Presented here are updated results of plant microfossil and ¹⁴C analyses of samples from the Ifugao Rice Terraces (Old Kiyyangan Village), augmented by helminthology. The first definitive Philippine report of taro (Colocasia esculenta) remains (starch material), and further discoveries of rice (Oryza sativa) remains (starch and phytoliths) suggest establishment of their highland cultivation to at least 810–750 cal B.P. For the latter, this is around a century more than previously ¹⁴C dated for the Cordilleras. While results support the contention of post-Hispanic expansion of terrace rice cultivation, they do not support post-Hispanic establishment of rice cultivation per se. Several types of helminth eggs that would have adversely affected people and their domesticated and commensal animals were also identified: Ascaris lumbricoides, Hymenolepis diminuta, Taenia sp., and Toxocara canis. The results represent the first early Philippine identification of the latter.

Bonefishes in Hawai‘i are highly valued for their subsistence and recreational value and are targeted by both noncommercial and commercial fisheries. They are often challenging to distinguish, but Hawai‘i has the endemic sharp jaw (Albula virgata) and the Indo-Pacific round jaw (A. glossodonta). Noncommercial fisheries data in Hawai‘i is often sparse and disparate compared to commercial datasets and noncommercial data around the nation. The shortage of this data makes fisheries management challenging and reinforces the disconnect between stakeholders and natural resource managers. We surveyed 277 local fishers to characterize the noncommercial fishery and highlight the preferences and motivations of anglers who catch bonefish. A majority of respondents who choose to keep bonefishes for food prefer to keep fish that are at least four to five pounds, often due to the unique preparation required before consumption. This size class is larger than the L₅₀ for bonefish in Hawai‘i, and 86% of anglers prefer fish larger than the L₅₀. Bonefish are also sought after for their sport value, creating competing demands. However, 92% of anglers indicated they will release some of their catch. Including the fishing community in the fisheries management process can help account for values and preferences. Information on fish disposition and angler preferences are critical in updating management tools, such as minimum sizes.

The use of renewable energy has been promoted in the context of global warming. In Japan, offshore wind farms are expected to be an efficient and economical renewable energy source as the country is surrounded by the sea, and a large area of the seabed has potential for offshore wind farms. The distribution of seabirds is important for evaluating the impact of offshore wind farms. In Japan, many previous studies on offshore seabirds have been conducted using ships and biologgers. However, few wide-ranging surveys have been conducted in Japan, and information on nonbreeding species is especially poor. In this study, aerial surveys were conducted using a small aircraft to cover almost all the coastal areas of Japan. Surveys were conducted from December 2018 to December 2019. More than 262,000 individuals comprising 49 species were recorded. Many seabirds were distributed in the study area, especially in several offshore regions, such as eastern and southern Hokkaido and northern and central Honshu islands, while numbers were limited offshore along the Kii Peninsula, central Honshu, and Shikoku islands. This study is the first case in Japan in which a comprehensive survey of coastal areas was conducted using a unified methodology, and the results are useful for environmental impact assessments of offshore wind farms and the conservation of seabirds.

The terrestrial management plan for Palmyra Atoll includes large-scale removal of coconut (Cocos nucifera) as part of native forest restoration and contaminant remediation that will leave soils and vegetation communities profoundly altered. To inform those efforts and provide baseline data for restoration monitoring, woody stem crowns and vegetation communities at Palmyra Atoll were mapped using existing datasets and manual photointerpretation of high-resolution aerial imagery collected using uncrewed aerial systems. Coconut palm, grand devil's claws (Pisonia grandis), and numerous other species were delineated as either individual crowns, crown portions, or species patches. The extent of land area at high tide was also delineated based on vegetation patterns, topographic indicators, and deposition lines of vegetation litter and flotsam. Finally, in a novel “bottom-up” approach to vegetation community mapping, crown maps were used to delineate U.S. National Vegetation Classification System vegetation communities and other management areas. Of the more than 44,000 mapped crowns, coconut was by far the most abundant species, comprising nearly half of the mapped stems. By establishing a quantitative baseline for current habitat conditions, this project facilitates the integration of contaminant remediation recovery activities with habitat restoration planning, implementation, and monitoring at Palmyra Atoll. Results illustrate the appropriateness of the mapping approach for plant species-level censuses and cover estimation over relatively small areas to aid in inventory and monitoring and to facilitate management planning. The relatively simple mapping methods used in this study are appropriate for resource managers with limited human and computational resources to support automated mapping.

Populations of the Hawaiian endemic Portulaca sclerocarpa and P. villosa are becoming rare throughout their distribution. Portulaca sclerocarpa (endemic to Hawai‘i Island) and P. villosa (populations from Nihoa to Hawai‘i Island) are federally listed endangered species. Questions have frequently arisen if they are distinct species. Populations were investigated using sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP), Principal coordinates analysis (PCO), and STRUCTURE analyses to detect a species boundary and genetic diversity among populations. Nuclear (ITS) and chloroplast (atpI–atpH, trnT–psbD, and rpl14–rpl36) regions were compared for plants collected from natural populations or from greenhouse nursery material representing natural populations. SRAP analysis clarified the taxonomic uncertainty of Portulaca sclerocarpa and P. villosa as distinct species. PCO graphs and STRUCTURE analysis results of K = 2 suggested a species boundary between P. sclerocarpa and P. villosa, and definite population structures among islands. Plants of P. villosa from Nihoa were genetically distinct and may represent a new taxon. The taxonomic identity of a collection from Olowalu, Maui, had been previously questioned and was here determined to represent a P. villosa form that should be recognized as a distinct variety. Conservation recommendations include regularly monitoring and maintaining the existing populations and individual, and seed collection or vegetative cuttings for propagation. Reintroduction and translocation should be done within the island of population origin in order to preserve unique genetic variations of existing populations.

On the Hawaiian Island of O‘ahu, nearly 1,500 on-site sewage disposal systems (OSDS) exist within the Kāne‘ohe Bay drainage basin, releasing an estimated 3,800 cubic meters (one million gallons) of untreated wastewater into the groundwater each day, threatening stream and coastal water quality. The study area—Kahalu‘u, Hawai‘i—is characterized by the highest density (units per area) of OSDS in the Kāne‘ohe Bay drainage basin. This study evaluates hydrologic flow paths from wastewater point sources to groundwater and surface waters by utilizing a combination of unmanned aerial vehicle thermal infrared (UAV-TIR) imaging, stream gauging and seepage runs, and numerical groundwater models (MODFLOW and MT3DMS). Eight coastal groundwater seep locations were identified with UAV-TIR, with all seeps occurring through coastal valley fill sediments. Geochemical analysis of seeps revealed significantly elevated concentrations of all major nutrients compared to surrounding ocean waters. Groundwater nitrogen transport was modeled with MT3DMS and compared to measured concentrations. Most OSDS are located within the valley fill, and MODFLOW results suggest that the valley fill is more hydraulically conductive than the surrounding dike-intruded basalt, thus controlling groundwater and contaminant dispersion to streams and the ocean. Modeling also reveals that groundwater flow from leeward of the Ko‘olau ridgeline and from adjacent watersheds to the southeast may be significant hydrologic inputs to the study area.