Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves p. 213-227). / x, 227 leaves, bound ill. (some col.), maps (some col.) 29 cm

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Thesis (M.S.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 69-76). / x, 76 leaves, bound ill. (some col.), col. map 29 cm

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [77]-86).

The formation of novel ecosystems by non-native species poses management challenges that are both socially and ecologically complex. This complexity necessitates consideration of both ecological dynamics and social attitudes and perceptions. Red mangrove propagules were introduced to Moloka'i, Hawaii in 1902 to mitigate the effects of soil erosion and they have since spread along the coast and to adjacent islands creating novel habitat. Non-native mangroves in Hawai'i present a unique case study to examine diverse social attitudes and perceptions resulting from a long history of land cover transformations on the Hawaiian Islands, socio-cultural diversity of involved stakeholders, and the potential array of ecosystem services they may provide under changing land use and climatic conditions. Ecological dynamics were examined to (1) determine whether novel mangrove habitat affects zooplankton diversity and richness, (2) test the hypothesis that zooplankton community composition differs significantly among established mangrove and coastal non-mangrove habitat, and (3) assess other factors driving differences in zooplankton community assemblages. This study found no significant differences found between sites with and without mangroves in terms of richness, diversity, or community composition. However, lunar cycles and site dynamics, including fishpond structure, mangrove and open shoreline length, percentage of mangrove shoreline length, total percentage of carbon in mangrove leaves, and disturbance in the upstream watershed influenced zooplankton community composition. These findings suggest that non-native mangroves support community composition, richness, and diversity similar to non-mangrove areas, though some widespread taxa have lower abundances in mangrove habitat. My research suggests that in the face of declining fisheries, threatened reef habitat, and changing climate and ocean conditions, mangroves may provide zooplankton habitat in novel locations similar to that provided by native habitat, such that habitat availability for zooplankton is not hindered by non-native mangroves. To understand social dynamics 204 residents of Moloka'i, Hawaii were surveyed to evaluate: 1) attitudes and perceptions about this non-native species, 2) what factors influence these attitudes, and 3) how attitudes influence perceptions about management. A belief that mangroves should be removed, concern about threats to Moloka'i's coast, and not relying on mangroves for benefit were the primary drivers of negative attitudes towards non-native mangroves. Support for management actions was predicted by attitudes towards mangroves, perception and concern about threats to Moloka'i's coast, and experiences involving mangroves. I propose a framework for assessing and incorporating diverse perceptions and attitudes into decision-making around non-native species that have created novel ecosystems. An active management approach allowing mangroves to thrive in certain locations and to provide services such as habitat and crabbing access while in other locations limiting their extent to protect native bird habitat and cater for human needs, including safe beach and ocean access, may ultimately offer the greatest benefits to both the ecosystem and society. As environmental issues, such as species introductions, become increasingly complicated in the age of the Anthropocene, with intricate relationships made more difficult in the face of climate change, integrated research in socio-ecological systems may provide a comprehensive approach to better evaluate and understand our changing world.

Student Number: 0209777E Master of Arts in English Education Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education / The research report explores a pedagogic and curricular intervention in the English curriculum of third year pre-service education students at the National University of Rwanda. It uses as an implementation instance the Bana Molokai subculture as a means of relating the teaching of English literature to cultural practices found in the students’ living space which are semiotically more diverse than the traditional literary-linguistic forms. My research attempts to establish whether and how the pedagogical intervention of teaching cultural artefacts produced by the Bana Molokai can enrich the learning/teaching of literature in this context. At a secondary level, the introduction of the Bana Molokai youth culture phenomenon into a literature classroom calls attention to the presence of the youth culture phenomenon on the continent as an emerging site for the articulation of the contemporary interests and needs of African youth. Therefore, although the pedagogical intervention forms the major component of this Research project, it incorporates a preliminary phase: an overview of the Bana Molokai subculture as an illustration of the vitality of texts from the field of popular culture on the African continent. The study uses an analysis of students’ responses before and after the pedagogical intervention as a means of providing comparative evidence of students’ perceptions of existing literary practices in their context in the light of the expansion. In effect, it uses in the first instance emerging thematic points in the students’ responses in order to understand their perception of literary practices as a preliminary justification of an interventionist expansion in Rwanda. In the second instance, it uses emerging thematic points in the students’ responses to the pedagogical intervention to unravel how the lesson of teaching Bana Molokai has related them to the exercise of learning/teaching literature in their context. The analysis furthermore attempts to indicate the comparative benefits of teaching Bana Molokai texts in Rwanda in regards to the established literary canon.

