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The Hawaiian tropical rainforests are a tropical moist broadleaf forest
ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) is an ecological and geographic area that exists on multiple different levels, defined by type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and c ...
in the
Hawaiian Islands The Hawaiian Islands () are an archipelago of eight major volcanic islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the Pacific Ocean, North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the Hawaii (island), island of Hawaii in the south to nort ...
. They cover an area of in the
windward In geography and seamanship, windward () and leeward () are directions relative to the wind. Windward is ''upwind'' from the point of reference, i.e., towards the direction from which the wind is coming; leeward is ''downwind'' from the point ...
lowlands and
montane Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures lapse rate, fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is ...
regions of the islands. Coastal mesic forests are found at elevations from sea level to . Mixed mesic forests occur at elevations of , while wet forests are found from . Moist
bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and musk ...
s and
shrubland Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominance (ecology), dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbaceous plant, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally o ...
s exist on montane
plateau In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; : plateaus or plateaux), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. ...
s 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 The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...
, and this isolation has resulted in the evolution of an incredible diversity of endemic species, including
fungi A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...
,
moss Mosses are small, non-vascular plant, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic phylum, division Bryophyta (, ) ''sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Wilhelm Philippe Schimper, Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryo ...
es,
snail A snail is a shelled gastropod. The name is most often applied to land snails, terrestrial molluscs, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs. However, the common name ''snail'' is also used for most of the members of the molluscan class Gas ...
s,
bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class (biology), class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the Oviparity, laying of Eggshell, hard-shelled eggs, a high Metabolism, metabolic rate, a fou ...
s, and other
wildlife Wildlife refers to domestication, undomesticated animals and uncultivated plant species which can exist in their natural habitat, but has come to include all organisms that grow or live wilderness, wild in an area without being species, introdu ...
. In the lush, moist forests high in the mountains, trees are draped with
vine A vine is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas, or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselves, for instance, when used in wicker work.Jackson; Benjamin; Da ...
s,
orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Eart ...
s,
fern The ferns (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta) are a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. They differ from mosses by being vascular, i.e., having specialized tissue ...
s, and mosses. This ecoregion includes one of the world's wettest places, the slopes of Mount Waialeale, which average of rainfall per year.


Coastal mesic forests

Coast A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...
al mesic forests are found on the windward slopes of the major islands from sea level to . These forests have been dominated by the native hala (''
Pandanus tectorius ''Pandanus tectorius'' is a species of ''Pandanus'' (screwpine) that is native to Malesia, Papuasia, eastern Australia, and the Pacific Islands. It grows in the coastal lowlands typically near the edge of the ocean. Common names in English inclu ...
'') 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 ''Tacca leontopetaloides'' is a species of flowering plant in the yam family Dioscoreaceae. It is native to the islands of Southeast Asia. Austronesian peoples introduced it as a canoe plant throughout the Indo-Pacific tropics during prehisto ...
''), and kī ('' Cordyline fruticosa'') are also common in this zone. Other native species include pololei ('' Ophioglossum concinnum''), ākia ('' Wikstroemia'' spp.), loulu fan palms ('' Pritchardia'' spp.), ōhia lehua (''
Metrosideros polymorpha ''Metrosideros polymorpha'', the ''ōhia lehua'',; is a species of flowering evergreen tree in the Myrtus, myrtle family, Myrtaceae, that is Endemism, endemic to the six largest Hawaiian Islands, islands of Hawaii, Hawaii. It is a member of the ...
''), and lama ('' Diospyros sandwicensis'').


