Biodiversity of New Caledonia
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2008-07-07T17:37:05Z
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The '''Biodiversity of New Caledonia''', a large [[Pacific]] island group, is considered to be one of the most important in the world. The island supports high levels of [[endemic (ecology)|endemism]], with many unique [[plant]]s, [[insect]]s, [[reptile]]s and [[bird]]s. The island has no native [[mammal]]s except for bats, and no native [[amphibia]]ns. [[New Caledonia]]'s [[biodiversity]] is threatened by [[introduced species]], [[logging]], fire, agriculture and urban development, and [[mining]] (nickel and other valuable minerals). It has lost several species since the arrival of man on the island, but none are thought to have become extinct since [[1500]].
==Evolution of New Caledonian Biodiversity==
Unlike many of the islands of the [[Oceania|South Pacific]], New Caledonia is not of [[volcanic]] origin, but is instead a fragment of the ancient continent of [[Gondwana]]. It separated from [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]] during the break up of the super-continent, from Australia at the end of the [[Cretaceous]] (65 [[mya (unit)|MYA]]) and from New Zealand in the mid-[[Miocene]]. This has led to a long period of [[evolution]] in near complete isolation. Thus, although New Caledonia’s fauna and flora includes a few species that reached its shores from Australia and other islands, its natural heritage is significantly comprised by species whose ancestors were present on New Caledonia when it broke away from Gondwana millions of years ago. This long isolation of ancient and primitive flora has led to the evolution of not only species, but entire [[genus|genera]] and even [[Family (biology)|families]] that are unique to the island, and survive nowhere else. Since the age of the dinosaurs, as the island moved north due to the effects of continental drift, some [[geologist]]s assert that it was submerged at various intervals. [[Botanist]]s, however, assert that there must have been some areas that remained above sea-level, serving as [[refugia]] for the descendants of the original flora that inhabited the island when it broke away from Gondwana. It is for that reason, that today New Caledonia is such a remarkable living window into the natural history of the ancient supercontinent, and preserves a botany which includes profound gondwanan floral affinities. The isolation of New Caledonia was not absolute, however. Some species migration both into, and out of, the island was facilitated by the rise and fall of [[sea level]]s due to the ebb and flow of [[ice age]]s, which in turn caused islands and land bridges to form between New Caledonia and its neighbours, the [[Solomon Islands]], [[Vanuatu]], and Australia. Thus, new species had the opportunity to reach New Caledonia, while species of Gondwanan origin were given the opportunity to penetrate further eastward into the Pacific Island region.
==Elements of New Caledonian Biodiversity==
New Caledonia sits on the southernmost edge of the tropical zone. Its main island, [[Grande Terre]], hosts a variety of habitats arising from several factors, including [[Precipitation (meteorology)|precipitation]], [[geology]], [[soil]]s and [[altitude]].
==Biodiversity of Flora==
{{Expand-section|date=June 2008}}
New Caledonia plant communities are veritable living fossils, offering the opportunity to examine species with roots in the age of dinosaurs. Besides their antiquity, the flora of this island nation is exceedingly diverse, and includes a level of endemism, per square kilometre, seen almost nowhere else on earth.
==Faunal Biodiversity==
[[Image:Rhynochetos jubatus.jpg|thumb|260px|The Kagu represents not only an endemic species but also New Caledonia's only endemic bird family, the Rhynochetidae.]]
New Caledonia's faunal diversity is similar to that of many islands, particularly New Zealand. It lacks land mammals (other than [[bat]]s) instead having a vertebrate fauna dominated by [[reptile]]s and [[bird]]s. Prior to the arrival of man some large species had evolved on the island that have become extinct, [[fossil]]s found in cave deposits show the island once had a species of [[barn owl]] (''Tyto letocarti''), two extinct [[hawk]]s, a [[megapode]] and a large extinct flightless bird known as ''[[Sylviornis neocaledoniae]]''.<ref>Steadman D, (2006). ''Extinction and Biogeography in Tropical Pacific Birds'', University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-77142-7</ref> The island also held the large terrestrial [[turtle]] [[Meiolania]] unlike any today, armed with a clubbed tail and spikes coming out from its head. A terrestrial [[Mekosuchine crocodiles|mekosuchine crocodile]], ''Mekosuchus inexpectatus'', was a component of the ancient Gondwanan fauna that also went extinct after the arrival of man.
Today the island has 21 endemic species of birds, including one endemic family, the Rhynochetidae, represented by one living species, the [[Kagu]].<ref>Hunt, Gavin R. (1996): Family Rhynochetidae (Kagu). ''In:'' del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew & Sargatal, Jordi (editors): ''[[Handbook of Birds of the World]], Volume 3 (Hoatzin to Auks)'': 218-225, plate 20. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. <small>ISBN 84-87334-20-2</small></ref> The island is also home to the unusual tool-using [[New Caledonian Crow]]. See [[Endemic birds of New Caledonia]] for a full list.
The island's reptile fauna shares most of its affinities with Australia. 62 of the 69 species are endemic to the island. Two species of [[snake]] are found on the island. It is the home to the world’s largest [[gecko]], and a large number of [[skink]]s and geckos. No crocodiles or terrestrial turtles remain on the island.
