South Pacific Islands Forests - A Global Ecoregion
Fiji, in particular, has unusual evolutionary patterns
Snapshot: Ecoregion 49
Size:
27,000 sq. km (10,000 sq. miles)
27,000 sq. km (10,000 sq. miles)
Habitat type:
Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests
Geographic Location:
The South Pacific: American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, Wallis and Futuna Islands
Conservation Status:
Critical/Endangered
Quiz Time!
What do you know about the endangered Fiji iguanas?
Answer:
Fiji is known to have some unexpected residents; for example, it harbours iguanas whose ancestors originally lived in Central and South America. Some Fiji iguanas can reach lengths of up to 3 feet (1 m)!
About the Area
This Global ecoregion is made up of these terrestrial ecoregions: Cook Islands tropical moist forests; Fiji tropical dry forests; Fiji tropical moist forests; Tuamotu tropical moist forests; Tongan tropical moist forests; Society Islands tropical moist forests; Samoan tropical moist forests; Marquesas tropical moist forests; Tubuai tropical moist forests.
The South Pacific islands of Fiji and Samoa were once clothed in tropical moist and dry forests, including rainforests on the higher islands.Species richness is low here as compared to continental moist forests, but long isolation has produced remarkable endemism, especially among plants, birds, lizards, frogs, and land snails.
Local Species
Selected species include the endangered Fiji iguanas (Brachyolophus spp.), Orange dove (Ptilinopus victor), and the Red shining parrot (Prosopeia tabuensis).
Threats
Loss of habitat from agriculture and commercial logging, and the introduction of predators by humans have resulted in a large number of species being threatened with extinction.
Resources
• NationalGeographic.com
