Hawaiian Islands Research Articles

Paratrypaea Komai & Tachikawa, 2008 (Decapoda: Axiidea: Callianassidae): more than two or three species

Abstract Paratrypaea Komai & Tachikawa, 2008 has for more than a decade been thought to contain only two species, both widespread throughout the Indo-West Pacific, or briefly three species. Molecular studies using mitochondrial 16S rRNA and 12S rRNA plus nuclear H3 and 18S rRNA genes, repeated here with samples from more individuals, have shown well separated clades within the genus. Morphological examination has found differences, especially in the form of the adult male cheliped, between the clades leading to the conclusion that Paratrypaea comprises at least eight species of which four are new and described herein. Not all closely related clades could be morphologically distinguished. Some species are narrowly and others widely distributed. The species are: P. baliensissp. nov. from Indonesia; P. bouvieri (Nobili, 1904) from the Red Sea and Indian Ocean; P. chichijimaensis (Sakai, 2015) comb. nov. from Japan; P. dworschakisp. nov. from the Hawaiian Islands; P. maldivensis (Borradaile, 1904) from the eastern Indian Ocean, Papua New Guinea, and possibly western Pacific; P. niuginiensissp. nov. from Papua New Guinea; P. rectangularis (Ngoc-Ho, 1991) from French Polynesia to the Red Sea; and P. rempiensissp. nov. from Papua New Guinea. A published partial 16S sequence from Japan has provided evidence of one more species than those proposed here. Paratrypaea cristata (Borradaile, 1910) comb. nov. remains a species inquirenda.

Allopolyploid origin and diversification of the Hawaiian endemic mints

Island systems provide important contexts for studying processes underlying lineage migration, species diversification, and organismal extinction. The Hawaiian endemic mints (Lamiaceae family) are the second largest plant radiation on the isolated Hawaiian Islands. We generated a chromosome-scale reference genome for one Hawaiian species, Stenogyne calaminthoides, and resequenced 45 relatives, representing 34 species, to uncover the continental origins of this group and their subsequent diversification. We further resequenced 109 individuals of two Stenogyne species, and their purported hybrids, found high on the Mauna Kea volcano on the island of Hawai’i. The three distinct Hawaiian genera, Haplostachys, Phyllostegia, and Stenogyne, are nested inside a fourth genus, Stachys. We uncovered four independent polyploidy events within Stachys, including one allopolyploidy event underlying the Hawaiian mints and their direct western North American ancestors. While the Hawaiian taxa may have principally diversified by parapatry and drift in small and fragmented populations, localized admixture may have played an important role early in lineage diversification. Our genomic analyses provide a view into how organisms may have radiated on isolated island chains, settings that provided one of the principal natural laboratories for Darwin’s thinking about the evolutionary process.

Coffee berry borer (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) population dynamics across Hawaii Island's diverse coffee-growing landscape: optimizing location-specific pesticide applications.

A major challenge to area-wide management of coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) is understanding how a heterogeneous coffee-growing landscape affects coffee berry borer population dynamics across temporal and spatial scales. We examined coffee phenology, weather, coffee berry borer flight activity, infestation, coffee berry borer position within the fruit, and management across 14 commercial coffee farms from 2016 to 2018 on Hawaii Island to characterize variation among districts and elevations. Here we aim to determine whether the timing of pesticide applications might be optimized based on specific locations. We observed larger populations of coffee berry borer at low-elevation farms and in the Kona district compared to mid- and high-elevation farms and the Ka'u district. Temperature, relative humidity, and rainfall all differed significantly across districts and elevations. We also observed a trend of higher fruit production at low-elevation farms compared to high-elevation farms, and differences in the timing of fruit development. Infestation increased with higher pest pressure and air temperatures and reduced fruit availability early and late in the season. Lastly, the timing and number of management interventions varied among districts and elevations. Combining information on trap catch, infestation, coffee berry borer position, and plant phenology, we present an optimized pesticide spray schedule for each location and find that the number of sprays could be reduced by 33-75% in comparison to the existing integrated pest management recommendations while maintaining effective control. Implementing a coordinated area-wide approach refined by small-scale optimization will lead to improved management of coffee berry borer on individual farms and a reduction in pest pressure across the coffee-growing landscape.

