Tropical Natural Resource Management

NRES 494 - Island Stream Water and Coastal Zone Ecology - 4 credits (6/30-7/11)

The fresh water streams of Oceanic Islands provide the linkage corridors between the upland terrestrial ecosystems and the near shore coastal marine ecosystems. Species that traverse the aquatic bridge from freshwater streams to ocean environment are particularly important. In Hawaii all five native fish species, two native crustacea species, and two native mollusc species exhibit the amphidromous life history cycles. This "green-blue" connection then elevates watershed on the riparian zones that border the streamwater environments as well as direct impacts of different streamwater quality. This represents the traditional Hawaiian concept of an Ahupua'a in which biological, ecological and sociology considerations were equally paramount in managing watershed resources. This course will be field oriented and focusing on sampling of the basic physical parameters (pH, turbidity, temperature, nutrients), quantification of algae and invertebrates at different elevations, and population sampling of native amphidromous macrofaunal species. The data will then be examined in relation to the different land uses within contrasting watersheds on the Big Island of Hawai'i.
 

FOR 450 - Tropical Forest Ecosystem and Landscape Management - 4 credits (7/14-7/25)

This course is to introduce students to concepts of ecosystem management and explore how those concepts apply to the topics in general and Hawai'i in particular. Much of the focus will be on forests and the forms forestry might take within an ecosystem management framework. The course will explicitly recognize that ecosystem management demands an integrated view of possible types of land use, with the appropriate mix being a function of societal objectives and scientific evaluation of what best meets those objectives.

The big island of Hawai'i offers easy access to several ecosystems including a Montane Cloud Forest, Wet Tropical Lowland Forest, and a Dryland Tree Shrub Forest. Numerous field trips will allow students to visit these unique ecosystems and hear firsthand from several local authorities about the historical and contemporary events that have influenced the island's environments.
 

For more information contact:

Summer Program in Tropical Natural

Phone: (808) 974-7664
Fax: (808) 933-8863
E-mail: senock@hawaii.edu or
summer@uhh.hawaii.edu