Central Polynesian tropical moist forests
Central Polynesian tropical moist forests | |
---|---|
Ecology | |
Realm | Oceanian |
Biome | tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests |
Geography | |
Area | 616 km2 (238 sq mi) |
Countries | |
Conservation | |
Conservation status | Critical/endangered[1] |
Global 200 | South Pacific Islands forests |
Protected | 83%[2] |
The Central Polynesian tropical moist forests is a tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests ecoregion in Polynesia. It includes the northern group of the Cook Islands, the Line Islands in Kiribati, and Johnston Atoll, Jarvis Island, Palmyra Atoll, and Kingman Reef which are possessions of the United States.
Geography
All the islands in the ecoregion are atolls, low islands of coral sand surrounding a central lagoon. There are eight inhabited and nine uninhabited atolls.
The islands of the ecoregion are aligned from north-northwest to south-southeast for 3,400 kilometres (2,100 mi), crossing the equator. The northernmost, Johnston Atoll, is at 16°44′N latitude and 169°31′W longitude. The southernmost is Suwarrow at 13°16′S latitude and 163° 7′W longitude.
Teraina, Tabuaeran, Kiritimati, Malden, Starbuck, Vostok, Caroline, and Flint are part of Kiribati. Kingman Reef, Palmyra Atoll, and Jarvis Island are territories of the United States. Kiritimati is the largest island in the 388 square kilometres.
Johnston Atoll lies northwest of the Line Islands and southwest of the Hawaiian Islands.
The
Climate
The climate of the islands is tropical. Temperature is warm year-round, with little seasonal variation. The southern and northern islands are within the
Flora
The native vegetation on the more humid islands is tropical atoll forest. The characteristic species are common to coastal
The driest and lowest islands are covered with low plants, including the grass Lepturus repens and the creepers Tribulus cistoides or Portulaca lutea, with areas of Heliotropium foertherianum, Pemphis acidula, and Scaevola taccada scrub.[1]
Fauna
The islands' vertebrate fauna is principally seabirds, which form large colonies on some islands. There are no native non-marine mammals or amphibians.
The sole
Protected areas
A 2017 assessment found that 83% of the ecoregion is in protected areas.[2] protected areas include:
- Kiritimati wildlife refuge
- Suwarrow atoll
- Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument protects Kingman Reef, Johnson Atoll, Jarvis Island, and Palmyra Atoll.
References
- ^ a b c d e "Central Polynesian tropical moist forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
- ^ PMID 28608869.) Supplemental material 2 table S1b.
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External links
- "Central Polynesian tropical moist forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
- Central Polynesian tropical moist forests (DOPA)
- Central Polynesian tropical moist forests (Encyclopedia of Earth)