A Korean Picture Bride as an Immigrant Woman Entrepreneur: Gender, Mobility, and Hawaii's Lodging Businesses

This article aims to analyze the autobiographical records left by Chun Yun‐hee, who came to Hawaii in 1915 as a Korean picture bride, through the lenses of gender, family, labor, and entrepreneurship. First, this article examines the motivations and causes for her transcountry mobility during Korea's Japanese colonial era and subsequent local‐level relocations within the Hawaiian Islands. Second, it sheds light on her labor and economic activities in the period after her migration to the United States, particularly focusing on her involvement in Hawaii's lodging business. It examines why and how she entered and operated lodging businesses, specifically in terms of capital, labor, and customers; how gender and geographical conditions affected her entrepreneurial activities; and how she interpreted the meaning of her work. It is expected that this study will contribute to an improved understanding of not only immigrant women entrepreneurs in general but also the economic adaptation processes and the role of social networks among Korean picture brides in particular.

Achievements and Challenges in Controlling Coffee Leaf Rust (Hemileia vastatrix) in Hawaii

In this case study, the current situation faced by coffee growers attempting to control coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix) in Hawaii is reported. CLR is considered the most devastating disease affecting coffee crops worldwide and was detected in Hawaii in 2020. Three small coffee farms from the South Kona district of Hawaii Island were selected. The goals of this case study were to: (1) assist coffee growers in the early detection of CLR incidence, and consequently support farmers with recommendations for control, (2) record agronomic information and management practices, and (3) estimate the cost to control CLR during 2021 and 2022 seasons. Low CLR incidence (<4%) was initially observed at all farms (January–June 2021), but increased as the harvest began, ending the season (December 2021) at 77%, 21% and 6% incidence at farms 1, 2 and 3, respectively. At the end of 2022 season (December), CLR incidence reached 43%, 20% and 3% at farms 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The number of sprays per season (5–10), the type of fungicides applied (preventive, curative), the timing of sprays, the efficacy of applications and weather conditions all played a role in determining the infection rates at each farm. Effective control of CLR is possible in Hawaii if the sprays of fungicides are carried out with the right products, appropriate timing and good coverage.

Quantifying causal teleconnections to drought and fire risks in Indonesian Borneo

AbstractFires occurring over the peatlands in Indonesian Borneo accompanied by droughts have posed devastating impacts on human health, livelihoods, economy and the natural environment, and their prevention requires comprehensive understanding of climate‐associated risk. Although it is widely known that the droughts are associated with El Niño events, the onset process of El Niño and thus the drought precursors and their possible changes under the future climate are not clearly understood. Here, we use a causal network approach to quantify the strength of teleconnections to droughts at a seasonal timescale shown in observations and climate models. We portray two drivers of June‐July‐August (JJA) droughts identified through literature review and causal analysis, namely Niño 3.4 sea surface temperature (SST) in JJA (El Niño Southern Oscillation [abbreviated as ENSO]) and SST anomaly over the eastern North Pacific to the east of the Hawaiian Islands (abbreviated as Pacific SST) in March‐April‐May (MAM) period. We argue that the droughts are strongly linked to ENSO variability, with drier years corresponding to El Niño conditions. The droughts can be predicted with a lead time of 3 months based on their associations with Pacific SST, with higher SST preceding drier conditions. We find that under the SSP585 scenario, the Coupled Model Intercomparison Phase 6 (CMIP6) multi‐model ensembles show significant increase in both the maximum number of consecutive dry days in the Indonesian Borneo region in JJA (p = 0.006) and its linear association with Pacific SST in MAM (p = 0.001) from year 2061 to 2100 compared with the historical baseline. Some models are showing unrealistic amounts of JJA rainfall and underestimate drought risks in Indonesian Borneo and their teleconnections, owing to the underestimation of ENSO amplitude and overestimation of local convections. Our study strengthens the possibility of early warning triggers of fires and stresses the need for taking enhanced climate risk into consideration when formulating long‐term policies to eliminate fires.

