Paul C Banko (Former Employee)
Science and Products
Pacific Island Bird Survey Design and Data Analysis
Abundance data are collected for bird populations throughout the Pacific Islands by numerous federal, state, university, and non-profit organizations. In order to ensure data are standardized and available to researchers throughout the region, interagency bird databases have been created and continue to be used. These databases contain more than a million compiled, proofed, and standardized...
Monitoring Bird and Rat Behavior to Improve Invasive Species Management
Introduced rats are notorious predators of birds and their nests worldwide, but especially on remote islands. Rats ( Rattus exulans) first arrived in Hawai‘i with Polynesian colonists about 1,000 years ago, resulting in deleterious consequences for native birds and ecosystems. Since Western contact in 1778, two additional rat species have become established in Hawai‘i, including the highly...
Integrated Management of Alien Predators
Small mammals (including three species of rats and one species of mongoose) and social Hymenoptera (order of insects including ants and yellowjacket wasps) form two groups of alien predators in Hawaiian ecosystems. The combined impact of these predators has resulted in substantial loss or reduction of native biota in the Pacific. Furthermore, given the past successes of managing or excluding feral...
Experimental Control of Invasive Ant Species
Islands and atolls throughout the Pacific have been impacted by invasive ant species. Threatening native ants and other arthropods with their aggressive behavior and ability to colonize large geographic areas, invasive ants pose one of the most serious threats to island ecosystems. This project focuses on three areas of the Pacific: American Samoa, Rose Atoll, and Johnston Atoll.
Palila Restoration
The palila is an endangered species of Hawaiian honeycreeper which exists only in subalpine forests dominated by māmane and naio on Mauna Kea Volcano. The diet of this finch-billed bird is unusually restricted; immature seeds, flowers, and insects found on māmane trees are critical to its existence. Māmane also is the preferred nesting substrate of the palila. Federal court orders have resulted in...
Understanding Factors Affecting Decline of Samoan Swallowtail Butterfly
The Samoan swallowtail is a large and strikingly marked butterfly endemic to the Samoan Archipelago. Once widespread and common, its populations have declined dramatically, and it now appears restricted to the island of Tutuila, an area representing approximately 5% of its former range. There are few insects that are commonly thought of as indicators of ecosystem health, but the Samoan swallowtail...
Evaluating ‘I‘iwi Responses to Nectar Availability and Habitat Quality
‘I‘iwi populations have severely declined in recent decades in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park (HAVO) and elsewhere in the Hawaiian Islands due to the cumulative impacts of many invasive threats that have degraded habitats, disrupted food webs, competed for resources, depredated nests and birds, and transmitted diseases.
Dynamics of a Koa Looper Moth Outbreak and Response by the Native Forest Community
A massive outbreak of the native koa looper moth (Scotorythra paludicola; Geometridae) defoliated more than a third of the koa (Acacia koa) forest on Hawai‘i Island during 2013–2014. Our objective was to record the dynamics of the koa looper (Scotorythra paludicola) outbreak and evaluate the response to the outbreak by the forest ecosystem generally as well as select native and invasive species...
Filter Total Items: 14
Island of Hawai‘i, arthropod response to forest restoration, 2019 - 2023 Island of Hawai‘i, arthropod response to forest restoration, 2019 - 2023
This data release includes metadata and tabular data that documents counts of arthropods collected from forest litter at the Liko Nā Pilina study site located on the Keaukaha Military Reservation, Hilo, Hawai‘i. These data are represented in three files: 1) a description of the date and location for each sample, 2) classification for all taxa, and 3) counts of each taxon in each sample...
Mauna Kea Palila Egg Harvest 1996 Mauna Kea Palila Egg Harvest 1996
This data release includes data and metadata documenting the removal of eggs from wild palila (Loxioides bailleui) nests to stimulate wild renesting while hatching the harvested eggs and rearing the chicks in captivity for later release to the wild. Some eggs were not harvested and were monitored in the wild for hatching and resulting progeny. The data provides details related to the...
