Title:

Individual plant performance, understory, and rust data for restoration plantings of Metrosideros polymorpha in Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death-affected forests on Hawaii Island, 2019-2022

Author(s):

Yelenik, Stephanie G.; Roy, Kylle; Yanger, Corie

Publication Year:

2026

How to Cite:

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Yelenik, Stephanie G.; Roy, Kylle; Yanger, Corie. 2026. Individual plant performance, understory, and rust data for restoration plantings of Metrosideros polymorpha in Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death-affected forests on Hawaii Island, 2019-2022. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2026-0056

Abstract:

Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death (ROD), caused by the fungal pathogen Ceratocystis, is killing large numbers of ʻōhiʻa trees (Metrosideros polymorpha) in Hawai‘i. ‘Ōhiʻa is the dominant canopy forest species across many different soil types and climatic conditions and makes up the majority of biomass in native-dominated Hawaiian forests. This study tested whether planting ʻōhiʻa seedlings is viable in areas with high ROD mortality, and how mortality rates due to ROD compare to those of other stressors, such as competition with invasive plants and damage from invasive ungulates. We planted ʻōhiʻa across three climatically different ROD-affected forest sites and crossed this with weeding and fencing treatments. We also tracked seedlings in ʻōhiʻa restoration plantings in two additional sites without weeding and fencing treatments. In all cases, we monitored seedlings monthly and immediately tested dead seedlings for viable Ceratocystis spores. We also collected additional data on the incidence of an introduced foliar rust (Austropuccinia psidii) on seedlings, as well as neighboring vegetation species and canopy cover. We monitored each site for two full years, and because we planted different sites at different times, the entire study period was between 2019 and 2022.

Keywords:

biota; environment; Ecology, Ecosystems, & Environment; Plant ecology; Forest & Plant Health; Invasive species; Plant diseases; tropical forest; forest restoration; invasive tree pathogens; Metrosideros polymorpha; Ceratocystis huliohia; Ceratocystis lukuohia; Austropuccinia psidii; Hawaii Island

Related publications:

• Yelenik, Stephanie G.; Yanger, Corie; Phillips, Michala L.; Roy, Kylle. 2026. Restoration ʻŌhiʻa do not succumb to Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death in the first two years after planting. Ecological Restoration. [In review].

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