Seasonal Variability in the Prevalence of DWV Strains in Individual Colonies of European Honeybees in Hawaii.

The most prevalent viral pathogen of honeybees is Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) and its two most widely studied and common master-variants are DWV-A and DWV-B. The prevalence of DWV variants in the UK and in the US is changing, with the prevalence of the DWV-A strain declining and DWV-B increasing over time. In 2012, only DWV-A was detected on the Hawaiian Islands of Oahu. In this study we focused on a colony-level survey of DWV strains in a single apiary and examined the prevalence of DWV variants over the course of two years. In 2018 and 2019, a total of 16 colonies underwent viral testing in January, May, and September. Of those 16 colonies, four were monitored in both 2018 and 2019. Individual colonies showed variability of DWV master variants throughout the sampling period. DWV-A was consistently detected; however, the detection of DWV-B was variable across time in individual colonies. Ultimately, this study demonstrated a seasonal variation in both viral prevalence and load for DWV-B, providing a perspective on the dynamic nature of DWV master variants emerging in Hawaii.

Hybrid Empirical Ground-Motion Models for the Island of Hawaii Based on an Updated Strong Ground-Motion Database

ABSTRACT In this study, we develop ground-motion models (GMMs) for the Island of Hawaii. This area has been the site of several significant earthquake events with a growing database of strong ground-motion observations. Ground-motion modeling on the Island of Hawaii is challenging due to different anelastic attenuation characteristics, the volcanic origin of some of the events, and event depth distribution. Only a few GMMs have been developed for the Island of Hawaii. In this study, we apply a hybrid empirical method (HEM) to develop two separate GMMs for shallow (hypocentral depth ≤ 20 km) and deep (hypocentral depth > 20 km) earthquakes on the Island of Hawaii. We utilize the ratio of the stochastic point-source model in the target and host regions as an appropriate adjustment factor. We apply these adjustment factors to convert the GMMs from the host (western North America) to the target (Island of Hawaii) region. We considered five GMMs proposed in the Next Generation Attenuation Phase 2 project by the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center to model ground motions in the host region. We developed GMMs to predict peak ground acceleration and 5%-damped pseudospectral acceleration at periods T = 0.01–10 s, for moment magnitudes (M) in the range of 3–7.5, and for Joyner–Boore distances in the RJB≤200 km range. The applicability of HEM to develop GMMs for the Island of Hawaii and the growing strong ground-motion data result in further improvements in the capability of GMMs.

Limits to knickzone retreat and bedrock river incision on the Hawaiian islands

AbstractA knickzone is defined as a waterfall or an oversteepened fluvial reach encompassing a series of waterfalls. Knickzones are remarkable landforms in that they may represent diametrically opposed conditions: either rapid upstream propagation of base‐level fall or a condition of stability and stalled response to base‐level fall. Knickzones on the Hawaiian islands exhibit evidence of both behaviours, and in this study, we explore whether this dichotomy can be explained by a threshold stream power for river incision. Topographic analysis shows that the transition between fluvial hanging valleys, where no measurable upstream retreat from the stream junction or coastline has occurred, and knickzones that have retreated or formed upstream of their outlet can be defined by a range of catchment sizes from ~0.5 to 6 km2. This transition is present on all volcanoes in our analysis regardless of significant base‐level fall, and there is no clear trend of drainage area above knickzones with volcano age. To explain these observations, we hypothesize that knickzones form or stabilize where maximum unit stream power ( ) does not exceed the critical unit stream power required to incise bedrock . Using estimates of a maximum possible flood discharge as a function of drainage area to calculate , we show that drainage areas above knickzones are well described by the theoretical prediction that incision stalls when , where falls in a narrow range from 14 to 40 kW/m2. Furthermore, we demonstrate that knickzone positions are largely insensitive to mean climate conditions, likely reflecting the fact that extreme flood events are either insensitive or inversely correlated with mean annual rainfall.

