmental conditions. To evaluate scarification responses, we recorded imbibition percentage, germination percentage, germination time, seedling...

Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) around the world are increasingly asserting ‘Indigenous agency’ to engage with government institutions and other partners to collaboratively steward ancestral Places. Case studies in Hawai‘i suggest that ‘community-driven collaborative management’ is a viable and robust pathway for IPLCs to lead in the design of a shared vision, achieve conservation targets, and engage government institutions and other organisations in caring for and governing biocultural resources and associated habitats. This paper articulates key forms of Indigenous...

The human health and well-being benefits of nature are well-known. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the work of environmental stewardship groups, especially those that facilitate access to and/or provide opportunities to engage with nature. To understand the impacts of this disruption on stewardship groups and their volunteers in Hawai‘i, we: (i) conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 leaders of stewardship groups on O‘ahu; and (ii) surveyed 85 individuals who volunteer with stewardship groups across the state. We found that some groups were negatively impacted by COVID-19-related...

Long distance trails offer distinctive opportunities for people to connect with natural and cultural heritage through recreation, tourism, and stewardship. Such connections can lead to broad support for conservation goals. In the United States, National Scenic Trails (NSTs) promote community engagement in trail planning, development, maintenance, and management. Governance of these multi-jurisdictional trails occurs through a diverse array of governmental and non-governmental actors. We conducted interviews (n=17) with federal trail administrators and non-governmental trail organizations...

Evaluating the cold tolerance of biological control agents is often necessary to optimize their release and performance. We used field and laboratory assays to determine the cold hardiness of the parasitoid Spathius galinae Belokobylskij & Strazanac, an approved classical biological control agent of emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) in North America. Supercooling points and lower lethal temperature of mature (cocooned) S. galinae larvae were measured in controlled cooling assays in the laboratory. Most S. galinae larvae died after reaching their supercooling point, which...

Ethology—the study of animal behavior—examines the infinite ways that an individual animal interacts with its environment, combing evolutionary, genetic, developmental, ecological, and mechanistic approaches to study both the proximate and ultimate drivers of observable behaviors (Rubenstein and Alcock 2018). Animal behavior is an expansive field of study, which includes (at a minimum) communication and social interactions, foraging, defense, and reproductive behavior, among many other elements. One of the most important aspects of animal behavior, particularly as it relates to wildlife...

The Wood Turtle's decline across a majority of its range in the United States and Canada has primarily been caused by human encroachment on its habitat, including the direct and indirect effects of habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation. As noted in Chapter 8, threats include direct mortality from flooding, agricultural machinery, and motor vehicles, as well as illegal collection for pet markets and subsidized predation by mesocarnivores. Wood Turtles are unable to effectively respond—behaviorally or numerically—to these synergistic threats because they have evolved as extreme...