Wednesday, April 9, 2003
Part II
Department of theInterior
Fish and Wildlife Service50 CFR Part 17Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Designation of Critical Habitat for the Kauai Cave Wolf Spider and Kauai Cave Amphipod; Final Rule
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORFish and Wildlife Service50 CFR Part 17
RIN 1018–AH01
Endangered and Threatened Wildlifeand Plants; Designation of CriticalHabitat for the Kauai Cave Wolf Spiderand Kauai Cave Amphipod
AGENCY
:
Fish and Wildlife Service,Interior.
ACTION
:
Final rule.
SUMMARY
:
We, the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service (Service), designatecritical habitat for the Kauai cave wolf spider (
Adelocosa anops
) and the Kauaicave amphipod (
Spelaeorchestiakoloana
) pursuant to the EndangeredSpecies Act of 1973, as amended (Act).The critical habitat designation consistsof 14 units whose boundariesencompass an area of approximately 110hectares (ha)(272 acres (ac)) on theisland of Kauai, Hawaii. This criticalhabitat designation requires the Serviceto consult under section 7 of the Actwith regard to actions carried out,funded, or authorized by a Federalagency. Section 4 of the Act requires usto consider economic and other relevantimpacts when specifying any particulararea as critical habitat. We solicited dataand comments from the public on allaspects of the proposed rule, includingdata on economic and other impacts of the designation.
DATES
:
This rule becomes effective onMay 9, 2003.
ADDRESSES
:
Comments and materialsreceived, as well as supportingdocumentation, used in the preparationof this final rule will be available forpublic inspection, by appointment,during normal business hours at U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service, PacificIslands Office, 300 Ala Moana Blvd.,Room 3–122, Box 50088, Honolulu, HI96850–0001.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
:
PaulHenson, Field Supervisor, PacificIslands Office, at the above address(telephone: 808/541–3441; facsimile:808/541–3470).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
:
Background
The Hawaiian archipelago consists of eight main islands and the numerousshoals and atolls of the northwesternHawaiian Islands. The islands wereformed sequentially by basaltic lava thatemerged from a hot spot in the earth’scrust located near the currentsoutheastern coast of the island of Hawaii (Stearns 1985). Kauai is theoldest of the main islands, with most of its land mass being formed between 3.6and 5.6 million years ago (MYA) froma single, large shield volcano, nowrepresented by the Alakai Plateau andadjacent ridges. Younger, secondaryeruptions occurred over the easternportion of the island as recently as thePleistocene era (approximately 0.6MYA). Due to the age of the island, theterrain is heavily eroded, with steepwater-carved valleys and gulchescharacterizing the slopes of the AlakaiPlateau and other isolated ridges. TheAlakai Plateau is one of the wettestplaces on earth, receiving an average of 1.3 meters (m) (444 inches (in)) of rainannually (Juvik and Juvik 1998). Rain isdelivered to the island by prevailingtrade winds which come from thenortheast. Southern and southwesternportions of the island lie in the rainshadow of the Alakai Plateau, ridges, orother uplands, and receive relativelylittle rain (NOAA 1990–1999).The Koloa District lies in thesoutheast corner of Kauai and includesthe town of Koloa and the communityand resort area of Poipu. The area is dryto mesic (moderate rainfall), receivingan average of 107 to 223 centimeters(cm) (42 to 88 in) of rain annually.Although the Koloa District includesupland areas such as ridge lines derivedfrom the Alakai Plateau and Haupuridge, most human-occupied areas lie between sea level and about 183 m (600feet (ft)) in elevation.The Koloa area is composed of theyoungest rock on Kauai, the KoloaVolcanics (MacDonald
et al.
1960;Langenheim and Clague 1987), withflows dating from between 0.6 and 1.4million years. Younger, consolidatedmarine deposits and lithified sanddunes lie on top of some coastalportions of the older Koloa Volcanics.The great age and subsequentweathering that has occurred on Kauaihas resulted in most lava tubes having been collapsed or filled with sediments(MacDonald
et al.
1960; Howarth 1973;Berger
et al.
1981; Howarth 1987b),relative to younger islands (
e.g.,
Hawaii)where lava tubes are common features(Howarth 1983a). It is only in portionsof the Koloa District, with its younger,cave-bearing rock, relative lack of developed soils, and minimal rainfalland subsequent sedimentation, thatcaves are known to be relativelycommon features on Kauai (Howarth1981).
