Hawaiian tropical rainforests#Mixed mesic forests

The Hawaiian tropical rainforests are a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in the Hawaiian Islands. They cover an area of {{convert|6700|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} in the windward lowlands and montane regions of the islands. Coastal mesic forests are found at elevations from sea level to {{convert|300|m|ft|abbr=on}}.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SFLoKRq-joEC |title=A Natural History of the Hawaiian Islands: Selected Readings II |first=E. Alison |last=Kay |publisher=University of Hawaii Press |year=1995 |isbn=978-0-8248-1659-9 |page=147}} Mixed mesic forests occur at elevations of {{convert|750|to|1250|m|ft|abbr=on}}, while wet forests are found from {{convert|1250|to|1700|m|ft|abbr=on}}. Moist bogs and shrublands exist on montane plateaus and depressions. For the 28 million years of existence of the Hawaiian Islands, they have been isolated from the rest of the world by vast stretches of the Pacific Ocean, and this isolation has resulted in the evolution of an incredible diversity of endemic species, including fungi, mosses, snails, birds, and other wildlife. In the lush, moist forests high in the mountains, trees are draped with vines, orchids, ferns, and mosses.{{NatGeo ecoregion|id=oc0106|name=Hawaii tropical moist forests|access-date=2009-02-19}} This ecoregion includes one of the world's wettest places, the slopes of Mount Wai{{okina}}ale{{okina}}ale, which average {{convert|373|in|mm|abbr=on}} of rainfall per year.{{cite web

| url = https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?hi6565

| title = MT WAIALEALE 1047, HAWAII (516565)

| date = 1 August 2008

| website = WRCC

| publisher = NOAA

| access-date = 30 August 2018 }}

{{Infobox ecoregion

| name = Hawaiian tropical rainforests

| image = Alakai swamp.jpg

| image_size = 300

| image_caption = Kaua{{okina}}i's Alaka{{okina}}i Wilderness Preserve

| country = United States

| state = Hawaii

| border1 = Hawaiian tropical dry forests

| border2 = Hawaiian tropical high shrublands

| bird_species =

| mammal_species =

| plant_species =

| habitat_loss =

| habitat_loss_ref =

| protected =

| protected_ref =

| area = 6700

| biogeographic_realm = Oceanian

| biome = Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests

| climate = Tropical rainforest (Af)

| conservation = Critical/Endangered{{WWF ecoregion|id=oc0106|name=Hawaii tropical moist forests|access-date=2011-11-19}}

| global200 = Yes{{cite journal |url=http://www.worldwildlife.org/science/ecoregions/WWFBinaryitem4810.pdf |first=David M. |last=Olson |author2=Eric Dinerstein |title=The Global 200: Priority Ecoregions for Global Conservation |journal=Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden |volume=89 |year=2002 |issue=2 |pages=199–224 |doi=10.2307/3298564|jstor=3298564 }}

| map =

| map_size =

| map_alt =

| map_caption =

}}

Coastal mesic forests

Coastal mesic forests are found on the windward slopes of the major islands from sea level to {{convert|300|m|ft|abbr=on}}. These forests have been dominated by the native hala (Pandanus tectorius) and hau (Hibiscus tiliaceus) and naturalized (Polynesian introductions) kukui (Aleurites moluccana) and milo (Thespesia populnea) for the past 1,000–2,000 years. The Polynesian-introduced noni (Morinda citrifolia), pia (Tacca leontopetaloides), and kī (Cordyline fruticosa) are also common in this zone. Other native species include pololei (Ophioglossum concinnum), {{okina}}ākia (Wikstroemia spp.), loulu fan palms (Pritchardia spp.), {{okina}}ōhi{{okina}}a lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha), and lama (Diospyros sandwicensis).{{cite book |first=L. W. |last=Cuddihy |author2=C. P. Stone |year=1990 |title=Alteration of native Hawaiian vegetation-Effects of humans, their activities and introductions |chapter=Chapter 7: Vegetation of the Hawaiian Islands |chapter-url=http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/duffy/book/1990_chap/07.pdf |page=7 |publisher=University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090919180858/http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/duffy/book/1990_chap/07.pdf |archive-date=2009-09-19}}

