Assessing Land Cover Dynamics and Evaluating Potential Management Implications of Gorse on Mauna Kea, Hawaii

Item Summary

Title:	Assessing Land Cover Dynamics and Evaluating Potential Management Implications of Gorse on Mauna Kea, Hawaii
Authors:	Tribble, Sarah
Contributors:	Trauernicht, Clay (advisor) Idol, Travis (instructor) Natural Resources and Environmental Management (department) Masters of Environmental Management (department)
Date Issued:	02 Sep 2020
Type:	Research study
Abstract:	In Hawaii, invasive species have been declared “the single greatest threat to Hawaii’s economy, natural environment and to the health and lifestyle of Hawaii’s people” by the Hawaii State Legislature. On the Big island of Hawaii, a severe infestation of gorse (Ulex europaeus), occurs in the critical watersheds above Hilo. Decades of work has gone into containment and direct treatment; however, it’s still spreading. This study aims to better understand the environmental drivers of gorse expansion on Mauna Kea to inform management. I aimed to fill this gap by analyzing how distance to invaded areas, vegetative cover, fire disturbance, and annual rainfall variability might influence patterns of gorse establishment and spread. Density and probability plots were created to observe annual transitions across the range of each predictor. My results showed that under drier conditions there is a clear increase in the probability of gorse establishment, areas where bare earth cover was low but herbaceous cover was high resulted in the lowest probability of gorse establishment, and the highest density and probability of gorse establishment occurs near other invaded areas. Lastly, a Pearson’s chi-square test indicated fire promotes gorse establishment. I concluded that, the predictors used in this study do impact the spread and establishment of gorse over time. Furthermore, the data I’ve collected here can be used to develop predictive models of gorse spread into the future.
Description:	Includes an 18 page presentation and a 15 page report entitled Assessing Land Cover Dynamics and Evaluating Potential Management Implications of Gorse on Mauna Kea, Hawaii
Pages/Duration:	15 pages
URI:	http://hdl.handle.net/10125/70301
Appears in Collections:	2020 Capstone Projects

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