Ecological Site Description Ecological Site Characteristics Site Identification
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ECOLOGICAL SITE INTERPRETATONSForest Site Productivity
Animal Community Animal Community – Wildlife Interpretations This site provides habitat to a variety of small, medium-sized, and large introduced birds such as doves, wild turkey, ring-necked pheasant, Eurasian skylark, Erckel’s francolin, black francolin, and khalij pheasant. States that provide open grassland or savannah-like settings provide habitat for other important wildlife such as the Hawaiian hawk and the Hawaiian owl. This site can also provide habitat to the following native birds: Hawaii elepaio, omao, Hawaii amakihi, apapane, iiwi, Hawaiian crow, ou, Hawaii akepa, akiapolaau, as well as the Hawaiian hoary bat. Feral pigs, sheep, and cattle are very common; they provide hunting opportunities but are very destructive to the native vegetation. Animal Community – Grazing Interpretations The following table lists suggested initial stocking rates for cattle under the Forage Value Rating system for only State 2, Plant Community 2, Good Condition Pasture, with guinea grass. For kikuyugrass pastures on this ecological site, refer to grazing interpretations in Ecological site Description F161AY500HI, Transition Zone Ohia-Koa-Mamane Forest. The following are conservative estimates that should be used only as guidelines in the initial stages of the conservation planning process. Sometimes the current plant composition does not entirely match any particular plant community described in this ecological site description. Because of this, a field visit is recommended to document plant composition and production. More precise carrying capacity estimates should eventually be calculated using the following stocking rate information along with animal preference data, particularly when grazers other than cattle are involved. Under more intensive grazing management, improved harvest efficiencies may result in an increased stocking rate. Forage Value Rating 1/ Acre/AUM 3/ AUM/Acre 3/Very High 2/ 0.20 – 0.22 5.13 – 4.49 High 0.22 – 0.26 4.49 – 3.85 Moderate 0.26 –0.39 3.85 –2.56 Low 0.39 - + 2.56 - + 1/ The Forage Value Rating System is not an ecological evaluation of State 2, Plant Community 2, Good Condition Pasture. It is a utilitarian rating of the existing forage value for that specific plant community. 2/ Conservationists must use considerable judgment, because some pastures in the Very High forage class could be producing less than normal volumes of forage, and adjustments would need to be made in the initial stocking rate. 3/ Stocking rates vary in accordance with such factors as kind and class of livestock or wildlife, season of use, and fluctuations in climate. Figures shown are calculated assuming a 30% adjustment factor to account for harvest efficiency and the “take half – leave half” principle. Actual use records and on-site inventories for individual sites, together with a determination of the degree to which the sites have been grazed, offer the most reliable basis for developing initial stocking rates. The Good Condition Pasture plant community on this site is suitable for grazing by all kinds and classes of livestock, at any season, particularly cattle. However, this site is best utilized for grazing during the major plant growth period described in the “Climate” section. This site is suited for grazing by both cow-calf operations and stocker operations. However, sheep can be grazed on this site as well. This site is poorly suited to continuous year-long use if the Good Condition Pasture plant community is to be maintained. Herbaceous forage can be deficient in protein during the drier months. Plant Preference for Cattle
Legend: P=Preferred, D=Desirable, U=Undesirable, N=Not Consumed, E=Emergency, T=Toxic, X=Used, but degree of utilization unknown. Hydrology Functions Recreation Uses Hunting is the most common recreational use. Wood Products There is good potential for production of timber in this ecological site, including eucalyptus and high-value specialty woods such as koa. However, there has been very little utilization of the resource to date. Other Products Other Information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||