Mixed mesic forests

Mixed mesic forests, at {{convert|750|to|1250|m|ft|abbr=on}} on the windward slopes of the large islands in addition to the summit of Mount Lāna{{okina}}ihale on Lāna{{okina}}i, receive {{convert|1000|to|2500|mm|in|abbr=on}} of rainfall annually and thus may not be true rainforests. The forest canopy, dominated by koa (Acacia koa) and {{okina}}ōhi{{okina}}a lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha), is somewhat open, but tree density is rather high.{{cite book |title=Hawaiian Natural History, Ecology, and Evolution |first=Alan C. |last=Ziegler |publisher=University of Hawaii Press |year=2002 |isbn=978-0-8248-2190-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l56J_8teG58C |pages=175–176}} Other trees and shrubs include pāpala (Charpentiera obovata), olopua (Nestegis sandwicensis), hame (Antidesma platyphyllum), mēhame (A. pulvinatum), kōpiko (Psychotria mariniana), {{okina}}ōpiko (P. mauiensis), {{okina}}iliahi (Santalum freycinetianum), hōlei (Ochrosia spp.), po{{okina}}olā (Claoxylon sandwicense), kōlea lau nui (Myrsine lessertiana), kauila (Alphitonia ponderosa), nioi (Eugenia reinwardtiana), a{{okina}}ia{{okina}}i (Paratrophis pendulina), and hō{{okina}}awa (Pittosporum spp.).{{cite book |title=Plants and Flowers of Hawaiʻi |first=S. H. |last=Sohmer |author2=R. Gustafson |publisher=University of Hawaii Press |year=1987 |isbn=978-0-8248-1096-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6roh_cQf1N0C |pages=45–52}}

Wet forests

Wet forests generally occur from {{convert|1250|to|1700|m|ft|abbr=on}}, but may be as low as {{convert|200|m|ft|abbr=on}}. They receive {{convert|3000|to|11250|mm|in|abbr=on}} of rain per year. {{okina}}Ōhi{{okina}}a lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) is the dominant canopy species in wet forests, but koa (Acacia koa) is also very common. Other trees include kāwa{{okina}}u (Ilex anomala), {{okina}}alani (Melicope clusiifolia), {{okina}}ōhi{{okina}}a ha (Syzygium sandwicensis), kōlea lau nui (Myrsine lessertiana), {{okina}}ohe (Tetraplasandra spp.), and olomea (Perrottetia sandwicensis) as well as hāpu{{okina}}u (Cibotium tree ferns). {{okina}}Ape{{okina}}ape (Gunnera petaloidea), {{okina}}oha wai (Clermontia spp.), hāhā (Cyanea spp.), kāmakahala (Geniostoma hirtellum), kanawao (Broussaisia arguta), Phyllostegia spp., {{okina}}ākala (Rubus hawaiensis), kāmanamana (Adenostemma lavenia), Pilea peploides, māmaki (Pipturus albidus), olonā (Touchardia latifolia), and {{okina}}ala{{okina}}ala wai nui (Peperomia spp.) are common understory plants. Vines include maile (Alyxia oliviformis) and hoi kuahiwi (Smilax melastomifolia). {{okina}}Ie{{okina}}i.e. (Freycinetia arborea), pua{{okina}}akuhinia (Astelia menziesiana) and {{okina}}ōlapa (Cheirodendron trigynum) are epiphytic flowering plants found in wet forests. Epiphytic ferns, such as Adenophorus spp., ohiaku (Hymenophyllum recurvum), Ophioglossum pendulum, {{okina}}ākaha (Asplenium nidus), {{okina}}ēkaha (Elaphoglossum hirtum), and makue lau lii (Grammitis hookeri), cover trees. Epyphytic mosses include Acroporium fuscoflavum, Rhizogonium spiniforme, and Macromitrium owahiense. Loulu fan palms (Pritchardia spp.) may tower over the forest canopy.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=86X9ryA0NKUC |title=Life in a Rain Forest |first=Anne |last=Welsbacher |publisher=Twenty-First Century Books |year=2003 |isbn=978-0-8225-4685-6 |page=29}}

Protected areas:

Olaa Forest in the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

Bogs

Bogs are found in montane regions where rainfall exceeds drainage. Dominant vegetation in bogs are shrubs, sedges, and grasses. Larger shrubs and small trees grow on bog perimeters or on raised hummocks. Carex spp., Oreobolus furcatus, and Rhynchospora rugosa are common sedges, shrubs include {{okina}}ōhelo kau la{{okina}}au (Vaccinium calycinum) and {{okina}}ōhelo (V. dentatum), while grasses are represented by Dichanthelium spp. and Deschampsia nubigena. Dwarf varieties of {{okina}}ōhi{{okina}}a lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha vars. incana and glabriofolia) are the most seen trees on the edges of bogs.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ra2QzAh9xdIC |title=North American Terrestrial Vegetation |first=Michael G. |last=Barbour |author2=William Dwight Billings |edition=2 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2000 |page=670 |isbn=978-0-521-55986-7}} The ferns wāwae{{okina}}iole (Lycopodiella cernua), {{okina}}ama{{okina}}u (Sadleria spp.), and uluhe (Dicranopteris linearis) grow in bogs. Rare plants include liliwai (Acaena exigua), na{{okina}}ena{{okina}}e (Dubautia spp.), and Argyroxiphium spp.