Biodiversity of Freshwater and Estuarine Communities in Lower Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii with Observations on Introduced Species
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BIODIVERSITY OF FRESHWATER AND ESTUARINE COMMUNITIES IN LOWER PEARL HARBOR, OAHU, HAWAII WITH OBSERVATIONS ON INTRODUCED SPECIES February 2000 Department of Defense Legacy Project Number 106 Cover From upper left: Photograph taken in 1999 of Waimalu Stream mouth lined with mangroves (Rhizophora mangle) as it enters Pearl Harbor. Upper right photograph: taken prior to the introduction of mangroves in 1911 at Kukona fishpond, Waiau, Pearl Harbor (J.F.G. Stokes photograph, CP 3763, Bishop Museum Archives). Plants shown in the 1911 Stokes photograph include a native great bulrush, Schoenoplectus (Scirpus) lacustris subsp. validus, coconut trees (Cocos nucifera), and pickleweed (Batis maritima) in the lower left corner. The native great bulrush community has now been eliminated in Pearl Harbor by mangroves. Lower left photograph: taken in 1930 at Loko Eo fishpond in the Waipio Peninsula of Pearl Harbor (J. Gilbert McAllister photograph, CN 15355, Bishop Museum Archives). The only identifiable plant growing along the fishpond walls in the 1930 McAllister photograph is pickleweed in the bottom foreground area. The Loko Eo fishpond was filled and now is the site of the present-day Ted Makalena golf course. Lower right photograph: Blaisdell Park area in 1999 near the mouth of Waimalu Stream; mangroves on the right side of photograph encroaching on pickleweed. BIODIVERSITY OF FRESHWATER AND ESTUARINE COMMUNITIES IN LOWER PEARL HARBOR, OAHU, HAWAII WITH OBSERVATIONS ON INTRODUCED SPECIES Final Report prepared for the U.S. Navy R.A. Englund D.J. Preston R. Wolff S.L. Coles L.G. Eldredge K. Arakaki Hawaii Biological Survey Bishop Museum Bishop Museum Technical Report No. 16 February 2000 Published by BISHOP MUSEUM The State Museum of Natural and Cultural History 1525 Bernice Street Honolulu, Hawai’i 96817-2704, USA Copyright 2000 Bishop Museum All Rights Reserved Printed in the United States of America ISSN 1085-455X Contribution No. 2000-001 to the Hawaii Biological Survey EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Many species of aquatic organisms have been introduced into Pearl Harbor’s streams, wetlands, and estuarine areas, altering the species composition of the aquatic fauna. This study, the first comprehensive inventory of the non-marine areas of Pearl Harbor, has found that introduced species comprise the dominant portion of the biota in the estuaries and streams of Pearl Harbor. The lower portions of Pearl Harbor streams, springs, and wetlands are now dominated both in total biomass and in total numbers by introduced species. The effects of introduced species vary widely, with fish species such as mosquitofish, suckermouth catfish, tilapia, and other cichlids suspected of causing the disappearance of many native aquatic species. The effects of introduced species such as dragonflies and damselflies appear to be more benign, as they have not been found to displace native species. A total of 329 species in 8 phyla were collected and identified in the estuarine and riparian habitats of Pearl Harbor. Of these 329 species, only 21% were native while 60% were introduced with the remainder (19%) being species of undetermined origin. Terrestrial arthropods found in riparian zones adjacent to aquatic habitats were also collected, as these insects are a major dietary component for some fish species. If terrestrial arthropods found in riparian areas are excluded, 192 aquatic species were identified in the lower reaches of Pearl Harbor streams and wetlands. For these aquatic species, introduced species still dominated with 47% of the species recorded, while only 33% were native (endemic or indigenous) and the balance (20%) undetermined. Arthropods (mainly insects) constituted nearly 61% of the species collected in Pearl Harbor estuarine habitats. Other important groups found in Pearl Harbor estuaries included vertebrates (22%), mollusks (8%), and worms (7%). Minor components of the fauna collectively constituted only 2% of the species found, and included cnidarians, platyhelminthes, nematodes, and sipunculans. A new species of aquatic mite, Eupodes n. sp., was found in Pouhala Marsh during these surveys. In addition, two new introduced species were found during this study--a species of fang- toothed blenny (Omobranchus ferox) and an estuarine hydrobiid snail (Pyrgophorus cf. coronatus) introduced from the Caribbean. A new Oahu Island record was that of an introduced aquatic plant, Vallisneria americana. Introduced aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates found in Pearl Harbor have no predominant geographic origin, with species originating fairly evenly from North and South America, Asia and the western Pacific, with smaller numbers of species originating from Africa. i These surveys also found that introduced species already recorded in the Hawaiian Islands are spreading into the lower reaches of Pearl Harbor streams. For example, the first confirmed report in a Pearl Harbor drainage of apple snails (Pomacea canaliculata) and a new introduction of an African cichlid (Hemichromis elongatus) were recorded. Mangroves continue their encroachment into the Pearl Harbor tidal mudflats. Introduced mangroves are the cause of significant changes in the physical environment of Pearl Harbor. It is difficult to ascertain if the net affects of mangroves in Hawaii are negative or positive. Beneficial effects include increases in water quality and decreased sediment input into the nearshore environment. Adverse effects include the encroachment of mangroves into habitat utilized by some species of endangered Hawaiian waterbirds and the overgrowth of some Hawaiian fishponds. The environmental disturbance associated with mangrove removal combined with the high costs and frequency at which the work must be repeated mean that control efforts should be limited and carefully focused. An increase in non-native species in the freshwater and estuarine portions Pearl Harbor will probably continue. This is because of the wide variety of sources from which introductions take place. The majority of introduced species appear to have come from three sources: 1) intentional and accidental aquarium releases, 2) intentional biocontrol releases, and 3) intentional food source releases. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................................................................. i TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................. iii LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... viii LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................................ x INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 1 A. Pearl Harbor Biodiversity Project .......................................................................................... 1 Summary of Pearl Harbor Legacy Project Phase I Findings .................................................. 1 Pearl Harbor Phase II Freshwater and Estuarine Surveys..................................................... 2 B. Estuarine and Freshwater Invasions as a Worldwide Problem ............................................ 3 C. Status of Native and Introduced Freshwater Species in Hawaii ........................................... 4 D. Vectors for Introductions of Freshwater and Estuarine Species in Pearl Harbor and Hawaii5 E. Pearl Harbor Stream and Estuarine Physical Environment .................................................. 6 Pearl Harbor Springs and Streams Description...................................................................... 6 Pearl Harbor Vegetation.......................................................................................................... 9 METHODS ..................................................................................................................................... 14 A. Literature Search................................................................................................................. 14 B. Bishop Museum Collections................................................................................................ 15 C. Field Surveys- General Methods......................................................................................... 15 Insect Sampling..................................................................................................................... 15 Benthic Sampling .................................................................................................................. 16 Fish, Crustacean, and Mollusk Sampling.............................................................................. 16 Fish Diet Analysis.................................................................................................................. 18 D. Data Analysis....................................................................................................................... 18 iii RESULTS ...................................................................................................................................... 19 A. Station Locations and Descriptions..................................................................................... 19 B. West Loch Pearl Harbor ...................................................................................................... 19 Honouliuli Stream.................................................................................................................