Samoan swallowtail butterfly reproductive life history and parasitism, 2013-2014 Samoan swallowtail butterfly reproductive life history and parasitism, 2013-2014
This data release includes metadata and tabular data documenting the reproductive demography of the Samoan swallowtail butterfly (Papilio godeffroyi), including rates of parasitism by two species of Ooencyrtus wasp. Data was collected at approximately monthly surveys of marked host trees (Micromelum minutum) at eight forest stands, mostly in or adjacent to the National Park of American...
Hawaiian Islands excess rainfall conditions under current (2002-2012) and future (2090-2099) climate scenarios Hawaiian Islands excess rainfall conditions under current (2002-2012) and future (2090-2099) climate scenarios
One of the determinants of runoff is the occurrence of excess rainfall events where rainfall rates exceed the infiltration capacity of soils. To help understand runoff risks, we calculated the probability of excess rainfall events across the Hawaiian landscape by comparing the probability distributions of projected rainfall frequency and land cover-specific infiltration capacity. We...
Samoan swallowtail butterfly reproductive response to host plant characteristics, 2013-2014 (ver. 2.0, July 2024) Samoan swallowtail butterfly reproductive response to host plant characteristics, 2013-2014 (ver. 2.0, July 2024)
Surveys for immature life stages of the Samoan swallowtail butterfly (Papilio godeffroyi) were conducted on 117 individually marked host trees (Micromelum minutum) in eight forest stands on Tutuila Island, American Samoa, at approximately monthly intervals during 2013-2014. The eight stands were mostly in or adjacent to the National Park of American Samoa (NPSA), but one stand was...
Hawaiian Islands downscaled climate projections for baseline (1983-2012), mid- (2040-2059), and late-century (2060-2079) scenarios Hawaiian Islands downscaled climate projections for baseline (1983-2012), mid- (2040-2059), and late-century (2060-2079) scenarios
Global downscaled projections are now some of the most widely used climate datasets in the world, however, they are rarely examined for representativeness of local climate or the plausibility of their projected changes. Here we apply steps to improve the utility of two such global datasets (CHELSA and WorldClim2) to provide credible climate scenarios for climate change impact studies in...
Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge host plant associations of Lepidoptera, 2016-2017 Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge host plant associations of Lepidoptera, 2016-2017
This data release includes metadata and tabular data that documents species of caterpillars collected from different plant species at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge during 2017-2018. Data sets document (1) numbers of caterpillars collected on each plant species, (2) caterpillar host plant associations, (3) the fate of caterpillars during rearing, (4) types of mandibles possessed...
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Forest Composition and Hawaii Elepaio Breeding Behavior 1992-1994 and 2015-2019 Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Forest Composition and Hawaii Elepaio Breeding Behavior 1992-1994 and 2015-2019
This data release contains the tabular data and metadata to record changes in forest composition (tree species relative abundance, tree density, tree height, and tree diameter) over a span from 1993-1994 and 2015-2019. The data also includes Hawaii elepaio breeding territory sizes, and nest site selection (nest tree species, nest tree height, nest tree diameter).
Hakalau litter, frass, soil, and understory foliar nitrogen during a koa moth outbreak, 2013-2014 Hakalau litter, frass, soil, and understory foliar nitrogen during a koa moth outbreak, 2013-2014
This data release includes metadata and tabular data that document estimates of litterfall, koa moth (Scotorythra paludicola) caterpillar frass production, soil nutrients, and foliar nutrients during 2013-2014 at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge. During this time, there was a massive defoliation event of Acacia koa (koa) trees by the koa moth. We monitored these metrics in 4 sites...
Hawaii Island insect response to koa moth (Scotorythra paludicola) outbreak, 2013-2014 Hawaii Island insect response to koa moth (Scotorythra paludicola) outbreak, 2013-2014
This data release includes metadata and tabular data that document the responses of koa moths and other insects to changes in habitat conditions before and after koa (Acacia koa) defoliation by koa moth caterpillars (Scotorythra paludicola) at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge during 2013-2014. Data sets document changes in (1) koa moth abundance, (2) koa moth caterpillar abundance...
Hawaii Island tree response to koa moth outbreak, 2013-2014 Hawaii Island tree response to koa moth outbreak, 2013-2014
This data release includes metadata and tabular data that document the response of koa (Acacia koa) trees to defoliation by the koa moth (Scotorythra paludicola) during 2013-2014 at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge. Data were collected on 55 plots at 4 sites representing 2 habitat types with either high or low koa densities. Ohia (Metrosideros polymorpha) trees dominated habitats...