Subsurface temperature estimates from a Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS) reanalysis provide accurate coral heat stress indices across the Main Hawaiian Islands

As ocean temperatures continue to rise, coral bleaching events around the globe are becoming stronger and more frequent. High-resolution temperature data is therefore critical for monitoring reef conditions to identify indicators of heat stress. Satellite and in situ measurements have historically been relied upon to study the thermal tolerances of coral reefs, but these data are quite limited in their spatial and temporal coverage. Ocean circulation models could provide an alternative or complement to these limited data, but a thorough evaluation against in situ measurements has yet to be conducted in any Pacific Islands region. Here we compared subsurface temperature measurements around the nearshore Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) from 2010 to 2017 with temperature predictions from an operational Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) to evaluate the potential utility of this model as a tool for coral reef management. We found that overall, the ROMS reanalysis presents accurate subsurface temperature predictions across the nearshore MHI region and captures a significant amount of observed temperature variability. The model recreates several temperature metrics used to identify coral heat stress, including predicting the 2014 and 2015 bleaching events around Hawaiʻi during the summer and fall months of those years. The MHI ROMS simulation proves to be a useful tool for coral reef management in the absence of, or to supplement, subsurface and satellite measurements across Hawaiʻi and likely for other Pacific Island regions.

Dissolved rare earth elements in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre: Lithogenic sources and water mass mixing control

In the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, which is one of the largest oligotrophic regions, there is a lack of information regarding the sources and transport of trace metals through water mass mixing. Rare earth elements (REEs) are essential for tracing lithogenic sources and water mass transport. In this study, we present dissolved REE concentrations and the factors controlling their distributions in the northwest Pacific during a GEOTRACES cruise (GP09). In the surface water along 11°N, we observed input signals from the Philippine and the Hawaiian Islands, characterized by positive Eu anomalies and slightly elevated REE concentrations. By incorporating our data and published REE data from the northwest Pacific to the southeast Pacific (40°N–40°S), we demonstrated that the REE concentrations and Yb/Nd ratios can distinguish North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW), Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW), and modified AAIW. By estimating the ratio of water mass mixing, we suggest that heavy REEs are predominantly contributed by water mass mixing (e.g., 93 % ± 4% for Yb) and can be used as semi-conservative tracers to quantify the mixing of NPIW and modified AAIW at the potential density of 27.2 kg/m3. At ∼800 m depth at stations K12, K13, and K14, weak negative Ce anomalies (>0.1) were observed, indicating the lateral transport of water masses imprinted with sediment signals from the Philippine Islands. In the deep waters (>1500 m) at the Luzon Strait (station K1), we propose that the weak Ce negative anomalies (>0.08) and low Yb/Nd ratios (<5), combined with the low beam transmission, are the result of particle resuspension and release. In deep water (>2000 m), combining high-resolution REE measurements with water mass analysis, our research reveals that dissolved REEs (except Ce) are dominantly controlled by water mass mixing (e.g., 80 %∼100 % for Yb and 70 %∼100 % for Nd). For the non-conservative behavior, which is not explained by water mass mixing, the residual fraction of heavy REEs (<20 % for Yb) originates from release of sinking particles (organic matter and siliceous particles), while the remaining concentrations of light REEs (<30 % for Nd) may be influenced by a combination of particle release and scavenging processes. These findings highlight valuable information about lithogenic sources and the proportions of REE distributions that are controlled by physical and biogeochemical processes. Moreover, it emphasizes the applicability of heavy REEs as effective tracers for understanding basin-scale water mass mixing in the northwest Pacific.

