Upper Hualalai – October 2011

In addition to being an an aquatic biologist, part of my occupation is to deploy/maintain wireless sensor networks throughout the State of Hawaii. The weather station shown in the above is located at an elevation of ~6000 ft on Hualalai, a mountain range in Kona which peaks at ~ 8300 ft.

These stations are often both weather and water quality stations in remote areas, and can be used by agencies to make more informed decisions about their management practices.

For instance, does native plant restoration / weed removal have an impact on water quality by decreasing runoff? The figure above describes how rainfall is currently associated with water turbidity within a period of several months. If the watershed was able to retain it’s soil, there would be no response or spikes in turbidity after increased frequency and duration of rainfall.

The stations can be fairly accessible, whereas other locations require off-roading and hiking long distances to work on, like the one on Hualalai mentioned in the first photo.

Access to the upper region of Hualalai is highly restricted, as it is a culturally sensitive area to Native Hawaiians. It is monitored throughout the day for trespassers (usually hunters and hikers) by a large Hawaiian gentleman from Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estates (KSBE). If you are fortunate enough to obtain access to this unique/special area, please be respectful and not diminish the value of the site for future generations.

Caretakers of Hualalai have been stewards of the land for several generations. I could not find a translation for Uluha‘a a Hualalai, but the best interpretation would be “humble grove of Hualalai…” As the shed is built by a grove of tall trees, which even stand out on a satellite map.

Hualalai is usually clear in the early AM (above), but as the ocean warms and the prevailing onshore winds blows moist air inland, the area is soon enclosed in thick cloud cover.

By late morning and throughout the afternoon/evening, the mountain is totally “sopped-in” and almost invisible from the coastline.

Unlike many rainy regions on the main Hawaiian Islands, Hualalai rarely receives rainfall. However, it is not dry there as the moisture from clouds gets intercepted by native plants (i.e. Ohia Lehua). Much of Kona’s water comes from this type of ecohydrological process. This phenomenon was also well known by ancient Hawaiians, and it was thought that the Ohia plants themselves were what attracted the water to the mountains.

The Ohelo and Pukiawe shown above, also are well adapted to this environment.

Flowering (uncommon) and non-flowering Aalii plants, also abundant in this region.

The Huluhulu lichens are thriving here, and their abundance / densities are often associated with good air quality in moist environments.

Mamane (above) are abundant here, and are essential to the endangered Palila (native bird), as they feed almost exclusively on the immature seeds of this plant.

Another unique biological feature of Hualalai are the Drosophila spp. which thrive there. Hawaiian Drosophila spp. are an excellent example of evolutionary theory, as evidence in their genes indicate the 492 endemic species originated from one or two founder individuals whose progeny have colonized and speciated throughout the main Hawaiian Islands (Carson, 2002). Photo by Kevin Kaneshiro, Figure adapted from Hampton L. Carson, “Chromosomal Sequences and Inter-Island Colonizations in Hawaiian Drosophila,” Genetics 103:465-482, 1983

Here, Dr. Durrell Kapan prepared decomposing mushroom baits to attract them. I’m not sure why, but all Drosophila are attracted to the smell of rotting mushrooms.

Some of the drosophila are often host specific, where they only spend their lives on one species of plant. These plants are often rare in areas where there has been extensive human impact / development, but still thrive in a few refuges, like these craters on Hualalai, etc.

Thus, the plant we were looking for today was a Clermontia sp., which is the host for a rare Drosophila sp on Hualalai. Since we did not have gear or permission to rappel into the crater today, we weren’t able to set up the baits near the host plants.

Despite the lack of accessibility, we still got to put out some sponge baits in some shaded areas… and here, Dr. Kapan attempts to capture one of the Drosophila using an aspirator. Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful in capturing this one. Hopefully next time we come up here we will place the baits more appropriately.

Though the failure to capture any study specimens, there has never been a day where I have regretted visiting this beautiful place.

To view this location on a Google Map also known as my “Adventure Map“, Click Here. For more adventures of the Lost Trailblazers, either look at my other blogposts and “Adventures with the Lost Trailblazers” photo gallery.