Call for Researchers
Call for Researchers
The Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) is interested in partnering with researchers to target studies that guide and improve management. DOFAW has created a database to better communicate the Division’s research needs.
With more information relating to the topics found in this list, DOFAW will be able to more effectively protect species and manage lands within its jurisdiction. DOFAW invites partner organizations to review the list and consider conducting research relating to these vital issues.
For more information on this collaborative program, please contact Emma Yuen with the Division of Forestry and Wildlife at (808) 587-4170 or via email at emma.yuen@hawaii.gov.
DOFAW Research Needs
| ISLAND | TOPIC | TYPE | GENERAL AREA | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | Stream surveys | Water quality | Freshwater Stream | Genetic Fecal Indentification sampling for rivers and stream particularly rats |
| Statewide | Population genetics, fixation index (FST) | Restoration Methods | Terrestrial | "Research on FST values for common and rare native plant species-I.e. population genetics (vs phylogenetic research) will aid greatly in restoration work. Plant work in this area is lagging far behind all animal and marine work (snails, birds, corals, fish, etc.). " |
| Statewide | Plant mutualisms, native pollinator assessments, pollination interactions | Restoration Methods | Terrestrial | "General forest pollination interactions between native plants and insects. Thinking of what components are essential in habitat preservation in the face of climate change. If mesic forests are in the greatest danger of climate change we should start there. " |
| Statewide | Rare species restoration: pollination, propagation, climate boundaries | Restoration Methods | Terrestrial | "Any rare species restoration research=pollination, propagation, climate boundaries, etc. (rare species phylogenetic systematics research isn't helpful in conservation unless it splits taxa that have been lumped with common species). " |
| Statewide | Mapping Invasives | UAV and/or LiDAR | Terrestrial | UAV and/or lidar mapping of non-native species and their movement across landscapes |
| Statewide | Biocontrol | Oahu target list | Terrestrial | Biocontrol: Angiopteris evecta, Clidemia hirta, Megathyrsus maximus, Rubus argutus, R. rosifolius, Chromoleana odorata, Passiflora suberosa, Montanoa hibiscifolia and others (refer to Oahu target list). Along with research on seed bank longevity for species lacking data |
| Statewide | Germination, native plant seeds | Methods to ensure germination rates and survival | Terrestrial | Determine most effective way to ensure highest germination rates and long term survival of scattered common native plant seeds post fire (e.g. scarifying seeds, encasing with fertilizer/moisture holding medium, mulching, seed mats, etc.) |
| Statewide | Invasives control - fountain grass | Research, cost-effectiveness of fountain grass control | Terrestrial | Take the following research to the next level, i.e. determine the most long term and cost effective method for controlling fountain grass https://drylandforest.org/sites/default/files/psw_2007_weisecastilloSml.pdf |
| Statewide | Invasives control - fountain grass | eradication methods for fountain grass | Terrestrial | Determine best approach to keep fountain grass from dominating a recently burnt dry forest area. (e.g. aerial/drone spraying of herbicide) |
| Statewide | Threat control - rats and mongoose | Research, best approach for rat and mongoose control | Terrestrial | Determine the ecologically safest and most targeted approach for controlling rats and mongoose across all landscape settings, including urban. |
| Statewide | Outplanting | Outplanting strategies | Terrestrial | What is the most effective out-planting strategy for mixing species (ratio/percentage/spacing) in re-covering shrub-lands and forests (in relation to the climate and soils in the micro-habitat involved). |
| Statewide | Visitor disturbance, carrying capacity determination for NAH trails | Impact monitoring | Terrestrial | Visitor statistics, visitor-use patterns, disturbance effects, carrying capacity determination for the most heavily used NAH trails. |
| Statewide | Invasive Albizia | Hydrology | Hydrology | Impacts of Falcateria moluccana on hydrologic functions in Hawaii, specifically looking at aquifer recharge in forests invaded by FALMOL, and stream flow constriction after storm events and heavy rain |