Understanding vessel noise across a network of marine protected areas

Protected areas are typically managed as a network of sites exposed to varying anthropogenic conditions. Managing these networks benefits from monitoring of conditions across sites to help prioritize coordinated efforts. Monitoring marine vessel activity and related underwater radiated noise impacts across a network of protected areas, like the U.S. National Marine Sanctuary system, helps managers ensure the quality of habitats used by a wide range of marine species. Here, we use underwater acoustic detections of vessels to quantify different characteristics of vessel noise at 25 locations within eight marine sanctuaries including the Hawaiian Archipelago and the U.S. east and west coasts. Vessel noise metrics, including temporal presence and sound levels, were paired with Automatic Identification System (AIS) vessel tracking data to derive a suite of robust vessel noise indicators for use across the network of marine protected areas. Network-wide comparisons revealed a spectrum of vessel noise conditions that closely matched AIS vessel traffic composition. Shifts in vessel noise were correlated with the decrease in vessel activity early in the COVID-19 pandemic, and vessel speed reduction management initiatives. Improving our understanding of vessel noise conditions in these protected areas can help direct opportunities for reducing vessel noise, such as establishing and maintaining noise-free periods, enhancing port efficiency, engaging with regional and international vessel quieting initiatives, and leveraging co-benefits of management actions for reducing ocean noise.

Genomic analysis of population history for Hawaiian monk seals

The Hawaiian monk seal Neomonachus schauinslandi, one of the world’s most endangered pinnipeds, has faced decades of declines and has been the focus of intensive conservation efforts. A myriad of conservation threats has led to range-wide population declines, but population trends among islands can vary widely in response to heterogeneous threats. Populations in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands have been declining, whereas Main Hawaiian Islands numbers are expanding. Molecular data can provide information to disentangle population structure and dynamics; however, previous studies have yielded insufficient resolution in such a genetically depauperate species. Advances in genomic technology and affordability offer a novel opportunity to revisit questions about Hawaiian monk seal trends with high-resolution markers that provide better discrimination ability in low-diversity species. Here, we investigated region- and island-level population structuring and connectivity. We used BestRAD sequencing on 169 seals from 14 islands that span the archipelago to estimate genetic diversity, genetic differentiation, population structure, and migration rates. We did not find robust evidence for island-level population structure. For the first time, our data set provided resolution to differentiate regional populations with low but significant genetic differentiation. Further, DAPC illustrated population structure with evidence for connectivity, which mirrored our migration rate estimates. Future conservation decisions will need to consider the balance of maintaining connectivity between regions while not homogenizing and losing valuable, yet rare, regional unique variation.

Comparing the underwater soundscape of the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and potential influences of the COVID-19 pandemic

Passive acoustic monitoring is an effective technique for long-term monitoring of the soundscape in marine protected areas. Ocean noise is a key concern for the U.S. Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and has been identified as a research priority. The Sanctuary Soundscape Monitoring Project (“SanctSound”) was implemented to support efforts to address ocean noise across seven U.S. sanctuaries using a comprehensive and standardized approach. In this study, acoustic recordings were collected in the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary during the humpback whale seasons (November-May) from 2018-2022. Data encompassed 14 deployments across four sites in the main Hawaiian Islands: Hawaiʻi, Maui, O’ahu, and Kauaʻi. The soundscape was dominated by biological sources, most prominently the seasonal detection of humpback whale song. Third octave level monthly medians ranged from 70.4-105 dB re 1 µPa across sites with distinct peaks from January to April particularly at both Hawaiʻi and Maui sites. Overall, we reported relatively low vessel detection rates, with Maui having the highest daily average of vessel detections (x = 19.16). No COVID-19 impact could be observed acoustically using soundscape metrics which was likely due to the dominance of humpback whale chorusing. However, vessel detections and AIS data revealed a reduction in vessel activity after the onset of the pandemic at the Maui and Hawaiʻi sites. This study demonstrates that standardized metrics are a useful tool for obtaining long-term, baseline soundscape levels to understand the various contributions to the underwater soundscape and potential changes within marine protected areas in Hawaiʻi.

Population genetics of Sida fallax Walp. (Malvaceae) in the Hawaiian Islands.

