Biome organisms

Oahu, “The Gathering Place”

Oahu, one of the Hawaiian islands, is home to two-thirds of Hawaii’s population and is also referred to as “The Gathering Place.”

The Unique Ecology of the Hawaiian Islands

The Hawaiian Islands, the most remote continent on the planet, have created a delicate and unique ecology with over three thousand native plant and animal species, many of which are on the verge of extinction.

Oahu’s Diverse Landscape

On Oahu, pastures make up 34.4% of the grassland area, with forest reserves making up 26.1%. The island is a part of the broadleaf and mixed forest region of the world, which also contains a few patches of subtropical and tropical grasslands, shrublands, and savannas.

Plant Life on Oahu’s Grassland

Tracing back in history, Oahu’s scrubland, tropical dry forest, and grasslands thrive at low elevations. According to hishamel (2014), the plants’ overview found on the grassland of the island of Oahu include Zingiber zerumbet also known as the colorful Shampoo Ginger, Arundina graminifolia also going by the name the Bamboo Orchid. Another common plant on Oahu’s grassland is the Palm grass and goes by the scientific name of Setaria palmifolia. Dioscorea bulbifera is another plant commonly referred to as Air Yam, and lastly, the Blue Butterfly also known as Rotheca myricoides is another very attractive plant on the grasslands of Oahu.

Animal Life on Oahu’s Grassland

The animals which are found on the prairie in Oahu’s grassland comprise of both native and non-native ones. The Polynesian settlers brought with them horses, pigs, goats, dogs, and sheep which continually fed on the grassland and which are present to date (Federation, 1996). Other animals like rats are also present on the grasslands having arrived when sugarcane was introduced on the island. The mongooses were introduced to control the rat population which have continually thrived because the lack natural predators to control them. On Oahu, wild pigs and goats inhabit the mountain valley across the island. Different bird species also reside on the grassland of Hawaii like the Grey Francolin and the Red Vented Bulbul (“Endemic birds of Oahu,” n.d.).

References

hishamel. (2014, May 13). The Oahu Biome. Retrieved January 24, 2017, from https://hishamelouadbiology3.wordpress.com/2014/05/13/the-oahu-biome/

Federation, N. W. (1996). Hawai’i at the crossroads - national wildlife federation. Retrieved January 24, 2017, from https://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/Animals/Archives/2016/Hawaii.aspx

Endemic birds of Oahu. Retrieved January 24, 2017, from http://birdsofoahu.weebly.com/endemic-birds-of-oahu.html