| Oahu | Threat control, stream surveys | Biological survey | Freshwater Stream | Poamoho stream surveys--should get a handle on the small mouth bass distribution and impacts as well as assess potential control measures. |
| Oahu | Stream surveys | Biological survey | Freshwater Stream | Baseline stream surveys in Kaluanui |
| Maui | Stewardship | Social network analysis, GIS, interviews | Urban Greenspace | Explore stewardship as a social-ecological system - could be site or topic specific....could have access to a database of stewardship orgs in Western Hawaii Island or Oahu (greater Honolulu) |
| Maui | Archaeology | Survey | Cultural Resources | Archaeological research, mapping, site stabilization, site preservation |
| Maui | Fish population dynamics and fish biomass | Monitoring of population size and population trends | Marine | Monitoring long-term of fish-biomass of commercial or recreational valuable species to assess population dynamics in Ahihi Kinau NAR |
| Maui | Invasive Species Ecology: non-native birds, reptiles, fishes | Monitoring | Marine | Diets of non-native fishes in NARS. |
| Maui | Pollution | Water quality | Marine | Water quality study for effluent, chemical pollutants (sunscreens) in Ahihi Kinau NAR |
| Maui | Coral species diversity, abundance/decline, mapping, mitigation opportunities, climate change | Survey and monitoring of population size and population trends | Marine | Determine coral species diversity, abundance/decline, mapping of presence, mitigation potentials to address changing-climate effects in Ahihi Kinau NAR |
| Maui | Mapping and distribution of anchialine pools | Survey | Marine | Map of full extent of anchialine pool complexes |
| Maui | Climate change: assisted migration, sea level rise, anchialine pools | Vulnerability assessments | Marine | Modeling for changing-climate effects on anchialine pools |
| Maui | Visitor disturbance, carrying capacity determinations | Marine- water quality | Resource Use | Visitation statistics, visitor-use patterns, disturbance effects, carrying capacity determinations (AKNAR in particular) |
| Maui | Hunting, animal control | Impact monitoring | Resource Use | Public assisted animal control, researcher impact study |
| Maui | Infrastructure, access, road rerouting | Traffic plan | Resource Use | Access options into AKNAR (road deterioration, rerouting etc.) |
| Maui | Nocturnal activity in NARS, seabirds and bats | Biological Survey | Seabird | Nocturnal use of NARS by seabirds, bats using acoustic monitors and on the ground surveys |
| Maui | Invasive species ecology - non-native birds, reptiles, fishes | Monitoring | Terrestrial | Diets of non-native reptiles in NARS. |
| Maui | Limiting factors - native plants, wild regeneration | Population size, population trends | Terrestrial | Limiting factors for native plants with no wild regeneration, or that produce viable seed but have no wild regeneration. (Examples: halapepe, holei, alani spp., etc.) |
| Maui | Climate change: assisted migration, plant ranges | Outplanting | Terrestrial | Testing of range extensions suitable for plants to assess climate change effects |
| Maui | Mutualisms: non-native host plant adaptations | Host plan interactions | Terrestrial | Manduca blackburni adaptation to obligatory use of non-native host plants |
| Maui | Mutualisms: non-native birds, reptiles, fishes | Diet Study | Terrestrial | Diets of non-native birds in NARS. |
| Maui | Threat control/ biocontrol | Biocontrol research | Terrestrial | Biocontrol Bocconia, Clidemia |
| Maui | Threat control: invasive flora, landscape reduction options | Threat control, invasive plants | Terrestrial | Novel landscape reduction options Leucena leucocephala, Acacia mearnsi, Rubus niveu |
| Maui | Archaeology | Survey | Cultural Resources | Archaeological research, mapping, site stabilization, trail reconstruction and site preservation of the Hoapili Trail, Maui |
| Kauai | GIS/LiDAR | Survey | Cultural Resources | Archeology: LIDAR has played important part for the archeologist to understand the surface. As LIDAR can detect micro topography that is hidden by vegetation which helps archeologist to understand the surface. DEM created from LIDAR is fed into GIS system and it is combined with other layers for analysis and interpretation. |
| Kauai | Archaeology | Research | Cultural Resources | Terrace origin and history Coastal HONP NAR |
| Kauai | Stream and marine water quality | Water quality, surveys | Freshwater Stream | Water quality of streams in protected areas |
