Publications

Hawaii has experienced profound declines in native avifauna alongside the introduction of numerous bird species. While site-specific population studies are common, landscape-level analyses of avian population dynamics are rare, particularly in island ecosystems. To address this gap, we used a density surface model to create a spatio-temporal projection of population densities and...

Trapping mosquitoes to quantify their distribution and abundance is often a key step in monitoring dynamics of vector-borne diseases. This is the case in Hawaii, where avian malaria is devastating native forest birds that are highly susceptible to non-native diseases. However, mosquito trapping is difficult and labor intensive. A typical operation requires traps to be visited multiple...

The Palila (Loxioides bailleui), the last member of the once speciose finch-billed Hawaiian honeycreeper clade (Drepanidinae) in the main Hawaiian Islands, faces critical conservation challenges as an endangered species. Understanding the drivers of its decline is essential for effective management. We used additive decomposition models to examine temporal trends in climatic variables...

The majority of raptor species reside in the tropics, yet very little is known about their movement ecology. However, quantifying movement behavior can provide otherwise elusive information on resource needs, habitat selection, and ecological constraints, which is important for understanding ecological patterns and the management of species of conservation concern. On the Island of Hawai...

Predation by Brown Treesnakes (Boiga irregularis) has caused the decline or extinction of all native forest vertebrates on Guam, including birds, lizards, and bats. Loss of the highest-quality prey has caused shifts in Brown Treesnake size and life history. We sought to understand how reproductive condition varies among habitats island-wide, particularly comparing urban and savanna...

During the past century, the proliferation of invasive species has contributed to loss of biodiversity and ecosystem degradation. In forests, invasive tree species can alter ecosystem function, but the underlying mechanisms of these changes are not fully understood. We use the ongoing invasion of P. cattleianum on the Island of Hawai’i to test the hypotheses that invasive structural...

Hawaii hosts one of Earth’s most unique and threatened avifaunas. Upslope migration of mosquito-vectored avian malaria on Kauaʻi (maximum elevation 1,598 m) has likely caused its rapid loss of avifaunal diversity; only 8 of 13 historic forest bird species remain. We update the status and trends of Kauaʻi forest bird populations since the original (1981) surveys using the latest (2023)...

ContextPopulation monitoring is an essential need for tracking biodiversity and judging efficacy of conservation management actions, both globally and in the Pacific. However, population monitoring efforts are often temporally inconsistent and limited to small scales. Motion-activated cameras (‘camera traps’) offer a way to cost-effectively monitor populations, but they also generate...

Biological soil crusts are complex communities composed of lichens, mosses, bacteria, and cyanobacteria that create a living skin on the soil surface across drylands worldwide. Although small in size, the vast area that biocrusts cover and the critical functions they provide make them a cornerstone of dryland health and resiliency. In addition to being important, biocrusts are...

Since 1985, the Hakalau Forest Unit of the Big Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex (hereafter, Hakalau) has protected the largest endemic forest bird diversity in the State of Hawaii. This includes three endangered and one threatened species and their habitats. Hakalau’s vast area (155 km2), mostly high elevation (>1500 m) montane forest, provides refuge from avian malaria...

Native Hawaiian forest birds are experiencing an unprecedented extinction crisis. In particular, the iconic Hawaiian honeycreeper radiation has declined to just 17 out of ∼60 species remaining, most threatened with extinction due to avian malaria. Here, we investigate the genomic signatures of these declines in three honeycreeper species: the critically endangered ʻakikiki (Oreomystis...

Introduced organisms can cause substantial effects across most landscapes. Island ecosystems, especially tropical islands, are at elevated risk from introduced organisms. The risks are even higher for tropical islands with moderate or high levels of transit, yet this can be minimized by application of appropriate biosecurity requirements. In this study, we examined the potential for non...