Serianthes nelsonii merr. Is a critically endangered tree, endemic to rota and guam (mariana islands)

This inter-island research proposal brings together partners from both islands to accomplish the project goals (i.e., the university of guam, center for island sustainability the department of land natural resources rota forestry division and the guam department of agriculture forestry and soil resources division). The purpose of this award is to address high priority activities listed in the S. Nelsonii recovery plan. The first goal examines the edaphic requirements of serianthes needed to improve outplanting success. The following activities will be performed to accomplish the first goal. After a soil nutrient analysis of wild and outplanted populations, fertilizers and soil amendments will be selected to augment the soils of the outplanting in both islands. The effectiveness of mycorrhizal inoculants will be tested on nursery grown seedlings and outplanted seedlings. The second goal aims to establish an experimental mixed guam and rota population at the university of guam, IJA research station. This population can be used in the future as field seed stock and as field research area to study the genetic diversity of the mixed population. To accomplish this goal the following activities will be performed. Seeds and leaf samples for genetic analysis will be collected from both guam and rota populations. Seedlings will be outplanted at the university research station. The project S location at UOG research station allows for schools and community groups to visit and learn about serianthes. Capacity building in rota and guam is needed to ensure the detailed tasks of this project can be executed and documented. The reintroduction, genetic, and soil biology components of this proposal will ensure the protection of S. Nelsonii across the full range of ecological settings (REPRESENTATION), maintain population-specific attributes that increase the long-term persistence of S. Nelsonii (RESILIENCY), and includes establishment of multiple populations in multiple ecological settings to spread extinction risk and increase the species viability (REDUNDANCY).