Hawaii Island bird response to koa moth outbreak, 2013-2014 Hawaii Island bird response to koa moth outbreak, 2013-2014
This data release includes metadata and tabular data that document the responses of birds to changes in habitat conditions before and after koa (Acacia koa) defoliation by koa moths (Scotorythra paludicola). Data sets document changes in the (1) use of tree species, (2) arthropod composition of diets, and (3) body mass.
Filter Total Items: 83
Photographic guide to the leaf litter arthropod community of the lowland wet forest ecosystem of the Island of Hawaiʻi Photographic guide to the leaf litter arthropod community of the lowland wet forest ecosystem of the Island of Hawaiʻi
Leaf litter arthropods are important components of the food web in forests, and their presence and diversity can provide information on forest health. There has been very little documentation of the leaf litter arthropods in Hawaiian forest ecosystems. This technical report is a photographic guide to some common arthropods collected from forest leaf litter at the Liko Nā Pilina Hybrid...
Authors
Trebor Hall, Robert W. Peck, Anuhea Robins, Maya Munstermann, Rebecca Ostertag, Esther Sebastian Gonzalez, Nicole DiManno, Susan Cordell, Paul C. Banko
2022–2024 Status and trends of the Palila (Loxioides bailleui) 2022–2024 Status and trends of the Palila (Loxioides bailleui)
Palila (Loxioides bailleui) are critically endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers specializing on the seedpods of māmane (Sophora chrysophylla) and restricted to Mauna Kea volcano on the Island of Hawaiʻi. A previous analysis of survey data estimated an 89% population decline between 1998 and 2021. Using the most recent annual survey data from 2022, 2023, and 2024, we report updated annual...
Authors
Noah Hunt, Chauncey K. Asing, Lindsey Nietmann, Paul C. Banko, Richard J. Camp
Climatic drought and trophic disruption in an endemic subalpine Hawaiian forest bird Climatic drought and trophic disruption in an endemic subalpine Hawaiian forest bird
Overexploitation, habitat conversion, and introduced species have caused unprecedented extinctions and heavily degraded native bird populations in island ecosystems. In the Hawaiian Islands, stemming these losses has proven difficult as the highly specialized avifauna are often impacted – among other things – by poorly understood trophic disruptions as well as persistent climatic shifts...
Authors
Kyle S. Van Houtan, Tyler O. Gagné, Paul C. Banko, Molly E. Hagemann, Robert W. Peck, Christopher T. Yarnes
Reproductive ecology and egg parasitism of the Samoan swallowtail butterfly Reproductive ecology and egg parasitism of the Samoan swallowtail butterfly
We investigated the reproductive ecology and effects of egg parasitism on the Samoan swallowtail butterfly (Papilio godeffroyi), which survives only on Tutuila Island, American Samoa, after having disappeared from the much larger islands of Upolu and Savai‘i in independent Samoa. During monthly surveys of its only known host plant, Micromelum minutum, across eight sites in 2013 and 2014...
Authors
Paul C. Banko, Mark A. Schmaedick, Robert W. Peck, Adam C. Miles, Niela Leifi
Nihoa and Laysan Island passerines population abundances, trends, and habitat utilization Nihoa and Laysan Island passerines population abundances, trends, and habitat utilization
Nihoa and Laysan Island, part of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, are host to three endangered passerine species—Nihoa finch (Telespiza ultima), Nihoa millerbird (Acrocephalus familiaris kingi), and Laysan finch (Telespiza cantans). Using point-transect distance sampling survey records from 2010 to 2022 for Nihoa and 2013 to 2019 for Laysan Island, we estimated the density and...
Authors
Trevor Bak, Richard J. Camp, Chris Farmer, Rachel A. Rounds, Sheldon M. Plentovich, John Vetter, Paul C. Banko
Carbon dioxide (CO2) gas and eDNA monitoring as tools for eradicating invasive fish from anchialine pools in Hawai‘i Carbon dioxide (CO2) gas and eDNA monitoring as tools for eradicating invasive fish from anchialine pools in Hawai‘i
Invasive fish can profoundly affect communities they invade. In Hawai‘i, invasive fishes have become established in many anchialine pools, threatening the persistence of resident invertebrates, including several endangered species. Tools to eradicate invasive fishes from these pools are lacking. This study tested the efficacy of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas diffused into anchialine pool...