==Threats to New Caledonian Biodiversity==
New Caledonia's biodiversity is threatened by a number of factors.<ref>Pascal, M; De Forges, B;, Le Guyader, H & D Simberloff (2008) "Mining and Other Threats to the New Caledonia Biodiversity Hotspot" ''Conservation Biology'' '''22''' (2) , 498–499 {{doi|10.1111/j.1523-1739.2008.00889.x}} </ref> Like many island [[biota]]s, its species were poorly equipped to deal with the destructive effects of the introduced [[rat]], [[cat]], [[dog]] and [[pig]], which have taken a toll on native species like the ground-living Kagu. Hunting is still a problem in remote areas, but substantially greater concern arises from dramatic habitat-loss caused by deforestation due to logging, mining (one of the island's principal industries), uncontrolled fires (responsible for substantial destruction of large areas), agriculture (largely responsible for reducing the dry-sclerophyll habitat to a small fraction of its original area), and urban development.
Although no species are known to have become extinct since 1500, two species, the [[New Caledonian Rail]] and the [[New Caledonian Lorikeet]] have not been seen for over a hundred years and are considered to be critically [[endangered]] if not actually extinct. A similar fate was thought to have befallen the [[New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar]], but a recent survey reported finding them in remote parts of the island.<ref>Birdlife International (2006) "[http://www.birdlife.org/news/features/2006/05/new_caledonia.html New Caledonia's most wanted] Accessed [[21 April]] 2008. </ref> The [[New Caledonian Crested Gecko]] was thought to have been extinct until it was rediscovered in 1994.
New Caledonia is considered a [[Conservation ecology|conservation]] priority by many international organizations, which have lobbied and sought to work with the country's government to preserve the islands' unique ecosystems. Although their efforts have recently led to a few limited successes, to date they have failed to achieve definitive protection for New Caledonia's remaining natural areas. For instance, given the global importance of these living-fossil ecosystems, attempts have been made to recognize their significance by granting them [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]]-status protection. To date, no such attempted initiative has succeeded, due to opposition by regional governments, which are heavily influenced by mining and development interests (see below). Present-day mining operations continue, and are in fact being initiated, in localities of extreme ecological importance. World-wide public pressure has forced mining companies to recently begin voluntary, minimal post-mining rehabilitation. However, even when taking such rehabilitation efforts into account, mining activity still results in devastation of the extremely high biodiversity that had existed at the exploited site prior to the mining operation. Imposition of [[World Heritage Site]]-status would severely impact the pursuit of unrestricted mining activity in areas of ecological importance. However, this, in turn, could affect the economic well-being of the entire country, making a balanced, thoughtful approach essential to national interests.
Conservation efforts at the local, grass-roots level have been, at best, tentative, and have invariably failed when in direct conflict with mining (and other development) projects, due to the above-referenced importance of such projects to the country's comparative prosperity and stability. Recent, local political efforts to increase governmental priority for protection of the country's globally-recognized natural environment, met with strong official opposition, and violence against the proponents. Notably, [[Bruno Van Peteghem]], recipient of the 2001 [[Goldman Environmental Prize]], used the local court system to force government leaders to obey laws protecting the country's coral reefs. Despite his short-term victories in the courts, however, his home was firebombed, and his family and himself were repeatedly threatened.<ref>Tolmé, P. (2002 ) "[http://www.nationalwildlife.org/nationalwildlife/article.cfm?issueID=93&articleID=506 "Little Scum" Takes On Big Mining"] ''National Wildlife'' '''40''' (4)</ref> Ultimately, the head of government at the time, [[Jacques Lafleur]], succeeded in silencing [[Bruno Van Peteghem]]'s opposition, forcing him into de facto exile by arranging the termination of his employment with the national airline.
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
==External links==
*[http://www.cbnc.fr Website of the Botanical Conservatory of New Caledonia]
*[http://www.endemia.nc Website for l'Association Endemia (in French): A thorough presentation of New Caledonian diversity]
*[http://www.oneworldwildlife.org/newcaledonia.html Tentative steps towards rehabilitation of areas destroyed by mining]
*[http://www.oneworldwildlife.org/newcaledonia.html New Caledonian ecosystems and their threats described]
*[http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/where_we_work/asia_pacific/our_solutions/south_pacific/news/index.cfm?uNewsID=55880 Efforts to protect ecosystems from fire]
*[http://www.christinemilne.org.au/300_campaigns_sub.php?&deptItemID=11 Australian efforts to publicise damage by mining]
*[http://www.environmentaldefense.org/article.cfm?contentid=2529 Threat to reef ecosystems described]
*[http://www.birdlife.net/datazone/search/ebas_search.html?action=EbaHTMDetails.asp&sid=201&m=0 Birdlife International: New Caledonia]
*[http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/where_we_work/ecoregions/newcaledonia_moist_forests.cfm WWF: New Caledonia Program Moist Forests]
*[http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/where_we_work/ecoregions/newcaledonia_dry_forests.cfm WWF: New Caledonia Program Dry Forests]
*[http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/Hotspots/new_caledonia/?showpage=Biodiversity Conservation International : Biodiversity Hotspots]
*[http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/newcaledonia/caledonia.html Missouri Botanical Garden : New Caledonia's Flora]
[[Category:New Caledonia]]
[[Category:biodiversity hotspots|New Caledonia]]
[[fr:Biodiversité de la Nouvelle-Calédonie]]
[[ja:ニューカレドニアの生物多様性]]