Background and Vision
The Kipuka Project bring together researchers from Stanford University, Michigan Technological University, University of Maryland, Carnegie Institute of Science, the University of Hawaii at Hilo, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Colorado State University, and the USDA including the Forest Service's Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry and APHIS, with the goal of understanding how fragmentation and invasive species interact to impact native Hawaiian forests. The study system relies on a naturally replicated system of Hawaiian forest fragments of varying sizes created by recent lava flows (called “kipuka” in the native Hawaiian language) to support a diversity of hypotheses tests. Studies are examining the distribution and dynamics of rats across fragments, the effects of fragment size on bird abundance and densities, the interactive effects of rat removal and fragment size on food webs, fragmentation effects on pollination webs, and fragmentaiton effects on canopy dynamics and forest productivity.
The Kipuka Project seeks to recruit new studies to this model field system. Over time, this unique study system will become an international center for asking
fundamental ecological questions relevant to conservation biology, restoration ecology and natural resources management. Please browse this website for more information on existing projects.
The Kipuka Project seeks to recruit new studies to this model field system. Over time, this unique study system will become an international center for asking
fundamental ecological questions relevant to conservation biology, restoration ecology and natural resources management. Please browse this website for more information on existing projects.