Hawaii Cooperative Studies Unit (HCSU)

The Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center (PIERC) of the U.S. Geological Survey Biological Resources Discipline and the University of Hawaii at Hilo formed a collaborative partnership in 2003 called the Hawaii Cooperative Studies Unit (HCSU). The Unit, led by Sharon Ziegler-Chong, facilitates PIERC's research efforts focused on the conservation of the natural resources of Hawaii and the Pacific in protected habitats, such as national parks and wildlife refuges and the state's natural area reserves. The partnership also links UH resources and students to on-going PIERC research and interests.

Current HCSU projects include:

     - Research into the Sensitivity of PI Tropical Montane Cloud Forest
     - Early Detection of Exotic Species on Maui
     - Seabird Monitoring Plan and Techniques
     - Hawaiian Vegetation Mapping - Phase 2
     - Temporal Trends in Hanalei Bay Marine Benthic Communities
     - Molecular Tools for the Genetic Analysis of Endemic/Invasive Species
     - Pacific Marine Research Needs Assessment
     - Reducing Feral Cat Threats
     - Restoration of Two Maui Dry Forest Sites
     - Pacific Basin Information Nodes
     - Hawaiian Forest Bird Database Research
     - Scale of Habitat Selection in the Endangered Hawaiian Hoary Bat
     - Palila Restoration Research
     - Integrated Pest Management for Palmyra pisonia Forest
     - Biological Control Studies - Brazil
     - Research in Suppression of Alien Yellow Jackets in Hawaii
     - Ecological Characteristics of Feral Mallards
     - Response of Native Communities to Alien Species
     - Investigation of Ecological Impacts of the Kalij Pheasant
     - Efficacy of Feral Pig Removals at Hakalau Forest
     - The Nature Conservacy - Weed Mapping Services
     - Pacific Basin Information Node: PIERC (HEAR) Invasive Species
     - Determine Limiting Factors of Rare and Endangered Plant Species
     - Analysis of Laboratory and Field Data to Investigate Biocomplexity

Selected research areas address Avian Ecology, Behavioral Ecology, Bioacoustics, Botany, Climate Change, Coral Ecology, Cultural Resources, Ecosystem Restoration, Entomology, Forest Birds, General Ecology, Genetics, Human Disease, Invasive Species, Mammals, Resource Valuation, Vegetation Ecology, and Wildlife Management. Please visit the HCSU Website at http://www.uhh.hawaii.edu/hcsu/ for more information on this exciting program or contact Unit Leader, Sharon Ziegler-Chong at (808) 933-0759 or ziegler(at)hawaii.edu.