Flora and fauna in Bermuda 2147062 219472189 2008-06-15T11:46:09Z Tigershrike 357169 [[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 218015799 by [[Special:Contributions/71.71.250.130|71.71.250.130]] ([[User talk:71.71.250.130|talk]]) [[Image:Image-Juniperus bermudiana - mature.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Bermuda cedar on the outskirts of [[Hamilton, Bermuda|Hamilton]].]] The '''flora and fauna of Bermuda''' forms part of a unique [[ecosystem]] thanks to [[Bermuda]]'s isolation from the mainland of [[North America]]. There are a wide range of [[endemic (ecology)|endemic]] species and the islands form a distinct [[ecoregion]]. Bermuda's wildlife is limited to those species which were able to fly to the island or were carried by winds and currents. This has resulted in some groups such as [[mammal]]s being poorly represented. Once on the island, organisms had to adapt to local conditions such as the [[climate]], lack of fresh water, frequent storms and salt spray. The islands shrank as water levels rose at the end of the [[Pleistocene]] [[epoch]] and fewer species were able to survive in the reduced land-area. Today the variety of species on Bermuda has been greatly increased by [[Introduced species|introductions]], both deliberate and accidental. Many of these introduced species now pose a threat to the native flora and fauna. ==Plants== [[Image:Sabal-bermudana.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Bermuda palmetto]] Over 1000 species of [[vascular plant]] are found on the islands, the majority of which are introduced. Of the 165 native species, 15 are [[endemic]]. At the time of the first human settlement, Bermuda was dominated by forests of [[Bermuda cedar]] (''Juniperus bermudiana''). By the 1830s, the shipbuilding industry had denuded the landscape, but the forest was able to recover. In the 1940s the cedar forests were devastated by introduced [[scale insect]]s which killed roughly 8 million trees. Replanting using resistant trees has taken place since then but the area covered by cedar is still only 10% of what it formerly was. Another important component of the original forest was [[Bermuda palmetto]] (''Sabal bermudana''), a small [[palm tree]] which now only grows in a few small patches, notably at Paget Marsh. Other trees and shrubs include [[Bermuda olivewood]] (''Cassine laneana'') and [[Bermuda snowberry]] (''Chiococca bermudiana''). There are remnant patches of [[mangrove]] swamp around the coast and at some inland sites where [[black mangrove]] (''Avicennia nitida'') and [[red mangrove]] (''Rhizophora mangle'') grow. Bermuda has four endemic [[fern]]s: [[Bermuda maidenhair fern]] (''Adiantum bellum''), [[Bermuda shield fern]] (''Goniopteris bermudiana''), [[Bermuda cave fern]] (''Ctenitis sloanei'') and [[Governor Laffan's fern]] (''Diplazium laffanianum''). The latter is extinct in the wild but is grown at [[Bermuda Botanical Gardens]]. The endemic flora of the island also includes two [[moss]]es, ten [[lichen]]s and forty [[fungus|fungi]]. Among the many introduced species are the [[casuarina]] (''Casuarina equisetifolia'') and [[Surinam cherry]] (''Eugenia uniflora'') ==Animals== ===Mammals, reptiles and amphibians=== Bermuda has no native land [[mammals]] but four species of migratory North American [[bat]]s of the genus ''[[Lasiurus]]'' visit occasionally: the [[Hoary Bat]], [[Eastern Red Bat]], [[Seminole Bat]] and [[Silver-haired Bat]]. The [[House Mouse]], [[Brown Rat]] and [[Black Rat]] have all been introduced and [[feral]] [[cat]]s are common. The only native [[reptile]] is the endangered [[Bermuda Rock Skink|Bermuda Skink]], or ''Rock Lizard'', (''Eumeces longirostris''). Three species of [[anole]] lizard and two [[terrapin]]s have been introduced. There are no native [[amphibian]]s but two species of whistling [[frog]] (''[[Eleutherodactylus]]'') and the [[Cane Toad]] have been introduced. All three are declining and one species, ''Eleutherodactylus gossei'', has probably already disappeared. ===Birds=== [[Image:Pterodroma cahow.jpg|200px|right|thumb|A Bermuda Petrel or Cahow.]] Over 360 species of [[bird]] have been recorded on Bermuda. The majority of these are [[bird migration|migrants]] or [[vagrancy in birds|vagrants]] from North America or elsewhere. Only 24 species breed; 13 of these are thought to be native. There is one endemic species, the [[Bermuda Petrel]] or Cahow (''Pterodroma cahow''). There is also an endemic subspecies, the [[White-eyed Vireo|Bermuda White-eyed Vireo]] or Chick-of-the-village (''Vireo griseus bermudianus''). The national bird of Bermuda is the [[White-tailed Tropicbird]] or Longtail which is a summer migrant to Bermuda, its most northerly