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Wet and dry forests of Hawaii Copyright, 1996 © Dale Carnegie & Associates, Inc. Questions • Why are there both wet and dry forests in Hawaii? • What is the weather pattern like? • How much annual rainfall do they receive in the Hawaiian wet and dry forests? Questions • Does the flora change as elevation changes? • What types of plants grow in the wet forests? • What kinds of plants grow in the dry forests? Weather patterns • Trade winds • Rainy season – October-March • Dry season – April-September Weather patterns • Windward – Wet forests • Leeward – Mesic forests • 2,000-4,000 ft. – Dry forests • Below 2,000 ft. Weather Patterns • Annual rainfall – Rainforests • Up to 450” – Dry forests • As little as 5” Hawaiian Flora • 970 species of native plants • Introduced species Hawaiian Flora • 91% endemic – Species which grow only on the Hawaiian islands • Evolve quickly • Specialized • Limited range Hawaiian Flora • 9% indigenous – Species also grow in other places Wet Forests Wet Forests • Bryophytes • Epiphytes • Ferns • Shrubs • Trees Pepperomia • Herbaceous epiphyte • Common • Many different species Pepperomia hawaiiensis oahuensis Wet Forests • Clermontia – Lobelioid – Epiphytic shrubs or small trees – Found in clearings in wet forests Clermontia montis loa hawaiiensis Dubautia • Asteraceae • Member of the Silversword alliance • Shrub or small tree • Found on Kawai Dubautia knudseni Viola chamissoniana ssp. robusta • Wet forest violet • Can be epiphytic Viola chamissioniana robusta Wet Forests - Ferns • Dicranopteris • Sadelaria • Cibotium Dicranopteris Sadelaria Cibotium Wet Forests - Shrubs • Gouldia terminalis – Common in wet forests – May look very different in different environments Gouldia terminalis Wet Forests -Trees • Metrosideros polymorpha – Abundant in the wet forests – Also can be found in dry forests Metrosideros polymorpha Wet Forests - Trees • Pritchardia – Only native palm – Large seeds • Adaptation for growing in shade Pritchardia beccariana Dry Forests Dry Forests - Shrubs • Viola chamissioniana • Found in Koa forests – Up to 8’ tall Viola chamissioniana ssp. tracheliifolia Dry forests - Trees • Acacia koa – Timber trees – Found on every island – 2,000-4,000 ft- mesic forest Acacia koa Wilkesia • Silversword alliance • Neither common nor rare • Dry to mesic forests on Kawai Wilkesia gymnoxiphium Dry forests - Trees • Erythrina sandwicensis – Semi deciduous during dry season – Seeds take 1-2 years to germinate Erythrina sandwicensis Dry Forests - Trees • Cyanea leptostegia – Kokee, Kauai – Lobeleoid, to 40’ tall – Grows in Koa froests • Herbaceous plants Cyanea leptostegia Endangered Forests • 40% of Hawaiian wet forests have been destroyed • 90% of the original dry forests are gone Endangered Dry Forests • Kokia cookei – Only one left – Waimea Park Kokia cookei Hibiscadelphus • Very rare native genus • Hibiscadelphus hualalaiensis only one plant in the wild Hibiscadelphus hualalaiensis Endangered Forests • The dry forest habitat used to hold the highest diversity • Wet forests now have highest diversity Endangered Forests • Polynesians and Europeans – Introduced plants • Fountain grass- Pennesitum • Molasses grass- Melinis • Lantana • Weeds Invasive plants Endangered Forests – Introduced Animals • Goats • Pigs • Rats and mice – Habitat destruction – Dispersal Endangered Forests – Cleared forests • Fire • Grazing • Development • Recreation Endangered Forests • Introduction of non native species • Loss of speciation • Loss of diversity • Loss of ecosystem Questions • Why are there both wet and dry forests in Hawaii? • What is the weather pattern like? • How much annual rainfall do they receive in the Hawaiian wet and dry forests? Questions • Does the flora change as elevation changes? • What types of plants grow in the wet forests? • What kinds of plants grow in the dry forests? References • Allen, William. Environment Hawai`i, Volume 11 Number 3 (September 2000). http://planet-hawaii.com/environment/900at.htm • Cronquist, Sherwin. Hawaii, A Natural History.1980. Honolulu, SB Printers Inc. • Gon, S. and D. Olson. World Wildlife Fund website. 2001. http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles Refrences • Wilson, Kenneth. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County web site. http://www.nhm.org/research/botany/Hawaii_Vanishing_Flora/index .html • Carr, Gerald. University of Hawaii website. 2003. http://www.botany.hawaii.edu.
