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Research
Interests
Life history, ecology and conservation
of Hawaiian birds have been the focus of my research for over 35
years. My work has included studies of geographic variation in morphology,
genetics and behavior of three species of endangered passerine birds
in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. My graduate students undertake
research on these topics, as well as plant-pollinator interactions,
conservation biology of rare plants and invertebrates, impacts of
alien species on native Hawaiian biota and seabird behavior and
conservation. I am also interested in environmental conflict resolution
and how interactions between science, policy and management affect
natural resource conservation. Hawaii has lost more species than
any other geographic area on earth. This extinction crisis is accelerating
today, even as biologists and managers work to prevent the loss
of hundreds of rare species, including more than 30 birds, 300 plants,
and at least 150 species of invertebrates. In the last decade my
research and that of my students has sought, among other things,
to document the ecology of some of these threatened species and,
through basic ecological research, to provide a sound biological
basis for effecting their recovery. |
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Selected
Publications
| Conant,
S. (in press). Honeycreepers in
Hawaiian Material Culture. In: "The
Hawaiian Honeycreepers: Drepanidinae"
by H. Douglas Pratt, Oxford University
Press, Oxford. |
| Hays,
W. S. T.; S. Conant. 2003. A male
breeding coalition in the small
Indian mongoose, Herpestes javanicus.
Acta Theriologica 48: 485-494. |
| Morin,
M. P. and S. Conant. Laysan (Telespiza
cantans) and Nihoa (Telespiza ultima)
Finches. In press. The Birds of
North America. (A. Poole and F.
Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy
of Natural Sciences; Washington,
D.C.; The American Ornithologists'
Union. |
| Tarr,
C.L., J.D. Ballou, M.P. Morin and
S. Conant. In press. Microsatellite
variation in simulated and natural
founder populations of the Laysan
Finch (Telespiza cantans). Genetics.
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| Scott,
J.M., S. Conant, and C. van Riper
III (eds.) 2001. Evolution, Ecology,
Conservation, and Management of
Hawaiian Birds: A Vanishing Avifauna.
Studies in Avian Biology, No. 22.
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| Scott,
J.M., S. Conant, and C. van Riper
III (eds.). Evolution, Ecology,
Conservation, and Management of
Hawaiian Birds: A Vanishing Avifauna.
Studies in Avian Biology, No. 22. |
| Morin,
M.P. and S. Conant. 2001. Why isn't
the Nihoa Millerbird extinct? Pp.
338-346, In: Tarr, C.L., S. Conant
and R.C. Fleischer. 1998. Founder
events and variation at microsatellite
loci in an insular passerine bird,
the Laysan Finch. (Telespiza cantans).
Molecular Ecology 7:719-731. |
| Conant,
S., H.D. Pratt and R. J. Shallenberger.
1998. Reflections on a 1975 ornithological
expedition to the lost world of
the Alaka`i and other notes on the
natural history, systematics and
conservation of Kaua`i birds. Wilson
Bulletin 110: 1-22. |
| Roberts,
G., T. Male, and S. Conant. 1998.
White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus).
No. 378 In:: The Birds of North
America. (A. Poole and F. Gill,
Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy
of Natural Sciences; Washinton,
D.C.; The American Ornithologists'
Union. |
| Morin,
M. P., S. Conant and P. Conant.
1997. Laysan and Nihoa Millerbirds
(Acrocephalus familiaris familiaris
and A. f. kingi). No. 302. In: The
Birds of North America. (A. Poole
and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia:
The Academy of Natural Sciences;
Washington, D.C.; The American Ornithologists'
Union. |
| Rojek,
N.A., and S. Conant. 1997. Food
preferences and response to novel
native berries by captive-reared
Nene Branta sanvicensis goslings.
Wildfowl 48:26-39. |
| Seto,
N.W.H. and S. Conant. 1996. The
effects of rat (Rattus rattus) predation
on the reproductive success of the
Bonin Petrel (Pterodroma hypoleuca)
on Midway Atoll. Colonial Waterbirds
19(2):171-185. |
| Morin,
M. P. and S. Conant. 1994. Variables
influencing population estimates
of an endangered species. Biol.
Cons. 67:73-84. |
| Rose,
R.G., S. Conant, and E.P. Kjellgren.
1993. Hawaiian standing kahili in
Bishop Museum: An ethnological and
biological analysis. J. Polynes.
Soc. 102:273-304. |
| Morin,
M.P. and S. Conant. 1990. Nest substrate
variation between native and introduced
populations of Laysan Finches. Wilson
Bull. 102:591-603. |
| Conant,
S. 1988. Geographic variation in
the Laysan Finch (Telespyza cantans).
Evol. Ecol. 2:270-282. |
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