breeding site in the world. Other native birds include the [[Eastern Bluebird]], [[Grey Catbird]] and perhaps the [[Common Ground-Dove]]. The [[Common Moorhen]] is the commonest native waterbird with very small numbers of [[American Coot]] and [[Pied-billed Grebe]] breeding. Small numbers of [[Common Tern]] nest around the coast. The [[Barn Owl]] and [[Mourning Dove]] colonized the island during the 20th century and the [[Green Heron]] has recently begun to breed. Of the introduced birds, the [[European Starling]], [[House Sparrow]], [[Great Kiskadee]], [[Rock Dove]] and [[American Crow]] are all very numerous and considered to be pests. Other introduced species include the [[Mallard]], [[Northern Cardinal]], [[European Goldfinch]] and small numbers of [[Orange-cheeked Waxbill|Orange-cheeked]] and [[Common Waxbill]]s. The [[Yellow-crowned Night Heron]] was introduced in the 1970s to replace the extinct native heron. [[Image:Phaethon lepturus.jpg|200px|left|thumb|White-tailed Tropicbird or Longtail]] Fossil remains of a variety of species have been found on the island including a [[crane (bird)|crane]], an [[owl]] and the [[Short-tailed Albatross]]. Some of these became extinct as the islands' land-mass shrunk while others were exterminated by early settlers. The Bermuda Petrel was thought to be extinct until its rediscovery in 1951. Among the many non-breeding migrants are a variety of [[shorebird]]s, [[heron]]s and [[duck]]s. In spring many [[shearwater]]s can be seen of the South Shore. Over 30 species of [[New World warbler]] are seen each year with the [[Yellow-rumped Warbler]] being the most abundant. The arrival of many species is dependent on weather conditions with low-pressure systems moving across from North America bringing many birds. Among the rare visitors to have occurred are the [[Siberian Flycatcher]] from Asia and the [[Fork-tailed Flycatcher]] and [[Tropical Kingbird]] from South America. ===Terrestrial invertebrates=== [[Image:Monarch Butterfly Showy Male 3000px.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Monarch butterfly]] More than 1100 kinds of [[insect]] and [[spider]] are found on Bermuda including 41 endemic insects and a possibly endemic spider. 18 species of [[butterfly]] have been seen, about six of these breed including the large [[Monarch butterfly]] and the very common [[Junonia coenia|Bermuda buckeye]] (''Junonia coenia bergi''). More than 200 [[moth]]s have been recorded, one of the most conspicuous is ''[[Pseudosphinx tetrio]]'' which can reach 9cm in length. Bermuda has lost a number of its endemic invertebrates including the Bermuda cicada (''[[Tibicen bermudiana]]'') which became extinct when the cedar forests disappeared. Some species feared extinct have been rediscovered including the [[Bermuda land snail]] (''Poecilozonties circumfirmatus'') and the Bermuda ant (''[[Odontomachus insularis]]''). ==Marine life== [[Image:Humpback Whale underwater shot.jpg|200px|left|thumb|Humpback Whale]] Bermuda lies on the western edge of the [[Sargasso Sea]], an area with high salinity and temperature and few currents. Large quantities of seaweed of the genus ''[[Sargassum]]'' are present and there are high concentrations of [[plankton]] but the area is less attractive to commercial [[fish]] species and [[seabird]]s. Greater diversity is present in the [[coral reef]]s which surround the island. A variety of [[whale]]s, [[dolphin]]s and [[porpoise]]s have been recorded in the waters around Bermuda. The commonest of these is the [[Humpback Whale]] which passes the islands in April and May during its northward migration. ==References== * Eric J. R. Amos (1991) ''A Guide to the Birds of Bermuda'', privately published. * Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo ''[http://www.bamz.org/bda_biodiversity_project.aspx Bermuda Biodiversity Project]'', downloaded 21/02/07. * A. Dobson (2002) ''A Birdwatching Guide to Bermuda'', Arlequin Press, Chelmsford, UK. * Keith Archibald Forbes (2007) ''[http://bermuda-online.org/fauna.htm Bermuda's Fauna]'', downloaded 21/02/07. * André Raine (2003) ''A Field Guide to the Birds of Bermuda'', Macmillan, Oxford. * World Wildlife Fund (2001) ''[http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/na/na0301_full.html Bermuda subtropical conifer forests (NA0301)]'', downloaded 21/02/07. ==External links== *[http://www.audubon.bm/ Bermuda Audubon Society] *[http://www.bnt.bm/ Bermuda National Trust] {{North America in topic|Fauna of}} {{North America in topic|Flora of}} {{North America topic|Wildlife of}} [[Category:Biota of Bermuda|*]] [[Category:Flora of Bermuda|*]] [[Category:Flora by country|Bermuda]] [[Category:Neotropical flora]] [[Category:Natural history of Bermuda|*]]