National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Pacific Ocean Biological Survey Program, 1961-1973 : Laysan, miscellaneous preparation material.

Abstract

The Pacific Ocean Biological Survey Program (POBSP) was initiated in 1962 when the Smithsonian Institution entered into a grant agreement with the Department of Defense. From January 1963 through June 1969 Smithsonian Institution employees undertook biological surveys in an area of the Pacific Ocean spanning the equator and extending from latitude 30 degrees north to 10 degrees south and from longitude 150 degrees east to 180 degrees west, an area dotted with clusters of islands and atolls. The major goals of the program were to learn what plants and animals occurred on the islands, the seasonal variations in their numbers and reproductive activities, and the distribution and population of the pelagic birds of that area. Emphasis was placed on the banding of birds in an effort to determine migration, distribution, and abundance of pelagic sea birds. During the six and a half years of field work 1,800,000 birds were banded; approximately 150,000 observations of pelagic birds at sea were made; and biological surveys of varying intensity were made on several islands. The present folder contains various preparation materials on field work on Laysan Island, mainly on the pelagic birds population of the island. The folder includes chronology of travels by ships from the 19th century to Laysan through log books information, field notes, black-and-white photographs of camps, vegetation and birds, lists of bird specimens collected by the POBSP from 1963 to 1968, being the only known birds on the island as of 1974; earlier lists of birds specimens (starting from 1891). There are also notes and lists on plants, on mammals, and reports of various trips.

Date Range

1891-1974

Start Date

1891

End Date

1974

Access Information

Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu.

Topic

• Plants--Hawaii
• Animals
• Sea birds--Hawaii
• Mammals--Hawaii
• Birds
• Plants
• Birds--Hawaii
• Botany
• Ornithology

Place

• Laysan Island
• Hawaiian Islands
• Pacific Ocean
• Leeward Islands

Form/Genre

• Fieldbook record
• Field notes
• Black-and-white photographs
• Research notes

Accession #

SIA Acc. 83-126

Collection name

National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Pacific Ocean Biological Survey Program field research records, 1961-1973

Physical Description

1 folder

Physical Location

Smithsonian Institution Archives

Sublocation

Box 3, folder 2