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Seed rain data for Hakalau Forest, Hawaii, 2015-2016

Dates

Publication Date
Start Date
2015-05-06
End Date
2016-08-09

Citation

Yelenik, S.G., Paxton, E., and Rose, E.T., 2020, Avian diet and vegetation data for Hakalau Forest, Hawaii, 2012-2016: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9BKTXB3.

Summary

This data release includes data and metadata on 1) avian diet 2) seed rain 3) understory plant composition 4) seedling abundance and 5) sampling locations for these sites. In addition it includes data on seedling abundance, grass cover and light levels for a grass removal/seed addition experiment . All sites were within Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge on Hawaii Island. This study looked at multiple biotic interactions that potentially lead to self-reinforcing feedbacks within intact forest and degraded forest sites. Specifically, this data set addresses bird-mediated seed rain as measured by aerial seed rain traps under koa and ʻōhiʻa trees along two transects moving from intact forest uphill into restoration forest areas.

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Attached Files

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Seed rain.csv 262.29 KB text/csv

Purpose

In an attempt to jump-start succession in former cattle pastures, managers in Hawaii have planted native Acacia koa (koa) trees to create avian habitat, increase seed rain, reduce exotic grass biomass, and facilitate recruitment of a diverse understory. Restoration forests In Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge, however, have not undergone secondary succession towards native dominated forest, instead maintaining a koa overstory with an exotic pasture grass understory. The objective of this study was to contrast the roles of top-down and bottom-up processes that influence the capacity for natural understory regeneration. These included feedbacks between bird-mediated seed rain and fruiting understory (top-down), as well as links between understory and microhabitats for native seed germination (bottom-up). The overarching goal was to find those constraints that are most important to address to help facilitate degraded forest sites naturally regenerating into intact forest sites. In particular, this data addresses bird-mediated seed rain by measuring how much of it falls under different canopy trees and in different habitat types.

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