Trobriand Islands rain forests

The Trobriand Islands Rain Forests are a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of southeastern Papua New Guinea. [1]

Geography

The ecoregion includes several island groups lying east of the eastern peninsula of the island of New Guinea, within Milne Bay Province, including the D'Entrecasteaux Islands and Trobriand Islands archipelagoes, and Woodlark Island. The largest portion of the ecoregion and the nearest to the New Guinea mainland is made up of three principal islands of the D'Entrecasteaux group: Goodenough Island, Fergusson Island, and Normanby Island. [1]

In 1998 the Trobriand Islands Rain Forests and Louisiade Archipelago Rain Forests (of the Louisiade Archipelago) were made distinct ecoregions of the Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome. [1]

Natural history

The islands of this ecoregion have been separated from mainland New Guinea since the Late Pleistocene, and much of the biota is unique, including four mammal species and two birds-of-paradise plant species. The ecoregion covers 1,600 square miles (4,100 km2). [1]

Flora

The Trobriand Islands and Woodlark Island consist primarily of lowland rain forest on limestone substrates. Goodenough, Fergusson, and Normanby Islands consist mainly of lowland rain forest on acid soil.

The major rain forest tree genera include Pometia, Octomeles, Alstonia, Campnosperma, Canarium, Dracontomelon, Pterocymbium, Cryptocarya, Intsia, Ficus, and Terminalia.
Tree species include:

Fauna

Animal species native to the ecoregion include:

Conservation and threats

The main threats to the ecoregion include logging by foreign companies and conversion of habitat into agricultural lands. [1]

See also

  • Ecoregions of New Guinea

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 World Wildlife Fund.org: The Trobriand Islands Rain Forests (ID Code: AA0125) webpage; article originally from "Terrestrial ecoregions of the Indo-Pacific: a conservation assessment"; Island Press . accessed 3.17.2017.
  • "Trobriand Islands rain forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.


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