From tracking invasive marine species, to exploring vegetation recovery on degraded, uninhabited islands, to studying tiny beetles threatening mangroves, eight University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa undergraduates spent two months this summer in the Galápagos Islands. Funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation with additional support from UH Mānoa, and guided by research mentors from UH Mānoa and the Charles Darwin Foundation, the students conducted hands-on research on invasive species that connected them to ʻāina (land/sea), kānaka (people) and mālama ʻāina (stewardship).
The experience built on a preparatory spring course (NREM 491), where students learned the foundations of island invasion biology and developed their own research proposals.
Monitoring invasive species
Cienna Kahrobaie, a marine biology major, studied invasive marine species at boat docks around Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. Using settlement plates (small experimental surfaces for marine organisms to grow on) deployed for two months, she compared species richness, percent cover, and community composition at docks experiencing differential boat traffic, and learned valuable identification techniques from experts at the Charles Darwin Foundation and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama.
“Settlement plates allow scientists to get a glimpse of what is growing in marine communities around boat docks, so if we employ them at sites with specific maritime traffic patterns, we can more quickly detect invasive species of concern,” Kahrobaie said. “This would allow conservationists to respond quicker to these marine invasions and prevent their establishment.”
While conducting research, she found a moment of discovery while resting in a tidepool. By staying still, she observed fish, hermit crabs and even an octopus up close, learning that sometimes slowing down revealed more than trying to see it all at once.
Studying connections between islands
Riley Herron, a natural resources and environmental management major, conducted research on Santa Fé Island, a remote, uninhabited Galápagos island recovering from heavy feral goat degradation and resulting ecological damage. She studied how the island’s microtopography affects microclimates critical for woody plant seedling establishment, setting up large plots to measure environmental conditions and seedling presence for the island’s three dominant woody species. Through her research, Herron found connections between the Galápagos and Hawaiʻi.
“I hope my research helps highlight the interconnectedness of our ecosystems,” Herron said. “There are so many large-scale processes that shape what happens on the micro level, and as our climate continues to change, understanding those small-scale interactions becomes more important than ever. As island ecosystems are isolated, limited in resources and filled with endemism, they are the first to be impacted, emphasizing how important island conservation is globally.”
Tiny threatening beetles
Lana Mitchell, a biology major, studied how an invasive mangrove bark beetle affects native red mangrove seedlings, testing whether fertilizer could offset beetle damage. The project challenged her to conduct independent research while navigating new skills, from kayaking to communicating in Spanish, all while deepening her passion for conservation.
“I hope that this can aid scientists in measuring how much of a difference in survival and growth a propagule (a young mangrove seedling) can undergo with and without beetle infestations,” Mitchell said. “This research could help to determine the overall survival of native species in exposure to invasives, giving scientists a window of time in which to provide native species with resources to better sustain their growth and longevity in island ecosystems.”
Mitchell was struck by how comfortable Galápagos wildlife are around humans, spotting sea lions resting just steps away during her research. According to Mitchell, the experiences reinforced the local community’s dedication to conservation and strengthened her connection to the islands’ unique ecosystems.
“This immersive summer research program in the Galápagos is a collaborative effort that provides applied research experiences in invasive species ecology to UH Mānoa undergraduate students from across campus,” said Creighton Litton, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management professor, Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) director, and one of the eight UH Mānoa faculty members who designed and implemented the program over the past three years. “The success of this program stems from committed research mentors from both UH Mānoa and the Charles Darwin Foundation, financial support from NSF and UH Mānoa and, most importantly, fully engaged students from our campus who commit to a full research experience, from learning the basics and developing proposals on campus in the spring, to field data collection, analysis and write-up in the summer.”
This opportunity is the result of a collaboration between UH Mānoa and the Charles Darwin Foundation, and is funded by the National Science Foundation–International Research Experiences for Students, the UH Mānoa Provost’s Office to align the overall program with the campus goal of becoming a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning and the UH Mānoa Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship.
The deadline to apply for the 2026 program is October 15. Visit the UROP website to learn more.