| Kauai | Biological organism surveys of coastal and stream areas | Biological survey | Freshwater Stream | Identification and abundance of biological organisms (all taxa, native and nonnative), of streams within Kauai NARS |
| Kauai | Migration of native stream species | Biological survey | Freshwater Stream | Migratory habits of native stream species |
| Kauai | Water quality of stream and marine | Pollution, water quality | Marine | Water quality of marine areas downstream of protected areas |
| Kauai | Invasive Species Ecology: non-native birds, reptiles, fishes | Monitoring | Marine | Diets of non-native fishes in NARS. |
| Kauai | Hunter dynamics | Social survey | Resource Use | Hunter Dynamics-Type of Hunter that utilizes Hawaii forests, food, adrenaline, trophy etc |
| Kauai | Modeling | GIS/LIDAR | Terrestrial | Generate Watershed and Stream Delineation models with Digital Elevation models (DEM) generated from LIDAR to create watershed coverage and stream line delineation. |
| Kauai | Threat control -invasive ungulates, deer population range, habits | Ungulate behavior | Terrestrial | Deer population, range and habits of black tail deer |
| Kauai | Threat control, source tracking, rats | Small Mammal Control | Terrestrial | Source tracking--none available for rats |
| Kauai | Invasive species ecology - feral cats, invasive fauna | Population size, population trends | Terrestrial | Cat habits, roaming etc. |
| Kauai | Invasive species ecology - non-native birds, reptiles, fishes | Diet Study | Terrestrial | Diets of non-native reptiles in NARS. |
| Kauai | Mutualisms: non-native birds, insects and rare plant reproduction | Pollinator Monitoring | Terrestrial | Nonnative birds and insect’s role/relationship in the reproduction of rare plants, like the Psychotria hobdyi and Japanese white-eye |
| Kauai | Mutualisms: non-native bees and native plants | Pollinator Monitoring | Terrestrial | Role of non-native bees in reproductive cycle of native plants |
| Kauai | Limiting factors - native plants, wild regeneration | Population size, population trends | Terrestrial | Limiting factors for native plants with no wild regeneration, or that produce viable seed but have no wild regeneration. |
| Kauai | Climate change: assited migration, rare species restoration: pollination, propagation, climate boundaries | Outplanting | Terrestrial | Rare species restoration research-pollination, propagation, climate range for planting |
| Kauai | Climate Change: Assisted Migration, species stratification, rare plant regeneration and establishment | Outplanting | Terrestrial | Coupling- data of the types of plants that support rare plant growth and regeneration, species stratification |
| Kauai | Restoration Methods | GIS/LIDAR | Terrestrial | Vertical Structure of trees, shrubs and other plant tells, density, height--this may help to determine the appropriate species for the restoration site, and assist with the range of occurrence for native species. |
| Kauai | Retrieving data. Wait a few seconds and try to cut or copy again. | Biological Survey | Terrestrial | Identification and abundance of biological organisms (all taxa, native and nonnative), of coastal areas |
| Kauai | Restoration methods | GIS/LIDAR | Terrestrial | Create digital elevation map of Kauai NARS data that can be converted to create slope and sunlight exposure area map--this may help to determine a scale for successful restoration and determine the type of efforts needed to maintain areas within the NARS for restoration. |
| Kauai | Planning | GIS/LIDAR | Terrestrial | ELC of Ecological & Land Classification. It is done to provide the biological and physical information of the Landscape which helps in the sustainable management. ELC process helps in a range of sectors like land use planning, environmental assessment, forest management, habitat management and many more. During the classification of Land, high resolution LIDAR data helps to understand the nature and type of the land, that will help in the ELC process. |
| Kauai | Planning | GIS/LIDAR | Terrestrial | Cellular Network Planning: LIDAR can survey the area with less time compared to other method. The collected surface model can be feed into the GIS system to create the line of sight or view shed map. This outputted map can help cellular engineers to find proposed cellular antenna, Towers can assist with communication, safety and monitoring |
| Kauai | Native invertebrates | Biological Survey | Terrestrial | Native invertebrate base line inventory |
| Kauai | Nonnative invertebrates | Biological Survey | Terrestrial | Nonnative invertebrate base line inventory |