Authors
Robert W. Peck, Maya Munnstermann, Malia Hayes, Carter T. Atkinson, Sallie Beavers, Aaron R. Cupp, Paul C. Banko
Twenty-five years of change in forest structure and nesting behavior of Hawaiʻi ʻelepaio Twenty-five years of change in forest structure and nesting behavior of Hawaiʻi ʻelepaio
Long-term ecological studies are invaluable for detecting changes over time. Forest restoration has been a conservation priority in Hawaiʻi, where invasive species have negatively impacted native bird habitat. During 1993–1994, a study was conducted of Hawaiʻi ʻelepaio (Chasiempis sandwichensis) nest site selection and forest composition in mesic montane forest along Mauna Loa Road in...
Authors
Kelly Jaenecke, Paul C. Banko, Robert W. Peck, Zee Sarr, Nicholas Shema
Evaluation of replicate sampling using hierarchical spatial modeling of population surveys accounting for imperfect detectability Evaluation of replicate sampling using hierarchical spatial modeling of population surveys accounting for imperfect detectability
Effective species management and conservation benefit from knowledge of species distribution and status. Surveys to obtain that information often involve replicate sampling, which increases survey effort and costs. We simultaneously modeled species distribution, abundance and spatial correlation, and compared the uncertainty in replicate abundance estimates of the endangered palila...
Authors
Richard J. Camp, Chauncey K. Asing, Paul C. Banko, Lainie Berry, Kevin W. Brinck, Chris Farmer, Ayesha Genz
Ooencyrtus pitosina (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)–A natural enemy of Samoan swallowtail butterfly Papilio godeffroyi (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) Ooencyrtus pitosina (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)–A natural enemy of Samoan swallowtail butterfly Papilio godeffroyi (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae)
A new species of encyrtid wasp, Ooencyrtus pitosina Polaszek, Noyes & Fusu sp. n., (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae: Encyrtinae) is described as a gregarious parasitoid in the eggs of the endemic Samoan swallowtail butterfly Papilio godeffroyi (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) in the Samoan archipelago. It is described here because it is an important natural enemy of this butterfly, and to facilitate...
Authors
Andrew Polaszek, John Noyes, Elena Lugli, Mark Schmaedick, Robert W. Peck, Paul C. Banko, Lucian Fusu
Reproductive response of the Samoan swallowtail butterfly to variability in host plant and habitat characteristics Reproductive response of the Samoan swallowtail butterfly to variability in host plant and habitat characteristics
The Samoan swallowtail butterfly (Papilio godeffroyi) has become restricted to Tutuila Island, American Samoa. Factors driving its extirpation on other islands may be partly due to the availability and suitability of habitat, given the singular association we observed of P. godeffroyi with its host plant, Micromelum minutum. We expected that as a host plant specialist, P. godeffroyi...
Authors
Paul C. Banko, Robert W. Peck, Mark A. Schmaedick, Adam C. Miles, Niela Leifi, Kevin W. Brinck
Land cover differentially affects abundance of common and rare birds Land cover differentially affects abundance of common and rare birds
While rare species are vulnerable to global change, large declines in common species (i.e., those with large population sizes, large geographic distributions, and/or that are habitat generalists) also are of conservation concern. Understanding if and how commonness mediates species' responses to global change, including land cover change, can help guide conservation strategies. We...
Authors
Kristin P. Davis, Paul C. Banko, Liba Pejchar
Density surface and excursion sets modeling as an approach to estimating population densities Density surface and excursion sets modeling as an approach to estimating population densities
Effective species management and conservation require knowledge of species distribution and status. We used point-transect distance sampling surveys of the endangered palila (Loxioides bailleui), a honeycreeper currently found only on the Island of Hawai'i, USA, to generate robust estimates of total abundance and simultaneously model the distribution, abundance, and spatial correlation...
