Isolated and vulnerable

The history and future of Pacific Island terrestrial biodiversity

verfasst von

Gunnar Keppel, Clare Morrison, Jean Yves Meyer, Hans Juergen Boehmer

Abstract

Islands in the tropical Pacific have a rich and unique biota produced by island biogeographic processes and modified by recent anthropogenic influences. This biota has been shaped by four overlapping phases: natural colonization and dynamics (phase 1), impacts of indigenous (phase 2) and non-indigenous (phase 3) settlers, and increasing environmental awareness (phase 4). Island ecosystems are resilient to natural disturbance regimes but highly vulnerable to invasive species and other human-related influences, due to comparatively low alpha diversity, isolated evolution and the absence of certain functional groups. Habitat loss, overexploitation, invasive alien species and pollution continue to threaten terrestrial biodiversity, compounded by limited environmental awareness, minimal conservation funding, project mismanagement, limited local capacity and inadequate and/or unsuitable conservation policies. To achieve effective conservation of terrestrial biodiversity in the region, biophysical threats need to be mitigated with improved scientific, institutional and management capacity.

Externe Organisation(en)

University of South Australia
Griffith University Queensland
Technische Universität München (TUM)
Government of French Polynesia

Typ

Artikel

Journal

Pacific Conservation Biology

Band

20

Seiten

136-145

Anzahl der Seiten

10

ISSN

1038-2097

Publikationsdatum

01.08.2014

Publikationsstatus

Veröffentlicht

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Ökologie, Natur- und Landschaftsschutz

Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung

SDG 15 – Lebensraum Land

Elektronische Version(en)

https://doi.org/10.1071/PC140136 (Zugang: Unbekannt)