Report to the Republic of Palau: 2008 update on Invasive Plant ...
Report to the Republic of Palau: 2008 update on Invasive Plant ...
Report to the Republic of Palau: 2008 update on Invasive Plant ...
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management activities 4 . Our primary field references were checklists prepared from <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 2002<br />
survey, a checklist <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> collecti<strong>on</strong>s made by Dr. Lorence and his colleagues, and a checklist by<br />
Kital<strong>on</strong>g et al. (in press). These checklists also incorporated species previously recorded by<br />
o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>rs (see Appendix 10, References).<br />
The survey team inspected <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> islands <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Koror, Malakal, Ngerkebesang, Babeldaob, Angaur<br />
Peleliu and Kayangel by vehicle, focusing <strong>on</strong> disturbed sites such as roadsides, airstrips, ports<br />
and ‘urban’ areas. Rapid visual inspecti<strong>on</strong> and recording <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> species al<strong>on</strong>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> routes chosen was<br />
accompanied by more detailed inspecti<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> foot at a variety <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> sites or when suspected new<br />
species were seen. On Babeldaob, particular attenti<strong>on</strong> was given <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> recently completed<br />
Compact Road. The Rock Islands <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Bab el Omekang, Bkul a Chesemiich, Ngchelobel, Ngchus,<br />
Ngeanges (Neco), Ngercheu (Carp Resort), Ngerch<strong>on</strong>g, Ngeremdiu and Ngemelis were visited<br />
by boat and inspected <strong>on</strong> foot. All but <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> latter were visited in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> 2002 survey; Ngemelis was<br />
included in this survey <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> ga<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r baseline data as it has recently been opened <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> public. We<br />
were not able <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> revisit Betikel, Ngidech or Ul<strong>on</strong>g islands due <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> lack <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> time. The islands <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
S<strong>on</strong>sorol and Ha<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>hobei States were not surveyed. It would be highly desirable if <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se islands<br />
could also be reassessed in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> future.<br />
Herbarium specimens (225) <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> new, significant, tax<strong>on</strong>omically difficult or unknown species were<br />
collected for later identificati<strong>on</strong> or verificati<strong>on</strong>. All voucher specimens and duplicates will<br />
ultimately be deposited in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> herbarium collecti<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Nati<strong>on</strong>al Tropical Botanical Garden<br />
(PTBG) and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Belau Nati<strong>on</strong>al Museum (BNM) with duplicates <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> New York Botanical<br />
Garden (NY) and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Smiths<strong>on</strong>ian Instituti<strong>on</strong> (US) when available.<br />
For <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> purposes <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this report, invasive species occurring in or <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> threat <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Palau</str<strong>on</strong>g> have been<br />
grouped in<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> six categories:<br />
1. Species that have been subjects <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> eradicati<strong>on</strong> programs (7 species, listed in Appendix 1,<br />
Table 1).<br />
2. Major invasive species that are invasive or potentially invasive in <str<strong>on</strong>g>Palau</str<strong>on</strong>g> and are <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
significant c<strong>on</strong>cern <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> natural or semi-natural ecosystems (55 species, listed in Appendix<br />
1, Table 2).<br />
3. O<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r species <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>cern that are invasive or weedy elsewhere and are comm<strong>on</strong>, weedy<br />
or cultivated in <str<strong>on</strong>g>Palau</str<strong>on</strong>g> (138 species, listed in Appendix 1, Table 3).<br />
4. Species <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> low risk or <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> agricultural c<strong>on</strong>cern that are invasive weeds in gardens, fields,<br />
and pastures and al<strong>on</strong>g roadsides (156 species, listed in Appendix 1, Table 4).<br />
5. Native species (or Micr<strong>on</strong>esian introducti<strong>on</strong>s) that exhibit aggressive behavior (16<br />
species, listed in Appendix 1, Table 5).<br />
6. Species that are invasive elsewhere in similar ecosystems but were not seen <strong>on</strong> our visit<br />
and are not reported in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> literature as being present in <str<strong>on</strong>g>Palau</str<strong>on</strong>g>, <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> which 631 species are<br />
4 We would like <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> express our sincere appreciati<strong>on</strong> for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> hospitality, assistance and support provided by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Minister <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Resources and Development, Fritz Koshiba, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Direc<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>r <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Bureau <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Agriculture, Fernando<br />
Sengebau. We are also much indebted <str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g> Ann Kital<strong>on</strong>g, Vanray Tadao, Sholeh Hanser and Jesse Czekanski-Moir <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Belau Nati<strong>on</strong>al Museum for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir enthusiastic participati<strong>on</strong> in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> field work and for much-needed assistance in<br />
collecting, preparing, drying and curating voucher specimens. We also much appreciated <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> valuable assistance <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Dr. David Brussell <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Eastern Illinois University in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> short time we had available for surveying Kayangel A<str<strong>on</strong>g>to</str<strong>on</strong>g>ll.<br />
Last but not least, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Palau</str<strong>on</strong>g> C<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> Society provided <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir boat, without which <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> surveys <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Peleliu, Angaur,<br />
Kayangel and <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Rock Islands would not have been possible.<br />
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