LANDFIRE Biophysical Setting Model Biophysical Setting: 7918220 Hawaii Montane-Subalpine Dry Grassland

This BPS is lumped with: This BPS is split into multiple models:

General Information Contributors (also see the Comments field) Date 1/9/2009 Modeler 1 Jim Jacobi [email protected] Reviewer Modeler 2 Darren Johnson [email protected] Reviewer Modeler 3 Sam Gon III [email protected] Reviewer

Vegetation Type Dominant Species Map Zone Model Zone ERAT Upland 79 Alaska Northern Plains Grassland/Herbaceous PATE6 California N-Cent.Rockies General Model Sources ERDE Great Basin Pacific Northwest Literature TRGL3 Great Lakes South Central Local Data DENU6 Hawaii Southeast Expert Estimate AGSA3 Northeast S. Appalachians ERLE3 Southwest PTAQ Geographic Range This grassland ecological system is found in the drier saddle and upper slopes of Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa, Hualalai, Hawai‘i.and Haleakalā on Maui. Biophysical Site Description This ecological system occurs on dry montane to subalpine areas, from near 1615-2300m (5295-7540ft) elevation. This montane to subalpine ecological system occurs within the arid, very dry, and moderately dry zones (zones 1, 2 and 3) of the seven moisture zones developed for the Hawai'ian Islands by Price et al. (2007). An inversion layer of warmer air forms 50-70% of the time between 1600-3000 that dramatically reduces precipitation at higher elevations (Gagne and Cuddihy 1990). This is because the wet trade winds generally do not rise above 1900 m (6230 feet), and are deflected around the mountains leaving upper slopes too dry to support rain forests (Mueller-Dombois and Fosberg 1998). Annual rainfall is generally 400-500 mm. Substrates include well-drained, sandy loam soils derived from volcanic ash or cinder and weathered basaltic lava with little soil development. Edaphic properties tend to suppress woody life forms. Vegetation Description Vegetation is characterized by moderate to dense bunchgrass layer (less than one meter tall) dominated by Eragrostis atropioides and sometimes codominated by Panicum tenuifolium (Gagne and Cuddihy 1990), and Deschampsia nubigena. Other herbaceous species include Eragrostis deflexa, E. leptophylla, Trisetum glomerata, and Agrostis sandwicensis. Scattered shrubs may be present (<10% cover) such as by Bidens menziesii, Chenopodium oahuense, Dodonaea viscosa, Dubautia linearis, Gnaphalium sandwichensium, Osteomeles anthyllidifolia, Myoporum sandwicense and Sophora chrysophylla. Disturbance Description Natural (e.g., lava ignited) fires very infrequent (ca 2000yrs), Anthropogenic fires in pre-contact Hawaii also

**Fire Regime Groups are: I: 0-35 year frequency, surface severity; II: 0-35 year frequency, replacement severity; III: 35- 100+ year frequency, mixed severity; IV: 35-100+ year frequency, replacement severity; V: 200+ year frequency, replacement severity.

Thursday, May 29, 2014 Page 1 of 4 would have been very rare, grazing by non-native ungulates unimportant until post contact, conversion to pasture post 1800, Today,anthropogenic fire is much more frequent, but fire adapted exotic grass Pennisetum setaceum has not significantly invaded and is only occasionally present. Weedy exotic forbs are common, including Heterotheca grandiflora, Verbescum thapsus, and Verbesina enceliodes common in disturbed stands (Shaw and Castillo 1997). Senecio madagascariensis also a problem. Displacement by alien grasses can change fire regime. Adjacency or Identification Concerns This system is similar to Hawai‘i Montane-Subalpine Dry Shrubland and Hawai‘i Montane-Subalpine Mesic Grassland. Native Uncharacteristic Conditions Shrubs in this system seldom if ever achieve more than 10% canopy closure. Scale Description

Issues/Problems

Comments

Vegetation Classes

Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Class A 3 % Canopy Position Min Max Early Development 1 Open PTAQ Cover 0 % 20 % Upper Layer Lifeform Upper Height Herb 0.6m Herb 1.0m Herbaceous DENU6 Tree Size Class None Upper Shrub Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Tree Fuel Model

Description Bare cinder field, whether freshly laid by volcanic activity, alluvial deposit or aeolian processes, or de- vegetated by major fire. Rapidly colonized by Pteridium aquilinum and Deschampsia nubigena. This seral stage persists from years 0-30 before succeeding to class B.

