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A food system framework breaks down entrenched sectoral categories and existing adaptation and mitigation silos, presenting novel ways of assessing and enabling integrated climate change solutions from production to consumption.

The literature containing which chemical elements are found in cycad leaves was reviewed to determine the range in values of concentrations reported for essential and beneficial elements. We found 46 of the 358 described cycad species had at least one element reported to date. The only genus that was missing from the data was Microcycas. Many of the species reports contained concentrations of one to several macronutrients and no other elements. The cycad leaves contained greater nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations than the reported means for plants throughout the world. Magnesium was identified as the macronutrient that has been least studied. Only 14 of the species were represented by data from in situ locations, with most of the data obtained from managed plants in botanic gardens. Leaf element concentrations were influenced by biotic factors such as plant size, leaf age, and leaflet position on the rachis. Leaf element concentrations were influenced by environmental factors such as incident light and soil nutrient concentrations within the root zone. These influential factors were missing from many of the reports, rendering the results ambiguous and comparisons among studies difficult. Future research should include the addition of more taxa, more in situ locations, the influence of season, and the influence of herbivory to more fully understand leaf nutrition for cycads.

Growth dynamics of pachycaulous stems of arborescent cycad plants are not well understood, and most observations have been made in cultivated garden plants. We studied Cycas micronesica plants in Guam, Tinian, and Yap to understand the influences of geography, plant size, sex, and herbivory on stem growth. We also determined the changes in demography of Guam’s population after 15 years of damage by non-native insect herbivores. The height increment (HI) was similar for plants within the height range from 100 cm to more than 600 cm, so the relative growth rate declined with height. Female tree HI was 68% of male tree HI, and Yap tree HI was 87% of Guam tree HI. Chronic herbivory by non-native insect herbivores caused a mean 44% decline in HI. Plants in managed gardens grew more rapidly than plants in a wild habitat. The HI was used to estimate that Guam has experienced a complete loss of ≈70 y of demographic depth resulting from the selective mortality of small plants since 2005. When future conservation interventions successfully mitigate the ubiquitous biological threats, our HI may be useful for empirically quantifying recovery of plant health.

Growth dynamics of pachycaulous stems of arborescent cycad plants are not well understood, and most observations have been made in cultivated garden plants. We studied Cycas micronesica plants in Guam, Tinian, and Yap to understand the influences of geography, plant size, sex, and herbivory on stem growth. We also determined the changes in demography of Guam's population after 15 years of damage by non-native insect herbivores. The height increment (HI) was similar for plants within the height range from 100 cm to more than 600 cm, so the relative growth rate declined with height. Female tree HI was 68% of male tree HI, and Yap tree HI was 87% of Guam tree HI. Chronic herbivory by non-native insect herbivores caused a mean 44% decline in HI. Plants in managed gardens grew more rapidly than plants in a wild habitat. The HI was used to estimate that Guam has experienced a complete loss of ≈70 y of demographic depth resulting from the selective mortality of small plants since 2005. When future conservation interventions successfully mitigate the ubiquitous biological threats, our HI may be useful for empirically quantifying recovery of plant health.

Cycad plants possess uncommon morphological, chemical, and ontogenetic characteristics and they may introduce localized changes in soil traits that increase habitat heterogeneity. We used mature Cycas micronesica K.D. Hill trees growing in a range of soil types in Guam, Rota, and Yap to quantify differences between the soils beneath target trees and paired non-target soils away from cycad trees. The chronic presence of a C. micronesica tree introduced numerous localized changes in soil traits, increasing the heterogeneity of elemental stoichiometry in the community. Nitrogen, carbon:phosphorus, and nitrogen:phosphorus were increased in target soils among every soil type. Carbon increased and phosphorus decreased in most target soils. The habitats revealing the greatest number of elements with differences between target and non-target soils were the habitats with acid soils. The greatest number of metals exhibiting differences between the target and non-target soils occurred in the impoverished sandy habitat. This is the first report that indicates a cycad tree increases community spatial heterogeneity by localized changes in soil chemistry. Contemporary declines in cycad populations due to anthropogenic threats inadvertently decrease this spatial heterogeneity and its influences on primary producers in the landscape then cascading effects on the food web.

The biophysical and socioeconomic conditions in the coastal zone of the Yap Islands is highly vulnerable to climate-related changes in precipitation, sea level, storm surges, coastal erosion, and salinity. The climatic changes are affecting every aspect in the lives of coastal communities due to the small size of the islands and atolls, their low elevation, and extensive coastal areas. Climate risks are further amplified by the regional El Nino Southern Oscillation phenomena that threaten the food and water security of island communities. Further changes are projected to manifest in the coming decades because of increased temperature, decreased rainfall, rising sea levels, and ocean acidification. Recurrences of disasters and crises threaten food security through impacts on traditional agriculture, causing the forced migration of coastal communities to highlands in search of better living conditions. As many of the projected impacts are now unavoidable, implementing some degree of adaptation is essential to enhance food security, strengthen livelihoods, and increase the resilience of coastal communities to future climate risks. This paper highlights the outcomes of an ongoing project on ‘Climate Adaptive Agriculture and Resilience,’ and presents a three-pronged adaptation model to enhance the adaptive capacity and climate resilience of coastal communities in Yap. The potential of sustainable soil management practices, water conservation and management, and mosaic restoration activities in enhancing the livelihood opportunities of displaced coastal communities is highlighted. Through this adaptation model, coastal communities can moderate the harm of current and future climate risks and take advantage of new opportunities.

In this cross-country analysis of four small and remote islands, we integrate multiple dimensions of socio-economic demographic data, such as population, land area, remoteness, tourist arrivals and earnings, export earnings, financial support, average incomes, fuel and electricity prices, penetration of renewable energy sources, and motor vehicle usage; we compare these characteristics with per capita use of energy carriers such as electricity, petrol and diesel. From these characteristics, we identify key determinants of energy consumption in the islands. Whereas we focus on energy, our analysis also applies to emissions of carbon and energy-related pollutants. Our results indicate that cultural and social contexts are at least as relevant for policymaking as economic and technological aspects. We suggest that in small island developing States there is scope for policymaking to at the same time: reduce economic vulnerability due to dependence on imported fossil fuels; reduce environmental impact; and progress sustainable development. Such progress can be implemented through peer-to-peer learning programmes facilitated by targeted international cooperation and partnerships.

Traditional agriculture is one of the high priority sectors in Yap Island where the impacts of climate change exceed tolerance limits with implications on the livelihoods of impoverished people occupying marginal environments. This has resulted in forced migration of atoll population to high lands in search of better living conditions. Lack of arable land adds to the agony of the displaced population and threatens the food security at household levels. For the poorest and most vulnerable communities living on fragile and degraded lands, the response measures must address the deteriorating environmental conditions. Adaptation measures driven by the land using simple, yet affordable traditional methods can stop, and even reverse land degradation. This paper examines the results of an ongoing agriculture extension program extended to the displaced atoll population at Gargey settlement on Yap Proper. It highlights the potential of integrated volcanic soil management strategies, alternate crop production practices, and mosaic restoration efforts in regreening a degraded landscape and bringing fresh promise to the displaced communities. A special emphasis is given to the climate-smart adaptation strategies under the umbrella of Pacific American Climate Funding facility to enhance the livelihood opportunities of the displaced atoll population across Yap.