Kipuka Puaulu sign, Hawaii 2005

A kipuka is the Hawaiian term for a remnant of forest untouched by lava flows. Kipuka form when lava encircles a hill or a slight rise in the ground as it moves downslope or across relatively flat ground. Because they are surrounded by more recent flows, kipuka are often covered with mature vegetation and are very important in terms of providing islands of survival for bird an animal life during and after eruptions. Kipuka have been shown to be very significant in terms of influencing the evolutionary biology of Hawaii's native fauna (birds and insects), which can vary slightly from kipuka to kipuka. This image is the sign for Kipuka Puaulu on Mauna Loa volcano.