SGER: The Influence of Hurricane Iniki on Metrosideros- Acacia Forest Ecosystems on Kauai

1992年9月11日，本世纪袭击夏威夷州的最强飓风伊妮基袭击考艾岛，稳定风速超过230公里/小时，阵风超过280公里/小时。飓风路径上的一切都发生了深刻的变化，房屋、公共建筑、酒店、农作物和岛上的自然风貌都遭到了严重破坏或破坏。国家林业和野生动物分部的一项航空调查将这些山脉的植被描述为被一只巨大的食草动物割草。这一事件提供了一个百年一遇的机会来研究这种现象对夏威夷群岛自然环境的影响。在某些情况下，考艾岛先前的研究将提供一个基线，以衡量飓风造成的变化，并在生态系统适应其短期、中期和长期后果时跟踪随后的反应。这项研究建议她寻求衡量飓风的直接影响，并监测这一自然现象的持续后果。特别令人感兴趣的是一些有机体的种群激增的遗传效应，例如昆虫科果蝇科的一些物种，以应对腐烂的有机物质的巨大但暂时的增加。随着腐烂物质的减少，以及一些植被可能需要几个月甚至几年的时间才能恢复到飓风前的条件，人口爆炸之后可能会有很长一段时间人口规模很小。了解种群数量的突然增加以及随后较长时间的小种群数量的遗传学后果，对于了解种群在灾难性环境条件下生存的能力非常重要。金城武博士还将监测外来果蝇物种的数量水平，这已被证明是受干扰栖息地的一个很好的指标。随着外来果树入侵现已开放的森林，预计与外来植物相关的外来果蝇物种将会增加。随着当地森林树冠的恢复并恢复到飓风前的状态，地方性果蝇的种群数量应该会减少。因此，这里的研究结果将进一步证明果蝇作为监测夏威夷本土生态系统相对健康的重要指示种群的重要性。//

On September 11, 1992, Hurricane Iniki, the most powerful hurricane to hit the State of Hawaii this century, struck the Island of Kauai with steady wind speeds of over 230 km/hr and gust over 280 km/hr. Everything in the path of the hurricane was profoundly transformed; homes, public building, hotels, agricultural crops, and the natural features of the island were severely damages or destroyed. An aerial survey by the State Division of Forestry and Wildlife described the vegetation of the mountains as being "mowed by a giant weed-eater" This event presents a once-in-a-century opportunity to study the consequences of such a phenomenon for the natural environment of the Hawaiian Islands. Prior research on Kauai will, in some cases, provide a baseline from which to measure changes wrought by the hurricane and track subsequent responses as t he ecosystems adjust to its short, medium and long-term consequences. The research proposed her seeks to measure the immediate effects of the hurricane and to monitor the ongoing consequences of this natural phenomenon. Of particular interest are the genetic effects of a population flush of some organisms, e.g. some species in the insect family Drosophilidae, in response to a huge but temporary increase in decaying organic mater. The population explosion may followed by a long period of small population size as the decaying material diminish and since it may be months or even years before some of the vegetation is restored to pre-hurricane conditions. Understand the genetics consequences of the sudden increase in population size followed by an extended period of small population size is important for understanding the ability of populations to survive catastrophic environmental conditions. Dr. Kaneshiro will also monitor population levels of exotic drosophilid species which have been shown to be a good indicator for disturbed habitats. As exotic fruit plants invade the now open forest, an increase is expected in exotic drosophilid species which are associate with the exotic plants. As the native forest canopy recovers and is restored to pre-hurricane conditions, a decrease in populations size of endemic drosophilids should occur. The results of the research here would therefore further document the significance of the drosophilids as an important indicator species group for monitoring the relative health of Hawaii native ecosystem. //