Mixed mesic forests

Mixed mesic forests, at on the
windward In geography and seamanship, windward () and leeward () are directions relative to the wind. Windward is ''upwind'' from the point of reference, i.e., towards the direction from which the wind is coming; leeward is ''downwind'' from the point ...
slopes of the large islands in addition to the summit of Mount Lānaihale on Lānai, receive of rainfall annually and thus may not be true
rainforest Rainforests are forests characterized by a closed and continuous tree Canopy (biology), canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforests can be generally classified as tropi ...
s. The forest canopy, dominated by koa (''
Acacia koa ''Acacia koa'', commonly known as koa, is a species of Flowering plant, flowering tree in the Family (biology), family Fabaceae. It is Endemism, endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, where it is the second most common tree. The highest populations ar ...
'') and ōhia lehua (''
Metrosideros polymorpha ''Metrosideros polymorpha'', the ''ōhia lehua'',; is a species of flowering evergreen tree in the Myrtus, myrtle family, Myrtaceae, that is Endemism, endemic to the six largest Hawaiian Islands, islands of Hawaii, Hawaii. It is a member of the ...
''), is somewhat open, but tree density is rather high. Other trees and shrubs include pāpala ('' Charpentiera obovata''), olopua ('' Nestegis sandwicensis''), hame ('' Antidesma platyphyllum''), mēhame ('' A. pulvinatum''), kōpiko ('' Psychotria mariniana''), ōpiko ('' P. mauiensis''), iliahi ('' Santalum freycinetianum''), hōlei ('' Ochrosia'' spp.), poolā ('' Claoxylon sandwicense''), kōlea lau nui ('' Myrsine lessertiana''), kauila ('' Alphitonia ponderosa''), nioi ('' Eugenia reinwardtiana''), aiai ('' Paratrophis pendulina''), and hōawa (''
Pittosporum ''Pittosporum'' ( or The first pronunciation is that expected for traditional English pronunciation of Latin, Anglo-Latin; the second is common in nurseries. ''Sunset Western Garden Book,'' 1995:606–607) is a genus of about 250 species of flow ...
'' spp.).


Wet forests

Wet forests generally occur from , but may be as low as . They receive of rain per year. Ōhia lehua (''
Metrosideros polymorpha ''Metrosideros polymorpha'', the ''ōhia lehua'',; is a species of flowering evergreen tree in the Myrtus, myrtle family, Myrtaceae, that is Endemism, endemic to the six largest Hawaiian Islands, islands of Hawaii, Hawaii. It is a member of the ...
'') is the dominant canopy species in wet forests, but koa (''
Acacia koa ''Acacia koa'', commonly known as koa, is a species of Flowering plant, flowering tree in the Family (biology), family Fabaceae. It is Endemism, endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, where it is the second most common tree. The highest populations ar ...
'') is also very common. Other trees include kāwau ('' Ilex anomala''), alani ('' Melicope clusiifolia''), ōhia ha ('' Syzygium sandwicensis''), kōlea lau nui ('' Myrsine lessertiana''), ohe ('' Tetraplasandra'' spp.), and olomea ('' Perrottetia sandwicensis'') as well as hāpuu ('' Cibotium''
tree fern Tree ferns are arborescent (tree-like) ferns that grow with a trunk (botany), trunk elevating the fronds above ground level, making them trees. Many extant tree ferns are members of the order Cyatheales, to which belong the families Cyatheaceae ( ...
s). Apeape ('' Gunnera petaloidea''), oha wai ('' Clermontia'' spp.), hāhā ('' Cyanea'' spp.), kāmakahala ('' Geniostoma hirtellum''), kanawao ('' Broussaisia arguta''), '' Phyllostegia'' spp., ākala ('' Rubus hawaiensis''), kāmanamana ('' Adenostemma lavenia''), ''
Pilea ''Pilea'', with 600–715 species, is the largest genus of flowering plants in the nettle family (botany), family Urticaceae. It is distributed throughout the tropics, subtropics, and warm temperate regions (with the exception of Australia and N ...
peploides'', māmaki ('' Pipturus albidus''), olonā ('' Touchardia latifolia''), and alaala wai nui ('' Peperomia'' spp.) are common
understory In forestry and ecology, understory (American English), or understorey (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English), also known as underbrush or undergrowth, includes plant life growing beneath the Canopy (biology), forest ca ...
plants.
Vine A vine is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas, or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselves, for instance, when used in wicker work.Jackson; Benjamin; Da ...
s include maile ('' Alyxia oliviformis'') and hoi kuahiwi (''
Smilax ''Smilax'' is a genus of about 300–350 species, found in the tropics and subtropics worldwide. They are climbing flowering plants, many of which are woody and/or thorny, in the monocotyledon family (biology), family Smilacaceae, native through ...
melastomifolia''). Iei.e. ('' Freycinetia arborea''), puaakuhinia ('' Astelia menziesiana'') and ōlapa ('' Cheirodendron trigynum'') are
epiphytic An epiphyte is a plant or plant-like organism that grows on the surface of another plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphyt ...
flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...
s found in wet forests. Epiphytic
fern The ferns (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta) are a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. They differ from mosses by being vascular, i.e., having specialized tissue ...
s, such as '' Adenophorus'' spp., ohiaku ('' Hymenophyllum recurvum''), '' Ophioglossum
pendulum A pendulum is a device made of a weight suspended from a pivot so that it can swing freely. When a pendulum is displaced sideways from its resting, equilibrium position, it is subject to a restoring force due to gravity that will accelerate i ...
'', ākaha ('' Asplenium nidus''), ēkaha ('' Elaphoglossum hirtum''), and makue lau lii ('' Grammitis hookeri''), cover trees. Epyphytic
moss Mosses are small, non-vascular plant, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic phylum, division Bryophyta (, ) ''sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Wilhelm Philippe Schimper, Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryo ...
es include '' Acroporium fuscoflavum'', '' Rhizogonium spiniforme'', and '' Macromitrium owahiense''. Loulu fan palms ('' Pritchardia'' spp.) may tower over the forest canopy. Protected areas: * Olaa Forest in the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.


