Introduction I spent June 2013 on Oʻahu learning about

1. Threats Identified to Critically Endangered Hawaiian Species, Hesperomanniaoahuensis Margaret Beetstra Hokuleʻa Program, Washington University in St. Louis • Results • Hand-pollinated the two individual plants that had flowers (see Figure 4) • Interviewed individuals from the Lyon Arboretumand PEP about threats to this species • Background • Hawaiian Islands are a biodiversity hotspot • Hesperomanniaoahuensisis a critically endangered plant species found only in the Waiʻanae Mountains of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi • (see Figures 1, 2) • 6-10 original individuals of this species remain • This species is managed by the OʻahuPlant Extinction Prevention Program (PEP) • Methods • Worked hands-on in Hawaiʻi with this species and hiked up to a site in the Pahole Natural Area Reserve of the Waiʻanae Mountains (see Figure 2) • Cleaned out all rat traps near the species • Hand-pollinated each blooming flower with pollen from another individual of this species located in a nearby valley (see Figure 3) • Attached a camera to a tree to take a picture of a bud daily that was emailed to PEP • Interviewed experts on this species and Hawaiian conservation about threats to this species • Discussion • Not all plants on Pahole were pollinated because their flowers were not in bloom. • Botanists must go to field sites multiple times a year to monitor the plants. • Some individuals were not expected to bloom. • In-lab (micropropagation) techniques to clone this plant have failed. • H. oahuensisdecline is caused by (see Figure 5): • Decrease in seed viability • Unknown insect eating portions of the seeds • Naturally low pollen viability • Ungulates and rats disturbing the species • Flowers removed for lei-making • Natural pollinator is extinct Figure 11: Map indicating the location of H. oahuensis on Oʻahu Figure 4: Two flowers of H. oahuensispost hand- pollination • Conclusions • Hand-pollination efforts should continue • Different micropropagation techniques should be attempted • Efforts should be made to protect this species from ungulates and rats Figure 3: Susan Ching- Harbin of PEP hand- pollinating a flower of H. oahuensison the Pahole Natural Area Reserve Figure 2: The habitat surrounding H. oahuensis • Introduction • I spent June 2013 on Oʻahu learning about • the conservation issues in Hawaiʻiand the work of • different organizations on these issues. As part of • my work with PEP and the Lyon Arboretum, I • learned about the threats to and worked on the • management strategies for H. oahuensis. • My research had three main strategies: • Reduce rat population size in the field • Hand-pollinate this species in the field • Interview individuals about the known • obstacles and threats to this species • Acknowledgements • I would like to extend my thanks to the following: • Anukriti Hittle from Washington University • Nellie Sugii, Peter Wiggin, and Cindy Nose from the Lyon Arboretum • WU Environmental Studies Program • WU Office of Undergraduate Research • WU Career Center References 1“Oahu Blank Map – Hawaii Maps.” Map. Hawaii Maps. Mapsof.net, 2012. Web. 5 Oct. 2013. 2“5-Year Review: Short Form Summary.” United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 2009. Web. 15 Sept. 2013.