More than 70 presentations will be made at the five-day conference. Research includes archaeology, Palaeo-environmental studies, genetics and field biology from islands around the world. The conference was organized by UH botany professor Don Drake and anthropology professor Terry Hunt.

Today, the public is invited to listen to professor Daniel Simberloff, an ecologist from University of Tennessee, who specializes in the biology of invasive species, will discuss the impact of rats and other animals on ecosystems, a UH news release said.

Also today, professor Atholl Anderson, an archaeologist from Australian National University, will address human colonization of the remote Pacific Islands and the simultaneous introduction of rats.

Both presentations are free and open to the public. They'll be held at at the UH Art Auditorium at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The opening remarks of the conference will be at 10:30 a.m.