Authors
Richard J. Camp, Chauncey K. Asing, Paul C. Banko, Lainie Berry, Kevin W. Brinck, Chris Farmer, Ayesha Genz
Science and Products
Pacific Island Bird Survey Design and Data Analysis
Abundance data are collected for bird populations throughout the Pacific Islands by numerous federal, state, university, and non-profit organizations. In order to ensure data are standardized and available to researchers throughout the region, interagency bird databases have been created and continue to be used. These databases contain more than a million compiled, proofed, and standardized...
Monitoring Bird and Rat Behavior to Improve Invasive Species Management
Introduced rats are notorious predators of birds and their nests worldwide, but especially on remote islands. Rats ( Rattus exulans) first arrived in Hawai‘i with Polynesian colonists about 1,000 years ago, resulting in deleterious consequences for native birds and ecosystems. Since Western contact in 1778, two additional rat species have become established in Hawai‘i, including the highly...
Integrated Management of Alien Predators
Small mammals (including three species of rats and one species of mongoose) and social Hymenoptera (order of insects including ants and yellowjacket wasps) form two groups of alien predators in Hawaiian ecosystems. The combined impact of these predators has resulted in substantial loss or reduction of native biota in the Pacific. Furthermore, given the past successes of managing or excluding feral...
Experimental Control of Invasive Ant Species
Islands and atolls throughout the Pacific have been impacted by invasive ant species. Threatening native ants and other arthropods with their aggressive behavior and ability to colonize large geographic areas, invasive ants pose one of the most serious threats to island ecosystems. This project focuses on three areas of the Pacific: American Samoa, Rose Atoll, and Johnston Atoll.
Palila Restoration
The palila is an endangered species of Hawaiian honeycreeper which exists only in subalpine forests dominated by māmane and naio on Mauna Kea Volcano. The diet of this finch-billed bird is unusually restricted; immature seeds, flowers, and insects found on māmane trees are critical to its existence. Māmane also is the preferred nesting substrate of the palila. Federal court orders have resulted in...
Understanding Factors Affecting Decline of Samoan Swallowtail Butterfly
The Samoan swallowtail is a large and strikingly marked butterfly endemic to the Samoan Archipelago. Once widespread and common, its populations have declined dramatically, and it now appears restricted to the island of Tutuila, an area representing approximately 5% of its former range. There are few insects that are commonly thought of as indicators of ecosystem health, but the Samoan swallowtail...
Evaluating ‘I‘iwi Responses to Nectar Availability and Habitat Quality
‘I‘iwi populations have severely declined in recent decades in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park (HAVO) and elsewhere in the Hawaiian Islands due to the cumulative impacts of many invasive threats that have degraded habitats, disrupted food webs, competed for resources, depredated nests and birds, and transmitted diseases.
Dynamics of a Koa Looper Moth Outbreak and Response by the Native Forest Community
A massive outbreak of the native koa looper moth (Scotorythra paludicola; Geometridae) defoliated more than a third of the koa (Acacia koa) forest on Hawai‘i Island during 2013–2014. Our objective was to record the dynamics of the koa looper (Scotorythra paludicola) outbreak and evaluate the response to the outbreak by the forest ecosystem generally as well as select native and invasive species...
Filter Total Items: 14
Island of Hawai‘i, arthropod response to forest restoration, 2019 - 2023 Island of Hawai‘i, arthropod response to forest restoration, 2019 - 2023
This data release includes metadata and tabular data that documents counts of arthropods collected from forest litter at the Liko Nā Pilina study site located on the Keaukaha Military Reservation, Hilo, Hawai‘i. These data are represented in three files: 1) a description of the date and location for each sample, 2) classification for all taxa, and 3) counts of each taxon in each sample...
Mauna Kea Palila Egg Harvest 1996 Mauna Kea Palila Egg Harvest 1996
This data release includes data and metadata documenting the removal of eggs from wild palila (Loxioides bailleui) nests to stimulate wild renesting while hatching the harvested eggs and rearing the chicks in captivity for later release to the wild. Some eggs were not harvested and were monitored in the wild for hatching and resulting progeny. The data provides details related to the...
Samoan swallowtail butterfly reproductive life history and parasitism, 2013-2014 Samoan swallowtail butterfly reproductive life history and parasitism, 2013-2014
This data release includes metadata and tabular data documenting the reproductive demography of the Samoan swallowtail butterfly (Papilio godeffroyi), including rates of parasitism by two species of Ooencyrtus wasp. Data was collected at approximately monthly surveys of marked host trees (Micromelum minutum) at eight forest stands, mostly in or adjacent to the National Park of American...