Kauai Cave Wolf Spider
The Kauai cave wolf spider(
Adelocosa anops
) is a member of thewolf spider family (Lycosidae). Spidersin this family are characterized by adistinctive eye pattern, including twoparticularly large eyes located withinthe middle row of eight eyes (Foelix1982). While wolf spiders are typicallyvisual predators, the most conspicuousphysical character of the Kauai cavespider is its complete lack of eyes. Thischaracter is unique among wolf spidersand, in part, provides justification forthe recognition of a separate genus forthis taxon (Gertsch 1973). A few speciesof wolf spider have reduced eyes,including another cave-adapted specieson the island of Hawaii, but only in theKauai cave wolf spider are the eyesentirely absent. Adults of the Kauai cavewolf spider are about 12.7 to 19.0millimeters (mm) (0.5 to 0.75 in) in total body length with a reddish-browncarapace, pale to silvery abdomen, and beige to pale orange legs. The hindmargin of each chelicera (biting jaw) bears three large teeth, two situated basally, and the third at the outer endof the chelicera. The tibiae (the fifthsegment of the leg) of the two front pairsof legs have four pairs of ventral spines,and the tarsi (ultimate segments) andmetatarsi (penultimate segments) of alllegs bear unusually long, silky, andshiny trichobothria (sensory hairs)(Gertsch 1973).Dr. Frank Howarth, of the BishopMuseum, first discovered the Kauai cavewolf spider in Koloa in 1971, and it wasformally described by Willis Gertsch of the Bishop Museum (Gertsch 1973). TheKauai cave wolf spider is a predator,and although blind, can detect thepresence of potential food items throughchemo-tactile sensory organs andactively stalks its prey (Howarth 1983a).Although predation has not beenobserved in the field, the spiderprobably feeds on the Kauai caveamphipod, other cave-inhabitingarthropods, and alien species of arthropods that enter the cave system.Compared to most wolf spiders, thereproductive capacity of the Kauai cavewolf spider is extremely low, with only15 to 30 eggs produced in each egg sac(Wells
et al.
1983; Howarth 1991).Newly hatched spiderlings areunusually large for wolf spiders, and arecarried on the back of the female foronly a few days (Howarth 1991;Howarth and Mull 1992). Other speciesof wolf spider may have in excess of 100offspring per clutch and the newlyhatched spiderlings are relatively small(Foelix 1982; Howarth 1991; Howarthand Mull 1992).
Kauai Cave Amphipod
The Kauai cave amphipod(
Spelaeorchestia koloana
) wasdiscovered in some of the same caves as
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the Kauai cave wolf spider in 1971(Bousfield and Howarth 1976). Becauseof the unusual attributes of a highlyreduced pincher-like condition of thefirst gnathopod (thoracic appendage) of the amphipod, and the secondgnathopod being mitten-like in bothsexes, this taxon is placed in its ownunique genus (
Spelaeorchestia
) withinthe family Talitridae (Bousfield andHowarth 1976). This species is alsodistinctive in its lack of eye facets andpigmentation, and extremely elongate,spiny, post-cephalic appendages. Adultcave amphipods are 7 to 10 mm (0.25to 0.4 in) in length with a slender,laterally compressed body and a hyaline(nearly transparent) cuticle, giving it ashiny, translucent appearance. Thesecond pair of antenna are slender andelongate, with the flagellum (slenderouter part of the antenna) only slightlylonger than the peduncle (narrow stalkattaching to the body). Peraeopods(abdominal walking legs) are veryelongate, with slender, attenuatedclaws. All pleopods (swimming legs) arereduced, with branches vestigial orlacking. Uropods (tail-like appendages)1 and 2 have well-developed pre-peduncles, and brood plates in themature female are vestigial or entirelyabsent (Bousfield and Howarth 1976).The Kauai cave amphipod is adetritivore and has been observedfeeding on the roots of
Pithecellobiumdulce
(Manila tamarind) and
Ficus
sp.(fig), rotting roots, sticks, branches, andother plant material washed into, orotherwise carried into, the caves, as wellas the fecal material of other arthropods.In large cave passages, most individualsare found in association with roots orrotting plant debris. When disturbed,this cave amphipod typically movesslowly away rather than jumping likeother amphipods. Nothing is known of the reproductive biology of thisamphipod, but the vestigial brood platesof the female suggest they give birth toa small number of large offspring(Poulson and White 1969; Bousfield andHowarth 1976).
Cave Habitat
Cave habitats have a high degree of zonation which plays a major role in thedistribution of cave-dwelling organisms.Howarth and Stone (1990) recognizefive distinct zones, not all of which arealways present within any one cave.The first zone, the
‘‘
entrance zone,
’’
typically receives large amounts of solarradiation and is often vegetated withsurface plants. Within the second zone,the
‘‘
twilight zone,
’’
ambient light levelsdecrease as one moves away from theentrance and photosynthesizing plantsthat may be present in the entrancedecline. The third zone is referred to asthe
‘‘
transition zone.
