I study how ecological communities assemble, with emphasis on understanding historical contingency in species diversity, ecosystem functioning, biological invasion, and ecological restoration. In the kipuka project, I am interested in all aspects of the project, and my primary task is to coordinate the overall management of the project.
Dr. Christian Giardina, US Forest Service
My current research interests include: forest responses to global change; restoration of ecosystem processes in degraded forest; and, production ecology and biogeochemistry. This research is important because nutrient cycles determine site fertility and site fertility drives ecosystem productivity. Further, nutrient and carbon cycles are tightly coupled, and carbon cycling has effects on both nutrient cycles and atmospheric carbon dioxide, which in turn impact global climate. Global climate can then feed back on carbon and nutrient cycles.
Dr. Daniel Gruner, University of Maryland
I am a terrestrial community ecologist with empirical projects on tropical islands, in montane grasslands, and in local agricultural systems, and I use a variety of analytical tools for synthetic reviews and modeling. Generally, our lab studies species interactions in food webs, the maintenance of biodiversity in ecological communities, and community feedbacks with ecosystem function. I research these topics primarily using arthropods in terrestrial ecosystems, but I work in soils and in treetops, with organisms from nematodes to birds to herbaceous plants, and in both temperate and tropical regions. I believe it is important to apply basic science to address challenges in conservation, particularly with biological invasions, pest management, and climate change.
Dr. David Flashpohler, Mighican Tech University
As a researcher in conservation biology, I have studied the influence of a variety of human activities on natural ecosystems, including key contemporary issues, such as the effects of forest fragmentation on songbird demography, the influence of riparian forest management on bird, fish, and aquatic invertebrate communities, the ecological role of overabundant deer in island national parks, and how to best facilitate the transfer of basic and applied scientific research to management. My background in conservation biology has emphasized multidisciplinary approaches to solving scientific and societal problems.
Kīpuka Project Collaborators
Dr. Pat Hart, University of Hawaii at Hilo
Dr. Pat Hart from the University of Hawaii at Hilo studies avian ecology.
Dr. Donna Delparte, University of Hawaii at Hilo
Dr. Greg Asner, Carnegie Institute of Science
Dr. Greg Asner from the Carnegie Institute of Science studies forest ecology through the application of remote sensing tools.
Dr. Brian Perry, University of Hawaii at Hilo
Dr. Brian Perry from the University of Hawaii at Hilo studies fungal ecology.
Post-docs
Dr. Jessie Knowlton, Michigan Tech University
Dr. Jessie Knowlton received her B.S. in Ecology and Evolution from the University of California, Santa Cruz and her Ph.D. from Stony Brook University. For her dissertation she examined the effects of habitat disturbance on the behavior and reproductive success of an Ecuadorian bird community. Jessie is currently a post-doctoral researcher, supervising the bird-related portion of the kipuka project. Jessie works with a skilled crew of field technicians to mist-net and band the birds in the kipuka and monitor their nesting success. She hopes to determine how different bird species use the fragmented landscape, and how rat removal affects their survival and reproductive success.
Dr. Erin Wilson, University of Maryland
Dr. Nick Vaughn, USDA Forest Service
Techical staff
Kainana Francisco, USDA Forest Service
Leah Nakagawa
Caitlin Morrison
Current Graduate Students Research
Joanna Wu, MS Student University of Hawai‘i at Hilo
I am interested in plant-animal interactions and study the seed dispersal and movements of two birds in the kīpuka system.
Devin Leopold, University of Hawai'i at Manoa
Devin worked on the Kipuka Project for 3 years, and has now transitioned into a PhD student position in the Fukami lab, where he is studying plant community ecology using the same fragmented forest as a model system. He is concurrently working towards a Masters of Geographic Information Systems degree from Penn State University.
Lynx Gallagher, MS Student University of Hawai‘i at Hilo
The proposed study will assess fungal diversity, abundance and dynamics in native Hawaiian forest sites as a function of kipuka size. Due to the natural isolation, variable size and ascertainable substrate age of the kipuka located in the upper Upper Waiakea Forest Reserve on Hawaii Island, this system provides an ideal natural laboratory in which to investigate the role of “island” size on diversity, abundance and gene flow between fungal populations. Analytical components of this study will consist of molecular analysis of soil samples paired with traditional observation, recording and collection of fruiting structures over a twelve-month period. The proposed research will be the first to address the diversity and dynamics of fungal communities in native Hawaiian forests using both traditional and molecular sampling methods. The pairing of these methods will not only allow us to address both macro- and microfungal communities occurring both above and below ground, but will also allow us to design a sampling protocol that can be utilized to assess overall fungal diversity in other Hawaiian ecosystems. Peripheral benefits of this study include the continued documentation of Hawaii's native and endemic fungal diversity, a greater understanding of seasonality in Hawaiian fungal reproductive patterns, and the likely discovery of novel Hawaiian fungal taxa.
Project Alumni
Tony Kovach, MS University of Hawai‘i at Hilo
Tonyʻs MS thesis focused on bird abundance, forest structure and fruit availability. After graduating in 2012, Tony is beginning his a PhD at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Springer Kaye, MS University of Hawai‘i at Hilo
Springer's MS Thesis focused on rat distributions and diet in the kipuka field system. After graduating in 2011, Springer joined the US Department of Defense to work on natural resources management and conservation in the Pohakuloa Training Area.
Colin Phifer, MS University of Hawai‘i at Hilo
Colinʻs MS thesis focused on pollination, fragmentation and plant reproductive success. After graduating, Colin has taken a 1-yr position with the US Park Service leading a vegetation monitoring program.