Hawaiian Islands excess rainfall conditions under current (2002-2012) and future (2090-2099) climate scenarios Hawaiian Islands excess rainfall conditions under current (2002-2012) and future (2090-2099) climate scenarios
One of the determinants of runoff is the occurrence of excess rainfall events where rainfall rates exceed the infiltration capacity of soils. To help understand runoff risks, we calculated the probability of excess rainfall events across the Hawaiian landscape by comparing the probability distributions of projected rainfall frequency and land cover-specific infiltration capacity. We...
Samoan swallowtail butterfly reproductive response to host plant characteristics, 2013-2014 (ver. 2.0, July 2024) Samoan swallowtail butterfly reproductive response to host plant characteristics, 2013-2014 (ver. 2.0, July 2024)
Surveys for immature life stages of the Samoan swallowtail butterfly (Papilio godeffroyi) were conducted on 117 individually marked host trees (Micromelum minutum) in eight forest stands on Tutuila Island, American Samoa, at approximately monthly intervals during 2013-2014. The eight stands were mostly in or adjacent to the National Park of American Samoa (NPSA), but one stand was...
Hawaiian Islands downscaled climate projections for baseline (1983-2012), mid- (2040-2059), and late-century (2060-2079) scenarios Hawaiian Islands downscaled climate projections for baseline (1983-2012), mid- (2040-2059), and late-century (2060-2079) scenarios
Global downscaled projections are now some of the most widely used climate datasets in the world, however, they are rarely examined for representativeness of local climate or the plausibility of their projected changes. Here we apply steps to improve the utility of two such global datasets (CHELSA and WorldClim2) to provide credible climate scenarios for climate change impact studies in...
Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge host plant associations of Lepidoptera, 2016-2017 Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge host plant associations of Lepidoptera, 2016-2017
This data release includes metadata and tabular data that documents species of caterpillars collected from different plant species at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge during 2017-2018. Data sets document (1) numbers of caterpillars collected on each plant species, (2) caterpillar host plant associations, (3) the fate of caterpillars during rearing, (4) types of mandibles possessed...
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Forest Composition and Hawaii Elepaio Breeding Behavior 1992-1994 and 2015-2019 Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Forest Composition and Hawaii Elepaio Breeding Behavior 1992-1994 and 2015-2019
This data release contains the tabular data and metadata to record changes in forest composition (tree species relative abundance, tree density, tree height, and tree diameter) over a span from 1993-1994 and 2015-2019. The data also includes Hawaii elepaio breeding territory sizes, and nest site selection (nest tree species, nest tree height, nest tree diameter).
Hakalau litter, frass, soil, and understory foliar nitrogen during a koa moth outbreak, 2013-2014 Hakalau litter, frass, soil, and understory foliar nitrogen during a koa moth outbreak, 2013-2014
This data release includes metadata and tabular data that document estimates of litterfall, koa moth (Scotorythra paludicola) caterpillar frass production, soil nutrients, and foliar nutrients during 2013-2014 at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge. During this time, there was a massive defoliation event of Acacia koa (koa) trees by the koa moth. We monitored these metrics in 4 sites...
Hawaii Island insect response to koa moth (Scotorythra paludicola) outbreak, 2013-2014 Hawaii Island insect response to koa moth (Scotorythra paludicola) outbreak, 2013-2014
This data release includes metadata and tabular data that document the responses of koa moths and other insects to changes in habitat conditions before and after koa (Acacia koa) defoliation by koa moth caterpillars (Scotorythra paludicola) at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge during 2013-2014. Data sets document changes in (1) koa moth abundance, (2) koa moth caterpillar abundance...
Hawaii Island tree response to koa moth outbreak, 2013-2014 Hawaii Island tree response to koa moth outbreak, 2013-2014
This data release includes metadata and tabular data that document the response of koa (Acacia koa) trees to defoliation by the koa moth (Scotorythra paludicola) during 2013-2014 at Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge. Data were collected on 55 plots at 4 sites representing 2 habitat types with either high or low koa densities. Ohia (Metrosideros polymorpha) trees dominated habitats...