’’
The transitionzone lacks light penetrance from theentrance, but other outside factors stillgreatly influence the cave habitat (
e.g.,
ample air movement and dailytemperature fluctuations). All of theabove described zones (entrance,twilight, and transition) are typicallyinfluenced by surface conditions, dailycycles of warming and cooling, surfacehumidity, and a fair degree of airexchange occurring between these zonesand surface habitats over relatively shortperiods of time (daily). The fourth cavezone, the
‘‘
dark zone,
’’
typically exhibitsa sharp climatological change from thethree previously described zones. Thedark zone largely lacks daily airexchange with the surface and the threepreviously described zones. Therelatively constant conditionsencountered in the dark zone are oftenthe result of a narrowing cave passageor low ceiling(s) that serve as physical barriers that restrict air exchange withother cave zones, or may be due to anup-slope orientation into a dead-endpassage that traps warm, moist air.While the dark zone may undergodrastic changes in temperature andrelative humidity, this more often isassociated with seasonal rather thandiurnal changes in air temperature. Asa result of this, dark zones areseasonally stable in their micro-climaticconditions, remaining warm and humidduring warm seasons. The finalrecognized cave zone is that of the
‘‘
stagnant
’’
zone (Howarth and Stone1990). This zone lies deeper than thedark zone, receiving significantly lessair exchange. As a consequence, thecomposition of gasses within this lastzone is often largely controlled by thedecomposition of organic matter andmaintains high concentrations of carbondioxide and low concentrations of oxygen. While considered inhospitable by human standards, field observationshave indicated that obligate cave-dwelling species are highly tolerant of these conditions and many may, in fact,thrive in the stagnant air zone of caves(Howarth and Stone 1990).Cave habitats almost always containsmall voids, cracks, and passages(mesocaverns) that cannot be accessed by researchers (Howarth 1983b), butremain readily accessible (or preferred) by small troglobites (obligate cave-dwelling animals). Although such voidsand cracks can occur in any zone andpossess characteristics of each of thefive zones, they frequently representareas of reduced air flow andconsequently are most similar to thedark and stagnant air zones. Passagesand mesocaverns in limestone caves canform or be destroyed at almost anytimein the life of the cave, depending on thechemical characteristics of the rock andnormal geologic processes. Limestonecaves often become larger over time asacidic waters from the surface dissolveaway the calcium carbonate bedrock.Since water flow enlarges and createscaves in limestone by solution,subterranean voids do not fill througherosion. If any do, the water quicklyfinds a different path and enlarges anew void. Limestone caves grow deeperas the water table sinks and the surfaceover the caves dissolves away.Limestone caves improve with age because, although individual voids andpassages may be short-lived, limestonecaves continuously reform so thathabitat can remain suitable for very longtime spans. Caves derived from lavatube systems are fundamentallydifferent from limestone in that basalt isnot as readily soluble. Hence, lava tubepassages and mesocaverns do nottypically dissolve away and becomelarger (formed), but are subject to fillingwith sediments (destroyed).The tendency for Hawaiian basalt toshrink and crack upon cooling results inyounger lava flows having anabundance of mesocaverns throughouttheir structure that may serve as habitator as corridors between habitats.However, the cave-building processtypically stops some time after cave andcrack formation, and is replaced by thecave-filling processes as weathering andsedimentation begin filling inmesocaverns and passages. On youngerislands, the abundance of mesocavernsmay allow cave animals to move amongand between larger, adjacent lava tubes(Berger
et al.
1981; Howarth 1991).However, because these smaller voids become filled with erosional sedimentin older flows like the Koloa Volcanics,and as a result of surface disturbance(Mueller-Dombois and Howarth 1981;Adam Asquith, Service,
in litt.,
1994a),it is less likely that the Kauai caveanimals can readily move amongseparate lava tubes or other cavesystems.Cave ecosystems are typicallyregarded as being food limited, and inmost caves, the resident food-webcommunities require food input whichis derived from surface systems basedupon a photo-autotrophic (
i.e.,
photosynthesizing plants) food base(Culver 1986). Nutrients may entercaves via subterranean streams or othersurface runoff; as guano from bats, birds,rodents, or other cave visitors orresidents; or from plant roots thatpenetrate the cave (Culver 1986). Of these methods, roots from surface plants
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