Bogs

Bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and musk ...
s are found in montane regions where rainfall exceeds drainage. Dominant vegetation in bogs are
shrub A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...
s,
sedges The Cyperaceae () are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The family is large; botanists have described some 5,500 known species in about 90 generathe largest being the "true sedges" (genu ...
, and grasses. Larger shrubs and small trees grow on bog perimeters or on raised hummocks. ''
Carex ''Carex'' is a vast genus of over 2,000 species of grass-like plants in the family (biology), family Cyperaceae, commonly known as sedges (or seg, in older books). Other members of the family Cyperaceae are also called sedges, however those of ge ...
'' spp., '' Oreobolus furcatus'', and '' Rhynchospora
rugosa The Rugosa or rugose corals are an extinct Class (biology), class of solitary and Colony (biology), colonial corals that were abundant in Middle Ordovician to Late Permian seas. Solitary rugosans (e.g., ''Caninia (genus), Caninia'', ''Lopho ...
'' are common sedges, shrubs include ōhelo kau laau (''
Vaccinium ''Vaccinium'' is a common and widespread genus of shrubs or dwarf shrubs in the heath family (Ericaceae). The fruits of many species are eaten by humans and some are of commercial importance, including the cranberry, blueberry, bilberry (wh ...
calycinum'') and ōhelo ('' V. dentatum''), while grasses are represented by ''
Dichanthelium ''Dichanthelium'' is genus of flowering plants of the grass family, Poaceae. They are known commonly as rosette grasses and panicgrasses.Deschampsia nubigena''. Dwarf varieties of ōhia lehua (''
Metrosideros polymorpha ''Metrosideros polymorpha'', the ''ōhia lehua'',; is a species of flowering evergreen tree in the Myrtus, myrtle family, Myrtaceae, that is Endemism, endemic to the six largest Hawaiian Islands, islands of Hawaii, Hawaii. It is a member of the ...
'' vars. ''incana'' and ''glabriofolia'') are the most seen trees on the edges of bogs. The
fern The ferns (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta) are a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. They differ from mosses by being vascular, i.e., having specialized tissue ...
s wāwaeiole ('' Lycopodiella cernua''), amau ('' Sadleria'' spp.), and uluhe ('' Dicranopteris linearis'') grow in bogs. Rare plants include liliwai ('' Acaena exigua''), naenae ('' Dubautia'' spp.), and '' Argyroxiphium'' spp.


See also

*
Oceanian realm The Oceanian realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms and is unique in not including any continental land mass. It has the smallest land area of any of the List of terrestrial ecoregions (WWF), WWF realms. This realm includes the islands ...
* Big Bog, Maui *
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests (TSMF), also known as tropical moist forest, is a subtropical and tropical forest habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Description TSMF is generally found in la ...
* Hawaiian tropical dry forests * List of ecoregions in the United States (WWF)


References

{{reflist


External links


Bioimages.vanderbilt.edu: Hawaii Tropical Moist Forests Ecoregion image gallery
::

Ecoregions of Hawaii Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests of the United States * Forests of Hawaii Oceanian ecoregions . . . . . .