Forest vegetation across the topical Pacific: A biogeographically complex region with many analogous environments
Mueller-Dombois D. 2002. Forest vegetation across the topical Pacific: A biogeographically complex region with many analogous environments. Plant Ecology. 163(2):155-176
The tropical realm of the Pacific contains many islands with closely similar (analogous) environmental settings. Due to the `filter effect' of the ocean, these are occupied by historically different species assemblages. This results in a unique biogeographic complexity not found in any of the continental tropical regions. The paper presents a hierarchical approach to the study of vegetation in analogous environments with data illustrated by a series of diagrams. It begins with differentiating island types and climatic zones. Then it focuses on Pacific-wide biomes, thereafter on island landscape profiles, and finally, on stand-level profiles as a method to compare forest structure and composition among islands in analogous environments at the scale of releves. The conclusions emphasize the urgent need for intensifying conservation-oriented research and capacity building in all island countries of the Pacific (not only Hawaii) to protect their indigenous biodiversities for sustainable uses and the health of their ecosystems. Attention is also drawn to the scientific advantage of using the Pacific-Asia Biodiversity Transect (PABITRA) Network, since it connects the island areas across biogeographic boundaries in form of an experimental design. This design refers to analogous island environments filled with different sets of biodiversities, which follow a trend of impoverishment with indigenous founder species from west to east.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Mueller-Dombois, Dieter
- Units
- NPSA , PACN
- Keywords
- biogeographic gradients, biome-level profiles, Landscape, Pacific Islands, profile hierarchy, Vegetation, Western Samoa