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Biodiversity Surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring Field Guides for Plants, Arthropods, and Herpetofauna

Open-File Report 2023-1066
Ecosystems Mission Area—Species Management Research Program
Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force
By: , , , , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20231066

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Introduction

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) issued funds to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to update the biosecurity plan, create a current (2019) flora and fauna species identification index, and do container evaluations for the presence of potential invasives. The current (2019) biosecurity protocols used for prevention were evaluated, and new biodiversity surveys were completed for terrestrial vegetation and arthropods and included the first formal reptile surveys. Results from field efforts add to existing knowledge and may identify new species arrivals to Wake.

One goal of this project was to update and compile established species information for the atoll and create species identification guides for the three taxonomic groups surveyed. We made these flora and fauna species identification guides by compiling results of the recent (2019) and historical surveys. The guides can be used as resident desktop references, as a baseline for assessing future natural resource surveys, and to assist with guiding management actions. We refer herein to biosecurity and integrated pest management plan materials, which we created simultaneously to inform current (2019) biosecurity and to identify some of the top invasive species at Wake. This study was done in cooperation with the USAF, and surveys were performed for the 611th Civil Engineer Squadron Natural Resources Program, ACES PROJECT #YGFZ170002 under agreement number F2MUAA7116GW02 between the USAF and the USGS Western Ecological Research Center.

Suggested Citation

Hathaway, S.A., Jacobi, J.D., Peck, R., Backlin, A.R., Hitchcock, C.J., and Fisher, R.N., 2025, Biodiversity surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring field guides for plants, arthropods, and herpetofauna: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2023–1066, 302 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20231066.

ISSN: 2331-1258 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Acknowledgments
  • Chapter A. 2019 Wake Atoll Biodiversity Surveys Overview
  • Chapter B. Wake Atoll 2019 Plant Species Survey Report and Field Guide
  • Appendix B1. Plant Species Recorded from Wake Atoll in 2019
  • Appendix B2. Plant Field Guide to Wake Atoll
  • Appendix B3. Plant Specimens Collected on Wake Atoll in 2019
  • Chapter C. Wake Atoll 2019 Arthropod Species Survey Report and Field Guide
  • Appendix C1. Arthropod Field Guide to Wake Atoll
  • Chapter D. Wake Atoll 2019 Terrestrial Reptile Species Survey Report and Field Guide
  • Appendix D1. U.S. Geological Survey 2019 Reptile Survey Locations and Results
  • Appendix D2. Reptile Specimens Collected by U.S. Geological Survey at Wake Atoll in 2019
  • Appendix D3. Field Guide to the Herpetofuana of Wake Atoll
  • Supplemental D.1. Example Species Observation Data Sheet
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Biodiversity surveys of Wake Atoll—Featuring field guides for plants, arthropods, and herpetofauna
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 2023-1066
DOI 10.3133/ofr20231066
Publication Date March 17, 2025
Year Published 2025
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Western Ecological Research Center
Description x, 302 p.
Other Geospatial Wake Atoll
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Additional publication details