The Common Range and Forage Types of the Islands of Hawaii

Abstract

Generally, the major range and forage types of Hawaii, which are principally naturalized plant communities, with a steady-state disclimax, can be categorized into about six groups. However, there are other, more seldom-occurring naturalized groups, and even less-often–occurring native, historic climax range- land plant communities still present. The principal six natu- ralized range and forage types that typically compose a good majority of the grazing land acres are 1) Leeward Coastal Desert range type, 2) Leeward Semiarid Midgrass Steppe range type, 3) Subhumid and Humid Tallgrass range types, 4) Temperate Subhumid range type, 5) Humid Lowland/Hu- mid range type, and 6) Humid Very Tall Grass range type. In this article, I focus on these six naturalized range and forage types that occur on six of the eight major Hawaiian islands (Kauai, Oahu, Lanai, Molokai, Maui, and Hawaii). The is- lands of Niihau and Kahoolawe are not included as I have no eld experiences on these two other major islands. 

DOI: 10.2458/azu_rangelands_v36i4_may2