| Kauai | Threat control - ants, ecosystem services | invertebrates | Terrestrial | Ants – none are native but which are useful? |
| Kauai | Mutualisms: non-native birds, reptiles, fishes | Diet Study | Terrestrial | Diets of non-native birds in NARS. |
| Kauai | Forest birds, population, home range, habitat, hybridization | Population size, population trends, survey | Terrestrial | Forest bird inventory of all NEPM managed areas, identification of species, range and habitat, Forest bird hybridization. |
| Kauai | Threat control/ biocontrol | Biocontrol research | Terrestrial | Biocontrol- Clidemia, Black berry, Lantana |
| Hawaii | Stream ecosystems, effects of ungulates | Water quality, surveys | Freshwater Stream | Effects of ungulate removal on relatively intact stream ecosystems |
| Hawaii | Climate change: assisted migration, sea level rise, anchialine pools | Vulnerability assessments | Marine | "Potential effects of rising sea level rise on anchialine pools and where can we expect to have new anchialine pools form? " |
| Hawaii | Seabird monitoring | Biological Survey | Seabird | Seabird monitoring. Acoustic, visual or radar. |
| Hawaii | Forest products, carbon sequestration | Research carbon values | Terrestrial | Research establishing the carbon values for 25 of the most common Hawaii species. |
| Hawaii | Rare species surveying -- drones | Drone surveys | Terrestrial | "Rare species surveys with Drones. Some areas are difficult to access and it would be nice to get a visual of remote areas for the potential of rare species present. Kohala in particular." |
| Hawaii | Threat control - small vertebrates | Predator control methods | Terrestrial | Effectiveness of Good Nature traps. |
| Hawaii | Threat control - small vertebrates | predator control methods | Terrestrial | Predator control in Puu Makaala. Trap methods, type and effectiveness. Bait trials etc |
| Hawaii | Forest birds, population, home range | Forest bird monitoring: population size, population trends | Terrestrial | "Forest bird radio-telemetry collaboration. For example, collaborate on the Akiapola'au population and home range size work we are doing in Kulani. For example, hand track birds to ground truth the radio-towers or do a nest searching and monitoring project to observe nests - this would help us set up localized predator control near nest trees." |
| Hawaii | Mutualisms: phenology and forest bird movements | Pollinator Monitoring | Terrestrial | Ohia phenology. Seasonal availability of lehua to see if that drives forest bird movements. |
| Hawaii | Mutualisms: seed dispersal | Seed Dispersal | Terrestrial | Omao seed dispersal. Examining their potential as a forest restoration tool. |
| Hawaii | Threat control: Invasive flora control methods, herbicide effectiveness | BMP | Terrestrial | "Testing different herbicide techniques on highly invasive species – Kahili ginger, albizia, fountain grass, anemone – it would help with cutting down on costs of worker hours and herbicide" |
| Hawaii | Threat control: invasive flora effects | Vegetation Monitoring | Terrestrial | Potential effect of sphagnum on native ecosystems |
| Hawaii | Restoration methods: ecosystem recovery (post invasive species removal) | Vegetation Monitoring | Terrestrial | "Vegetation recovery after removal of an invasive weed species (for example – ginger in kahaualea, fountain grass In Manuka, ginger in kohala, etc.) (soil composition, water retention, etc.) " |
| Hawaii | Restoration methods: ROD, native species re-establishment | Vegetation Monitoring | Terrestrial | "What native species are best for restoring areas that have been affected by ROD – in areas that have ohia as the dominant canopy species, there is a higher chance of invasive moving in once ROD takes it down. " |
| Hawaii | Threats to endangered birds | Population trends | Terrestrial | What are the major biological factors that are causing the continued population decline of palila? Has adult survival, nesting effort or success, fledgling rates, predation rates, juvenille survival, or any other factors changed since the early 2000's? |
| Hawaii | Predator control methods | Population size, population trends | Terrestrial | Population trends of rats in the high elevation dry forests of Mauna Kea. |
| Hawaii | Predator control methods | Population size, population trends | Terrestrial | Impacts of predator control on game bird poluations of Mauna Kea. |
| Hawaii | Endangered birds | population trends, survey | Terrestrial | Impacts of climate change to Palila foraging range. |