Ecology of Miconia calvescens and Cyathea cooperi, two new invasive species in the Hawaiian Islands
Medeiros AC and Loope LL. 1992. Ecology of Miconia calvescens and Cyathea cooperi, two new invasive species in the Hawaiian Islands. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America. 73(2):270
Protecting native ecosystems in the Hawaiian Islands requires constant vigilance, with early detection and quick control of invasive alien species. Two alien tree species, successional in their native ranges rut tolerant of shade levels found most Hawaiian rain forests, have recently been identified as major threats to biological diversity of middle and high-elevation native Hawaiian rain forest. Miconia calvescens (Melastomataceae) is a large-leaved tree native to and successional in Neotropical montane (to 1830 m) rain forest. Introduced to Tahiti 1937, it now comprises 20-25% of the forest canopy and is present in 75% of that island's forest. On Maui, a campaign of public education and control using volunteers removed over 10,000 plants of M. calvescens and has checked its spread within a year after its discovery. The prognosis is much less positive for controlling the Australian tree fern Cyathea cooperi, a species widely planted by local landscapers and recently found to be invasive on several islands, producing dense stands capable of severely reducing native biological diversity.e.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Medeiros, Arthur; Loope, Lloyd
- Units
- HALE
- Keywords
- Australian tree fern (Cyathea cooperi), Biological Invasions, Hawai`i, Miconia calvescens (Tree), Plant Studies