Pacific Southwest Research Station

Education

University of Michigan, School of Forestry
B.A. Environmental Science, 1976, University of Hawaii
M.S. Botany (Plant Ecology), 1983. University of Hawaii

Research Interests/Duties

Interests: Invasive species management and ecology, biosecurity, biological control, fire ecology/fire effects, natural resource management

Duties: Tecvhnical assistance and Technology transfer on invasive species and forest health to Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs); policy, planning and management; interagency program coordination

Current Emphases, Studies, Projects

Ecology and management of invasive plants in Pacific Island ecosystems

Methods for Early Detection and Rapid Response for incipient species in Hawaii

Member steering committees of the Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC) and the statewide Coordinating Group for Alien Pest Species (CGAPS)

Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment in Hawaii

USFS Representative on the Pacific Invasives Partnerships – a working group of the Roundtable for Nature Conservation of the Pacific Islands and including the Pacific Invasives Learning Network (PILN) and Pacific Invasives Initiative (PII)

Selected Publications

2008. LaRosa AM, Tunison JT, Ainsworth A, Kauffman JB, Hughes RF. Hawaiian Islands. In: Zouhar K, Smith JK, Brooks M, Sutherland S (eds.) Wildland fire in ecosystems: Effects of fire on nonnative invasive plants. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-42-vol. 6. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station.

Loope, L. and A.M LaRosa. 2008. An Analysis of the Risk of Introduction of Additional Strains of the Rust Puccinia psidii Winter (‘0hi‘a Rust) to Hawai‘i. USGS-PIERC Open File Report 2008-1008. U.S.

LaRosa, A.M. 1992. The status of Passiflora mollissima (H.B.K.) Bailey in Hawaii. In C.P. Stone, C.W. Smith, and J.T. Tunison (eds.). Alien plant invasions in native ecosystems of Hawaii: management and research. Univ. Hawaii Coop. Natl. Park Resour. Stud. Unit. Univ. Hawaii Press, Honolulu.