RESEARCH ARTICLE Invasive rat control is an efficient, yet insufficient, method for recovery of the critically endangered Hawaiian plant hau kuahiwi (Hibiscadelphus giffardianus) 1,2 1 1 3 Nathan S. GillID *, Stephanie Yelenik , Paul Banko , Christopher B. Dixon , 4 4 Kelly Jaenecke , Robert PeckID a1111111111 1 U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, HI, United States of America, 2 Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, a1111111111 WI, United States of America, 3 Department of Statistics, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, United a1111111111 States of America, 4 Hawai'i Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai'i at Hilo, Hawai'i Volcanoes a1111111111 National Park, HI, United States of America a1111111111 *
[email protected] Abstract OPEN ACCESS Citation: Gill NS, Yelenik S, Banko P, Dixon CB, Biological invasions of rodents and other species have been especially problematic on tropi- Jaenecke K, Peck R (2018) Invasive rat control is cal islands. Invasive Rattus rattus consumption of Hibiscadelphus giffardianus (Malvaceae; an efficient, yet insufficient, method for recovery of common Hawaiian name hau kuahiwi) fruit and seeds has been hypothesized to be the the critically endangered Hawaiian plant hau most-limiting factor inhibiting the critically endangered tree, but this has not been experimen- kuahiwi (Hibiscadelphus giffardianus). PLoS ONE 13(11): e0208106. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. tally tested, and little is known about other factors affecting seed dispersal, germination, and pone.0208106 seedling establishment. Thus, we do not know if rat removal is sufficient to increase hau Editor: Michael Scott Brewer, East Carolina kuahiwi recruitment.