Mark Thorne , PhD
Specialist, State Range and Livestock ExtensionCooperative Extension Service; Kamuela Extension – University of Hawaii at Manoa
Work Email: thornem@hawaii.edu
Research Interests
1) understanding the effects of climate change on range and livestock production in Hawaii and development management strategies that build resiliency and long-term sustainability; 2) improvement of Hawaii’s rangelands and remediation of former sugar and pineapple lands for sustainable livestock production; 3) development of Integrated Pest Management strategies on Hawaii rangelands affected by invasive weeds, insects and diseases; 4) understanding the ecology of tropical range and pasture communities under different grazing management strategies; and 5) studying grazing animal behavior and nutrition on tropical rangelands.
Recent Publications
- Krushelnycky, P.D., F. Starr, K. Starr, M. Abran, M. Thorne, J. Leary, M. Fukada, D. Rubinoff. 2018. Performance of the biocontrol agent Secusio extensa (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) on its target host, Senecio madagascariensis (Madagascar fireweed), on an alternate host, Delairea odorata (Cape ivy), and on non-target plants, in Hawaii. Biological Control 121: 234-246.
- Lee, C.N., G.K. Fukumoto, M.S. Thorne, M.H. Stevenson, Y.S. Kim, M. Nakahata, and R.M. Ogoshi. 2017. Nutrient Composition of Sugarcane Forages were influenced by season and the time of harvest. Dairy and Vet. Sci. J. 2(1): 555579.
Recent Grants
- USDA-WSARE; 2016 -2019. Thorne, M.S., G. Fukumoto, M. Stevenson, J. Hewlett, and J. Parsons. Development of Individual Free-Choice Mineral Supplementation Program for Sustainable Grazing Management of Hawaii’s Rangelands.
- Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture; 2017-2021. Thorne, M.S., M. Wright, R. Curtiss, G. Fukumoto. Prosapia bicincta (Two lined spittle bug) detection and control in Hawaii.
- USDA-RREA; 2017-2021. Thorne, M.S. Hawaii Rangeland Management Education and Outreach Program.
- USDA-NIFA; 2018-2021. Thorne, M.S. and B. Hutchinson. Strengthening RREA Programing Through Enhanced Connections: A Web-based Conference Series.
Current Graduate Students
- Brittany Castle (PhD in Nutrition), Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences Dept., University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Nick Krueger (PhD), Natural Resources and Environmental Management Dept., University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Shannon Wilson (MS), Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawaii at Manoa