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Contact me: felling@hawaii.edu 

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Acacia koa

Candace Felling

 The unique geological, ecological, and biological resources of the Hawaiian Islands make them an ideal outdoor laboratory in which to investigate questions relating to ecology, evolution, and conservation biology. The plants I study comprise the Hawaiian Acacia complex (commonly referred to as koa). These are evergreen, nitrogen-fixing, leguminous trees which have evolved in the Hawaiian environment to become unique taxa that are dominant or co-dominant in 6 out of 8 of the major forest ecosystems. Koa has been described as Hawaii's premier forest tree and is highly valued economically (timber), culturally (traditional and modern Hawaiian ethnobotany), and for its conservation significance (maintenance of Hawaii's watersheds and preservation of biodiversity). The specific objectives of my research are to:
  • Evaluate the genetic variation within and among natural populations of Hawaiian Acacia using molecular fingerprint data (Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA or RAPD'S)
  • To assess the systematic relationships within the Acacia complex by examining wood anatomy and morphological characters and comparing these with the RAPD'S data
  • To apply the results of these analyses to conservation biology and forest management issues pertinent to Acacia forest ecosystems in Hawaii. 

To learn more about the diversity of Koa forests, please click on one of the links below.

Ecosystem Diversity

Biological Diversity

Morphology and Wood Anatomy

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