Sida fallax (Malvaceae) is the most widespread and variable taxon of Malvaceae in the Hawaiian Islands, growing with a diversity of morphological forms in different habitats including Midway Atoll, Nihoa, and all the main islands. Morphological variation exists within and among populations. The study aimed to investigate the genetic variation within and among populations from various habitats and geographic locations throughout the Hawaiian range of S. fallax. A total of 124 samples, with up to five samples per population where possible, were collected from 26 populations across six of the main Hawaiian Islands (Kaua'i, O'ahu, Maui, Moloka'i, Lāna'i, and Hawai'i) and Nihoa in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The sampling strategy encompassed collecting populations from different habitats and geographic locations, including coastal and mountain ecotypes, with many intermediate morphological forms. Multiplexed ISSR genotyping by sequencing (MIG-seq) was used to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and genetic differences among individuals and populations were evaluated using PCO analyses. The relationship of FST with the geographical distance between the populations was assessed using the Mantel test. The results showed that populations on a single island were more closely related to each other and to populations on islands within their respective groups than they were to populations on other islands. The overall genetic relationships among islands were, to a large extent, predictive based on island position within the chain and, to a lesser extent, within island topography.

Groundwater microbial communities reflect geothermal activity on volcanic island.

Studies of the effects of volcanic activity on the Hawaiian Islands are extremely relevant due to the past and current co-eruptions at both Mauna Loa and Kīlauea. The Big Island of Hawai'i is one of the most seismically monitored volcanic systems in the world, and recent investigations of the Big Island suggest a widespread subsurface connectivity between volcanoes. Volcanic activity has the potential to add mineral contaminants into groundwater ecosystems, thus affecting water quality, and making inhabitants of volcanic islands particularly vulnerable due to dependence on groundwater aquifers. As part of an interdisciplinary study on groundwater aquifers in Kona, Hawai'i, over 40 groundwater wells were sampled quarterly from August 2017 through March 2019, before and after the destructive eruption of the Kīlauea East Rift Zone in May 2018. Sample sites occurred at great distance (~80 km) from Kīlauea, allowing us to pose questions of how volcanic groundwater aquifers might be influenced by volcanic subsurface activity. Approximately 400 water samples were analyzed and temporally split by pre-eruption and post-eruption for biogeochemical analysis. While most geochemical constituents did not differ across quarterly sampling, microbial communities varied temporally (pre- and post-eruption). When a salinity threshold amongst samples was set, the greatest microbial community differences were observed in the freshest groundwater samples. Differential analysis indicated bacterial families with sulfur (S) metabolisms (sulfate reducers, sulfide oxidation, and disproportionation of S-intermediates) were enriched post-eruption. The diversity in S-cyclers without a corresponding change in sulfate geochemistry suggests cryptic cycling may occur in groundwater aquifers as a result of distant volcanic subsurface activity. Microbial communities, including taxa that cycle S, may be superior tracers to changes in groundwater quality, especially from direct inputs of subsurface volcanic activity.

Climate-driven differences in flow regimes alter tropical freshwater ecosystems with consequences for an endemic shrimp

Climate-driven shifts in the natural flow regime can threaten species persistence in stream systems, and anticipating such shifts before they occur is critical for conservation. We can explore how climate change may impact biota by examining natural systems that differ in terms of climate yet are similar in terms of other landscape features such as geology, size, and elevation. Across an established precipitation and hydrologic gradient on the east coast of Hawaii Island, we sampled stream habitat and populations of the endemic migratory mountain shrimp Atyoida bisulcata over three years and examined how habitat as well as population metrics and individual condition respond to differences in stream flow. Along the precipitation gradient, baseflow declined and streams shifted from run/riffle systems with moss cover to those with predominately pools and limited available habitat. Across years, baseflow conditions were relatively consistent within streams while measures of stream flow stability and the duration of high flows were more variable. Streams with high and persistent baseflow had greater atyid biomass density with larger individuals less prone to disease. Within-stream interannual variation in baseflow was low relative to differences across streams, and most A. bisulcata metrics also had low within-stream interannual variability, making average baseflow an appropriate surrogate for differences in suitability. However, extremes in annual rainfall may result in high variability in A. bisulcata metrics within a single stream due to seasonal drying or persistent high flows, highlighting the importance of long-term monitoring to fully understand population responses to climate-mediated stream flow. Our study suggests that changes in rainfall patterns will alter stream flow and may ultimately negatively influence tropical stream organisms.

