american samoa - University of Hawaii at Manoa Botany Department

WETLAND VEGETATIONNovember 1999 SurveyArt Whistler of Isle Botanica conducted a botanical survey of the Fusi wetland on November 9,1999. Mr. Whistler was part of a three-person field survey team organized by PedersenPlanning Consultants that observed wetland vegetation, habitat for aquatic fish andinvertebrates, stream hydrology, as well as land uses within and adjacent to the wetland. Hisobservations are summarized in the following paragraphs.The north and west boundaries of the wetland are covered with disturbed vegetation anddominated by alien weeds. The south side of the wetland represents secondary forest/plantationthat is associated with an occupied house site.The underlying soils of the wetland contain a significant volume and wide variety of solidwaste material. Much of the material was apparently hauled to this site in the aftermath ofHurricane Val in December 1991.Fresh-Water SwampMost of the site was covered with a thicket offau (beach hibiscus). The dominance of thisspecie and saturated soils indicate that thiswetland should be classified as a fresh-waterswamp. Beach hibiscus was the only maturetree found over most of the wetland. However,saplings of lowland forest trees such as maotamamala (Dysoxylum samoense), afa(Neonauclea forsteri), nonu (Indian mulberry),and oa (Bischofia javanica) were also present.The perimeter of the wetland was dominated bydisturbed areas and secondary scrub.The surface of the swamp was relatively devoid of vegetation. The most common species wassaato (swamp fern), which probably covered less than five percent of the ground. Otherground cover species included marsh fern (Cyclosorus interruptus) and umbrella sedge(Cyperus alternifolius), as well as many other species observed only once or twice. The mostcommon epiphyte was the fern lau magamaga (Phymatosorus grossus) and lesser amounts oflaugapapa (bird’s nest fern).The adder’s-tongue fern (Ophioglossum reticulatum), which was listed as a rare plant ofconcern in a recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey, was found in the fresh-water swampon several low, moss-covered mounds or rock outcroppings. This species is known inAmerican Samoa only from several collections in the higher elevations of Laufuti Stream onthe south side of Tau, as well as from a single collection on Tutuila around 1860.Disturbed MarshThe southern part of the wetland is a disturbed marsh. Immediately adjacent to the beachhibiscus thicket is a disturbed marsh that is dominated by fue saina (mile-a-minute vine),willow primrose (Ludwigia octovalvis), as well as lesser amounts of pasio vao (love-in-a-mist)and palulu (Stictocardia tiliifolia). Fue saina and willow primrose are characteristic ofwetlands; the latter two weed species are not.American Samoa Wetlands/Streams Restoration and Enhancement PlanFebruary 2001, Fusi Wetland, Page 11-4