MENACING MOANANUIĀKEA: ANALYZING THE THREAT OF NATURAL DISASTER INFLICTED PESTS ON PACIFIC ISLANDS

Andie C LeDoux; University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa; andie30@hawaii.edu; Dexter K. Kishida

As climate change progresses, we see increasing severe weather events, often hitting coastal communities and Pacific Islands the hardest. Alongside these events are small pests that pose a large threat to Pacific Island wildlife, food, and habitat. Little Fire Ants (LFA) and Coconut Rhinoceros Beetles (CRB) are rapidly spreading invasive pests. LFA sting native wildlife and make the plants inedible as a food source for wildlife. CRB attack variations of palms in addition to taro, destroying habitat specifically for native birds such as aeʻo (Hawaiian Stilt). This research examines case studies of specific storms across the Pacific: Typhoons Dolphin and Mawar in Guam, as well as case studies from detected high wind and high rainfall events in the Hawaiian Islands. Two types of spread were identified, initial spread and restoration spread. The initial spread refers to spread from the high winds and storm, whereas restoration spread follows the rebuilding efforts for impacted areas bringing in soil, compost, and other natural material that can be contaminated with CRB and LFA. Both types of spread are being mapped to represent the increase in spread of pests post-natural disaster, in order to visualize and help predict the long-lasting environmental and community impacts.

Pacific Islands Conservation   Student Paper