Phenological variation in the life histories of amphidromous gobies endemic to the Hawaiian islands

AbstractDespite the benefits that can come from coordinated movement, many diadromous fishes have evolved partial migration strategies, where a portion of a population does not migrate. Co‐occurring life‐history variants might nonetheless gain some advantage by exhibiting congruent phenologies, with key events timed to follow the same cue. Here, we assess this possibility by examining otolith microchemistry and structure to quantify the lunar periodicity of hatching and metamorphosis according to migration strategy in a facultative amphidromous goby endemic to Hawai'i. Our analyses corroborated prior evidence that Awaous stamineus exhibits partial migration and that residential A. stamineus are often proportionately more abundant than the migratory form. Contrary to expectation, we found a significant difference in hatching time between migratory and residential A. stamineus. A higher proportion of A. stamineus migrants hatched at the full moon and metamorphosed at the new moon, whereas residents exhibited the opposite phenology. Comparisons to Sicyopterus stimpsoni intended to provide a broader context revealed that the obligately amphidromous species tends to hatch at the new moon and metamorphose at the full moon, mirroring the phenology of residential A. stamineus. Evidence of convergent lunar phenologies suggests that synchronising life‐history events can confer benefits that extend beyond species boundaries. Notably, phenological discordance could be acting as a prezygotic isolating barrier between sympatric life‐history variants, pointing to the presence of heretofore unrecognised evolutionary diversity within partially migratory species like A. stamineus.

The Divine Feminine: Calling Back the Treasured Moʻolelo From the Forbidden Past to Heal the Present

When we listen to mo‘olelo (stories) of specific places and spaces in the Hawaiian Islands, we see ‘wāhine (women) traits of strength and resilience in how they perform their kuleana (obligation) to the ‘āina (land). By strengthening the ties of sovereignty within the Hawaiian Islands, the ‘wāhine are teaching ways to secure food for the lāhui (nation). Using narrative inquiry and Kānaka Ōiwi methodology, this body of work draws broader parallels through the lenses of intersubjectivity to understand the implications of coloniality and the continued rise of women’s presence in their efforts to strengthen the food sovereignty for the lāhui.

Assisted colonization of albatrosses in the California Channel Islands: conservation basis and suitability assessment

Laysan (Phoebastria immutabilis) and Black-footed Albatrosses (P. nigripes) nest primarily on low-lying atolls in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands that are threatened by inundation from sea level rise and increasing storm surge associated with climate change. Restoration or creation of breeding colonies on higher islands is among the highest priority conservation actions for these species. A previous structured decision-making analysis identified the California Channel Islands as a possible restoration site for Black-footed Albatross. The California Current is part of the natural foraging ranges of Laysan and Black-footed albatrosses. Archaeological evidence indicates both species were present in the California Channel Islands prehistorically, yet neither currently nests in the Channel Islands. We assessed the feasibility of creating albatross breeding colonies in the Channel Islands using social attraction and translocation, and the suitability of each island. We used a risk analysis framework developed for the U.S. National Park Service to evaluate the potential ecological risks of this action. Creating an albatross colony in the Channel Islands is feasible using available methods. Santa Barbara and San Nicolas islands would be most suitable for albatross. Social attraction is less expensive and might be effective for creating a Laysan Albatross colony because that species is already visiting some islands. Translocation would be necessary to create a Black-footed Albatross colony. The risks associated with attempting to establish albatross breeding colonies in the Channel Islands were deemed to be generally low, but the risk of no action is high to these albatrosses. This can be a useful assisted colonization case study that can inform decisions by land managers and agencies regarding conservation of North Pacific albatrosses and other species.