Hawaii Island bird response to koa moth outbreak, 2013-2014 Hawaii Island bird response to koa moth outbreak, 2013-2014
This data release includes metadata and tabular data that document the responses of birds to changes in habitat conditions before and after koa (Acacia koa) defoliation by koa moths (Scotorythra paludicola). Data sets document changes in the (1) use of tree species, (2) arthropod composition of diets, and (3) body mass.
Filter Total Items: 83
Photographic guide to the leaf litter arthropod community of the lowland wet forest ecosystem of the Island of Hawaiʻi Photographic guide to the leaf litter arthropod community of the lowland wet forest ecosystem of the Island of Hawaiʻi
Leaf litter arthropods are important components of the food web in forests, and their presence and diversity can provide information on forest health. There has been very little documentation of the leaf litter arthropods in Hawaiian forest ecosystems. This technical report is a photographic guide to some common arthropods collected from forest leaf litter at the Liko Nā Pilina Hybrid...
Authors
Trebor Hall, Robert W. Peck, Anuhea Robins, Maya Munstermann, Rebecca Ostertag, Esther Sebastian Gonzalez, Nicole DiManno, Susan Cordell, Paul C. Banko
2022–2024 Status and trends of the Palila (Loxioides bailleui) 2022–2024 Status and trends of the Palila (Loxioides bailleui)
Palila (Loxioides bailleui) are critically endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers specializing on the seedpods of māmane (Sophora chrysophylla) and restricted to Mauna Kea volcano on the Island of Hawaiʻi. A previous analysis of survey data estimated an 89% population decline between 1998 and 2021. Using the most recent annual survey data from 2022, 2023, and 2024, we report updated annual...
Authors
Noah Hunt, Chauncey K. Asing, Lindsey Nietmann, Paul C. Banko, Richard J. Camp
Climatic drought and trophic disruption in an endemic subalpine Hawaiian forest bird Climatic drought and trophic disruption in an endemic subalpine Hawaiian forest bird
Overexploitation, habitat conversion, and introduced species have caused unprecedented extinctions and heavily degraded native bird populations in island ecosystems. In the Hawaiian Islands, stemming these losses has proven difficult as the highly specialized avifauna are often impacted – among other things – by poorly understood trophic disruptions as well as persistent climatic shifts...
Authors
Kyle S. Van Houtan, Tyler O. Gagné, Paul C. Banko, Molly E. Hagemann, Robert W. Peck, Christopher T. Yarnes
Reproductive ecology and egg parasitism of the Samoan swallowtail butterfly Reproductive ecology and egg parasitism of the Samoan swallowtail butterfly
We investigated the reproductive ecology and effects of egg parasitism on the Samoan swallowtail butterfly (Papilio godeffroyi), which survives only on Tutuila Island, American Samoa, after having disappeared from the much larger islands of Upolu and Savai‘i in independent Samoa. During monthly surveys of its only known host plant, Micromelum minutum, across eight sites in 2013 and 2014...
Authors
Paul C. Banko, Mark A. Schmaedick, Robert W. Peck, Adam C. Miles, Niela Leifi
Nihoa and Laysan Island passerines population abundances, trends, and habitat utilization Nihoa and Laysan Island passerines population abundances, trends, and habitat utilization
Nihoa and Laysan Island, part of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, are host to three endangered passerine species—Nihoa finch (Telespiza ultima), Nihoa millerbird (Acrocephalus familiaris kingi), and Laysan finch (Telespiza cantans). Using point-transect distance sampling survey records from 2010 to 2022 for Nihoa and 2013 to 2019 for Laysan Island, we estimated the density and...
Authors
Trevor Bak, Richard J. Camp, Chris Farmer, Rachel A. Rounds, Sheldon M. Plentovich, John Vetter, Paul C. Banko
Carbon dioxide (CO2) gas and eDNA monitoring as tools for eradicating invasive fish from anchialine pools in Hawai‘i Carbon dioxide (CO2) gas and eDNA monitoring as tools for eradicating invasive fish from anchialine pools in Hawai‘i
Invasive fish can profoundly affect communities they invade. In Hawai‘i, invasive fishes have become established in many anchialine pools, threatening the persistence of resident invertebrates, including several endangered species. Tools to eradicate invasive fishes from these pools are lacking. This study tested the efficacy of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas diffused into anchialine pool...
