LANDFIRE Biophysical Setting Model Biophysical Setting: 7918130 Hawaii Lowland Dry Forest

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

General Information Contributors (also see the Comments field) Date 1/8/2009 Modeler 1 Jim Jacobi [email protected] Reviewer Modeler 2 Sam Gon III [email protected] Reviewer Modeler 3 Alison Ainsworth [email protected] Reviewer

Vegetation Type Dominant Species Map Zone Model Zone MEPO5 Forest and Woodland 79 Alaska Northern Plains DISA10 California N-Cent.Rockies General Model Sources COOP Great Basin Pacific Northwest Literature ACKO2 Great Lakes South Central Local Data CAOD2 Hawaii Southeast Expert Estimate SAEL2 Northeast S. Appalachians SAOA2 Southwest ERSA11 Geographic Range This lowland forest ecological system occurs on dry slopes of the main Hawaiian Islands. Biophysical Site Description This ecological system occurs on dry slopes of the main islands generally from 15-1000m (50-3280ft) elevation, but may extend to 1500m (4920ft) (Gagne and Cuddihy 1990). Stands typically occur on the leeward sides of islands where there is a strong rain shadow effect from high mountains that reduce precipitation from moisture laden trade winds. Annual rainfall is generally 500-1500mm. Substrates include well-drained, sandy loam soils derived from volcanic ash or cinder and weathered ‘a‘ā or pāhoehoe basaltic lava. Vegetation Description Vegetation is characterized by an open to dense tree layer typically dominated or codominated by a variety of mostly evergreen trees and diverse shrubs, ferns and lianas depending on location and age of stands. Lowland dry and mesic forest are exceptionally rich in tree species. Widespread species Metrosideros polymorpha is a constituent or may codominate in relatively young stands. Late seral stands are dominated by Diospyros sandwicensis and less commonly Colubrina oppositifolia. In driest settings supporting trees, summer deciduous Erythrina sandwicensis may dominate. Other characteristics trees include Acacia koaia, Canthium odoratum, Alphitonia ponderosa, Reynoldsia sandwicensis, Gardenia brighamii, Nestegis sandwicensis, Nesoluma polynesica, Pleomele spp., Rauvolfia sandwichensis, Santalum spp., Sophora chrysophylla, Pouteria sandwicensis, Hibiscadelphus spp., Kokia spp. and Sapindus oahuensis. Native chrubs include Dodonaea, Styphelia, Osteomeles, Sida, Waltheria, Nothocestrum spp., Nototrichium, Achyranthes, Myrsine lanaiensis, Wikstroemia spp., Plumbago zeylanica, Senna gaudichaudii, Plectranthus australis, Lipochaeta spp., Tetramolopium spp., Chamaesyce spp., Native vines include Ipomoea spp., Cocculus trilobus, Bonamia menziesii, Canavalia spp. Native ferns include Doryopteris, and Pellaea

**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 5 ternifolia. Disturbance Description Severe weather (windthrow), drought, fire, landslides, polynesian rat, all suppress reproduction or induce gaps, lowering tree cover; repeated fire results in forest conversion to shrubland and grassland. Wood harvested from dry forest for fuel leads to canopy breaks and subsequent opening of the closed forest structure. Adjacency or Identification Concerns This type can be adjacent to dry and mesic shrubland, forest and woodland; dry grassland. Native Uncharacteristic Conditions It is uncharacteristic within this type to have trees with <25% canopy cover. Scale Description This system was once widespread in dry settings.

Issues/Problems Today, almost all native lowland dry forests have been degraded and include some invasive exotic woody species such as Lantana camara, Leucaena leucocephala, Schinus terebinthifolius and widespread exotic grasses such as Andropogon virginicus, Pennisetum setaceum, and Schizachyrium condensatum. Where substrate is rocky, lichens are often common.

Comments

Vegetation Classes

Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Class A 3 % Canopy Position Min Max Early Development 1 Open MEPO5 Cover 0 % 20 % Upper Layer Lifeform Upper Height Shrub 0m Shrub 1.0m Herbaceous WAIN Tree Size Class None Lower Shrub Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Tree Fuel Model DORYO Lower POPE5 Description Lower This class consists of bare substrate, early succession of ferns, shrubs and sapling trees, cryptogams. This seral stage persists from years 0-30 before succeeding to class B.

Disturbances in this class include lava flows which occur on average every 1000yrs and maintain this class.

Thursday, May 29, 2014 Page 2 of 5 Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) 22 % Class B Canopy Position Min Max Mid Development 1 Open MEPO5 Cover 31 % 60 % Upper Layer Lifeform Upper Height Tree 0m Tree 5m Herbaceous DOVI Tree Size Class None Middle Shrub Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Tree Fuel Model HECO10 Lower OSAN Description Low-Mid This class is representative of open woodland over mixed shrubs, grasses and ferns. This seral stage persists from years 31-50 before succeeding to class C.

Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Class C 16 % Canopy Position Min Max MEPO5 Late Development 1 Closed Cover 61 % 90 % Upper Height Tree 5.1m Tree 10m Upper Layer Lifeform DISA10 Tree Size Class None Herbaceous Upper Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Shrub MYLA3 Fuel Model Tree Upper ERSA11 Upper Description This class is representative of open to closed forest with good mix of dry tree species over mixed shrubs, ferns, grasses. This seral stage persists from year 51 indefinately.

Indicator Species and Class D 34 % Canopy Position Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Min Max Late Development 2 Open HECO10 Cover 21 % 90 % Upper Upper Layer Lifeform Height Shrub 0m Shrub 1.0m DOVI Herbaceous Tree Size Class None Shrub Upper Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Tree Fuel Model WAIN Lower SIFA Middle Description Fire-disturbed grassland, trees and shrubs killed or suppressed. This seral stage persists from years 0-30 before succeeding to class B.

Thursday, May 29, 2014 Page 3 of 5 Disturbances in this class include lava flows which occur on average every 1000yrs causing a transition back to class A. Mixed severity fire occurs on average every 10yrs and maintains this class.

Class E 25 % Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Canopy Position Min Max Late Development 3 Open MEPO5 Cover 31 % 60 % Upper Layer Lifeform Upper Height Tree 5.1m Tree 10m Herbaceous DISA10 Tree Size Class None Shrub Upper Fuel Model Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Tree MYLA3 Upper ERSA11 Description Upper Forests in this successional stage have typically been opened by harvesting and in-forest agriculture. This seral stage persists from years 51-300 before succeeding to class C.

Disturbances in this class include lava flows which occur on average every 1000yrs causing a transition back to class A. Replacement severity fire occurs on average every 50yrs and results in a transition to class D. Disturbances Fire Intervals Fire Regime Group**: I Avg FI Min FI Max FI Probability Percent of All Fires Replacement 80.65 0.0124 26 Historical Fire Size (acres) Mixed 28.25 0.0354 74 Avg 0 Surface Min 0 All Fires 21 0.04781 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) Lava Flows Wind/Weather/Stress Competition Other (optional 2) Harvesting & Agriculture

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.

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 ).

Thursday, May 29, 2014 Page 4 of 5 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.

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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