With large populations living in tropical regions of the world with volcanic substrates, understanding basalt weathering processes is vital. The Hawaiian Islands are an excellent natural analogue to study chemical weathering rates due to a uniform bedrock (basalt), large variations in rainfall, and varying ages across the islands. Laterite weathering profiles (LWP) develop over time through chemical weathering, where LWP thickness is influenced by many factors, including precipitation and time. Using the rapid, non-invasive horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) method, LWP thicknesses can be estimated to constrain chemical weathering rates. Studying the laterite weathering profiles developed from basaltic bedrock of varying ages on Oahu (~2 Ma), Molokai (~1 Ma) and Kohala, Hawaii (~0.3 Ma) reveals three profiles in varying developmental stages. Over 200 HVSR soundings were collected on Oahu, Molokai, and Kohala. Shear wave velocity values of LWPs were determined by MASW (multichannel analysis of surface waves), and LWP thicknesses verified from geologic logs and outcrop. Oahu has thick LWPs compared to the other islands and shows a trend of increasing thickness with increasing precipitation across the island. The Molokai LWP follows a trend similar to Oahu, with a noticeable difference of thicknesses (20-40 m) at similar precipitation thresholds. Molokai presented a unique case, where the shear-wave velocity (Vs) boundaries between laterite and basalt were gradational for ~43% of HVSR datapoints, resulting in featureless frequency spectra that could not reliably model laterite-basalt boundary depths. The gradational nature of the LWP of Molokai is attributed to the young age of the island, and primary permeability properties of the thick, post-shield alkalic lavas. Molokai has an aerially average weathering rate of 0.02 to 0.04 m/ka. Kohala HVSR data show a newly developed LWP with varying LWP thickness within the same precipitation isohyet. LWPs on Kohala show a unique trend where LWP is thickest along the coast and is wedge shaped thinning out towards higher elevations. Each island differs in age and has its own unique LWP trends, with older islands tending to have deeper, more developed LWPs at similar precipitation ranges.

Under ever intensifying pressures from land use, climate change, and erosion, tropical islands are among the most vulnerable systems in the world. Terrestrial systems are weakened by intensifying land use patterns, the weakening of which is highlighted when high intensity rainfall events erode sediment and leads to sediment deposition on the marine system. The deposition of sediment on the marine system is a major stressor that can lead to weakened coral reefs and a decrease in marine resources commonly gathered for food. These interactions have led to the emergence of biocultural resource management strategies, one of which is the ahupua'a system. The ahupua'a system, at some scales, is an example of a resilient resource management strategy that has held up despite the pressures and challenges of living on a tropical island. Here we utilize a combination of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) and autonomous surface vehicles (ASV) to gather imagery that is then used in geospatial analyses to better understand the ahupua'a of Ka'amola as well as evaluate coral reef structure along the south shore of Molokai. Our terrestrial work using UAVs and geospatial analyses supports qualitative data from community members and local land managers regarding sediment movement trends they have noticed. Steep slopes coupled with a weakened landscape and decreasing vegetative cover due to ungulate grazing has primed the area for erosion during high intensity rainfall events. Our marine work matches trends observed in previous studies and highlights the value in utilizing an ASV to perform marine remote sensing while also acknowledging the limitations associated with a system such as the one built for our research work.