Authors
Robert W. Peck, Maya Munnstermann, Malia Hayes, Carter T. Atkinson, Sallie Beavers, Aaron R. Cupp, Paul C. Banko
Twenty-five years of change in forest structure and nesting behavior of Hawaiʻi ʻelepaio Twenty-five years of change in forest structure and nesting behavior of Hawaiʻi ʻelepaio
Long-term ecological studies are invaluable for detecting changes over time. Forest restoration has been a conservation priority in Hawaiʻi, where invasive species have negatively impacted native bird habitat. During 1993–1994, a study was conducted of Hawaiʻi ʻelepaio (Chasiempis sandwichensis) nest site selection and forest composition in mesic montane forest along Mauna Loa Road in...
Authors
Kelly Jaenecke, Paul C. Banko, Robert W. Peck, Zee Sarr, Nicholas Shema
Evaluation of replicate sampling using hierarchical spatial modeling of population surveys accounting for imperfect detectability Evaluation of replicate sampling using hierarchical spatial modeling of population surveys accounting for imperfect detectability
Effective species management and conservation benefit from knowledge of species distribution and status. Surveys to obtain that information often involve replicate sampling, which increases survey effort and costs. We simultaneously modeled species distribution, abundance and spatial correlation, and compared the uncertainty in replicate abundance estimates of the endangered palila...
Authors
Richard J. Camp, Chauncey K. Asing, Paul C. Banko, Lainie Berry, Kevin W. Brinck, Chris Farmer, Ayesha Genz
Ooencyrtus pitosina (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)–A natural enemy of Samoan swallowtail butterfly Papilio godeffroyi (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) Ooencyrtus pitosina (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)–A natural enemy of Samoan swallowtail butterfly Papilio godeffroyi (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae)
A new species of encyrtid wasp, Ooencyrtus pitosina Polaszek, Noyes & Fusu sp. n., (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae: Encyrtinae) is described as a gregarious parasitoid in the eggs of the endemic Samoan swallowtail butterfly Papilio godeffroyi (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) in the Samoan archipelago. It is described here because it is an important natural enemy of this butterfly, and to facilitate...
Authors
Andrew Polaszek, John Noyes, Elena Lugli, Mark Schmaedick, Robert W. Peck, Paul C. Banko, Lucian Fusu
Reproductive response of the Samoan swallowtail butterfly to variability in host plant and habitat characteristics Reproductive response of the Samoan swallowtail butterfly to variability in host plant and habitat characteristics
The Samoan swallowtail butterfly (Papilio godeffroyi) has become restricted to Tutuila Island, American Samoa. Factors driving its extirpation on other islands may be partly due to the availability and suitability of habitat, given the singular association we observed of P. godeffroyi with its host plant, Micromelum minutum. We expected that as a host plant specialist, P. godeffroyi...
Authors
Paul C. Banko, Robert W. Peck, Mark A. Schmaedick, Adam C. Miles, Niela Leifi, Kevin W. Brinck
Land cover differentially affects abundance of common and rare birds Land cover differentially affects abundance of common and rare birds
While rare species are vulnerable to global change, large declines in common species (i.e., those with large population sizes, large geographic distributions, and/or that are habitat generalists) also are of conservation concern. Understanding if and how commonness mediates species' responses to global change, including land cover change, can help guide conservation strategies. We...
Authors
Kristin P. Davis, Paul C. Banko, Liba Pejchar
Density surface and excursion sets modeling as an approach to estimating population densities Density surface and excursion sets modeling as an approach to estimating population densities
Effective species management and conservation require knowledge of species distribution and status. We used point-transect distance sampling surveys of the endangered palila (Loxioides bailleui), a honeycreeper currently found only on the Island of Hawai'i, USA, to generate robust estimates of total abundance and simultaneously model the distribution, abundance, and spatial correlation...
Authors
Richard J. Camp, Chauncey K. Asing, Paul C. Banko, Lainie Berry, Kevin W. Brinck, Chris Farmer, Ayesha Genz