Disturbances in this class include ash deposits which occur on average every 1000yrs and maintain this class.

Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) 97 % Class B Canopy Position Min Max Late Development 1 Closed erat Cover 21 % 100 % Upper Layer Lifeform Upper Height Herb 0.6m Herb >1.1m Herbaceous ptaq Tree Size Class None Upper Shrub Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Tree Fuel Model denu6 Upper trgl3 Description Upper

Thursday, May 29, 2014 Page 2 of 4 Within 25-50yrs, the major constituents colonize and dominate, forming a closed grassland. This seral stage persists from year 31 indefinately.

Disturbances in this class include ash deposits which occur on average every 1000yrs and cause a transition back to class A. Other disturbances that effect this seral stage include surface fires which occur on average every 100yrs maintaining this class.

Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Class C 0 % Canopy Position Min Max [Not Used] [Not Used] Cover % % Height Upper Layer Lifeform Tree Size Class Herbaceous Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Shrub Tree Fuel Model

Description

Indicator Species and Class D 0 % Canopy Position Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Min Max [Not Used] [Not Used] Cover % % Upper Layer Lifeform Height Herbaceous Tree Size Class Shrub Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Tree Fuel Model

Description

Class E 0 % Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Canopy Position Min Max [Not Used] [Not Used] Cover % % Upper Layer Lifeform Height Herbaceous Tree Size Class Shrub Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Tree Fuel Model

Description Disturbances

Thursday, May 29, 2014 Page 3 of 4 Fire Intervals Fire Regime Group**: III Avg FI Min FI Max FI Probability Percent of All Fires Replacement Historical Fire Size (acres) Mixed Avg 0 Surface 102.0 0.0098 100 Min 0 All Fires 102 0.00982 Max 0 Fire Intervals (FI): Fire interval is expressed in years for each fire severity class and for all types of Sources of Fire Regime Data fire combined (All Fires). Average FI is central tendency modeled. Minimum and Literature maximum show the relative range of fire intervals, if known. Probability is the inverse of fire interval in years and is used in reference condition modeling. Local Data Percent of all fires is the percent of all fires in that severity class. Expert Estimate Additional Disturbances Modeled Insects/Disease Native Grazing Other (optional 1) Ash Deposit Wind/Weather/Stress Competition Other (optional 2)

References Gagne, W.C., and L.W. Cuddihy. 1990. Vegetation. Pages 45-114 in: W.L. Wagner, D.R. Herbst, and S.H. Sohmer, editors. Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii. 2 Volumes. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.

Jacobi, Dr. James D. Personal communication. Research Botanist, Kilauea Field Station, Pacific Island Ecosystems, U.S. Geological Survey, Honolulu, HI.

Mueller-Dombois, D., and F.R. Fosberg. 1998. Vegetation of the tropical Pacific islands. Springer-Verlag, New York. 733 pp.

NatureServe. 2008. NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. Version 7.0. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available http://www.natureserve.org/explorer. (Accessed: September 3, 2008 ).

Price, J.P., S.M. Gon III, J.D. Jacobi, and D. Matsuwaki. 2007. Mappingplant species ranges in the Hawaiian Islands: Developing a methodology and associated GIS layers. Hawai'I Cooperative Studies Unit. Technical Report HCSU-008. Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center (PACRC), University of Hawai'I, Hilo. 58 pp., includes 16 figures and 6 tables.

Shaw, R. B., and J. M. Castillo. 1997. Plant communities of Pohakuloa Training Area, Hawaii. Center for Ecological Management of Military Lands. Department of Forest Sciences. Colorado State University. Fort Collins.

Wagner, W. L., D. R. Herbst, and S. H. Sohmer. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Volumes 1 and 2. University of Hawaii Press and Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp.

Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.

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