Northern New Guinea lowland rain and freshwater swamp forests

Coordinates: 3°55′S 142°19′E / 3.92°S 142.32°E / -3.92; 142.32
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Northern New Guinea lowland rain and freshwater swamp forests
Sago palms (Metroxylon sagu) in East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea
Ecoregion territory (in purple)
Ecology
RealmAustralasian realm
Biometropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
Borders
List
  • Vogelkop-Aru lowland rain forests
Geography
Area134,543 km2 (51,947 sq mi)
Countries
  • Sandaun (Papua New Guinea)
Coordinates3°55′S 142°19′E / 3.92°S 142.32°E / -3.92; 142.32
Conservation
Conservation statusRelatively stable/intact
Protected15,323 km² (11%)[1]

The Northern New Guinea lowland rain and freshwater swamp forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of northern New Guinea. [2] [3] [4]

Setting

The Northern New Guinea lowland rain and freshwater swamp forests extend across the northern lowlands of the island of New Guinea, lying between the

Papua Province east to Morobe Province of Papua New Guinea.[5]

Several east-west mountain ranges, including the

Finisterre Mountains, rise from the lowlands; these ranges are home to the distinct Northern New Guinea montane rain forests
ecoregion.

The ecoregion is drained by several of New Guinea's large rivers, including the

.

Flora

The plant communities of the ecoregion are diverse. Lowland evergreen rain forest is the most extensive, and includes alluvial forests in the plains, and hill forests in the foothills of the adjacent mountains.[citation needed]

There are extensive freshwater swamp forests in the coastal lowlands and in the Lakes Plains region between the Van Rees-Foja mountains and the Central Range. The swamp forest habitats are diverse, and include grass swamps, swamp savannas, and swamp woodlands and forests dominated by Melaleuca, sago palm (Metroxylon sagu), Pandanus, Campnosperma, and/or Terminalia.[6]

Fauna

The ecoregion corresponds to the Northern Papuan lowlands Endemic Bird Area. Limited-range and endemic species include the red-breasted paradise kingfisher (Tanysiptera nympha), brown lory (Chalcopsitta duivenbodei), Edwards's fig parrot (Psittaculirostris edwardsii), Salvadori's fig parrot (Psittaculirostris salvadorii), Brass's friarbird (Philemon brassi), white-bellied whistler (Pachycephala leucogastra), brown-headed crow (Corvus fuscicapillus), pale-billed sicklebill (Drepanornis bruijnii), and banded yellow robin (Gennaeodryas placens).[7]

Conservation and threats

A 2017 assessment found that 15,323 km², or 11%, of the ecoregion is in protected areas.[1] The largest is Mamberamo Foja Wildlife Reserve, which extends along the Mamberamo River and its tributaries the Tariku and Taritatu from the foothills of the Central Range to the sea, including the Foja Mountains.

External links

  • "Northern New Guinea lowland rain and freshwater swamp forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
  • World Wildlife Fund, ed. (2001). "Northern New Guinea lowland rain and freshwater swamp forests". WildWorld Ecoregion Profile. National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on 2010-03-08.
  • Northern Papuan lowlands endemic bird area (BirdLife International)

References

  1. ^ a b Eric Dinerstein, David Olson, et al. (2017). An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm, BioScience, Volume 67, Issue 6, June 2017, Pages 534–545; Supplemental material 2 table S1b. [1]
  2. ^ "Map of Ecoregions 2017". Resolve. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  3. ^ "Northern New Guinea lowland rain and freshwater swamp forests". Digital Observatory for Protected Areas. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  4. ^ "Northern New Guinea lowland rain and freshwater swamp forests". The Encyclopedia of Earth. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  5. Washington, DC
    .
  6. ^ "Northern New Guinea lowland rain and freshwater swamp forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
  7. ^ BirdLife International (2020) "Endemic Bird Areas factsheet: Northern Papuan lowlands." Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 30/05/2020.