Avian malaria on Kaua'i : prevalence and survival as a function of sex, age, and species

Whitaker, Kelsey (2022) Avian malaria on Kaua'i : prevalence and survival as a function of sex, age, and species. Masters thesis, Northern Arizona University.

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Abstract

The Hawaiian Islands are the most remote archipelago on Earth, some 3,700 kilometers from the nearest landmass. The introduction of a growing number of non-native species has permanently altered much of the islands’ habitat and displaced native species at an alarming rate. This rapid habitat degradation and loss of native species has led to Hawai'i earning the label of “extinction capital of the world.” One of the most devastating species to arrive on the islands has been Culex quinquefasciatus, the southern house mosquito, a vector for diseases including avian malaria (Plasmodium relictum). Both species are now ecologically established and have caused range reductions, population declines, and extinctions for most populations of native songbirds. The thermal requirements of P. relictum and Cx. quinquefasciatus have in the past provided high-elevation refuges for vulnerable native species. On Kaua'i, this refuge has been the Alaka'i Plateau. However, recent surveys indicate that mosquitoes have encroached on this last pocket of safe habitat, posing a significant and immediate threat to Kaua'i’s remaining passerine species. Malarial prevalence has been studied for a handful of these species, but recent research indicates that it is rapidly increasing on Kaua'i and elsewhere in the Hawaiian Islands. Survival rates with malaria have been poorly studied, and largely for captive birds. We used blood testing and resights taken over a ten-year period to examine prevalence of and survival from P. relictum infection in four species of native songbirds on Kaua'i. We discovered lower prevalence and lower apparent survival rates in honeycreepers than in the two native birds from other taxonomic groups. Our results confirm that honeycreepers are extremely vulnerable to the disease, and will likely require sweeping mosquito prevention efforts if they are to survive into the next century.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Publisher’s Statement:	© Copyright is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the Cline Library, Northern Arizona University. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.
Keywords:	avian malaria; conservation; Hawaii; Kauai; mosquitoes; vector; Invasive species; Extinction; Quinque fasciatus
Subjects:	Q Science > QL Zoology
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status:	Student
Department/Unit:	Graduate College > Theses and Dissertations College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences > Biological Sciences
Date Deposited:	07 Jun 2023 16:53
Last Modified:	07 Jun 2023 16:53
URI:	https://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/5978

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