Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29077788›Full record

ArticleAnnals of botany2018

High endemism and stem density distinguish New Caledonian from other high-diversity rainforests in the Southwest Pacific.

Thomas Ibanez, E Blanchard, V Hequet, G Keppel, M Laidlaw, R Pouteau, H Vandrot, P Birnbaum

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Article in Annals of botany, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1citing papers in PubMed
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3 · Its place in the literature

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1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Thomas IbanezInstitut Agronomique néo-Calédonien (IAC), Diversité biologique et fonctionnelle des écosystèmes terrestres, Nouméa, New Caledonia.
E BlanchardInstitut Agronomique néo-Calédonien (IAC), Diversité biologique et fonctionnelle des écosystèmes terrestres, Nouméa, New Caledonia.
V HequetInstitut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UMR AMAP, Nouméa, New Caledonia.
G KeppelSchool of Natural and Built Environments, University of South Australia, GPO, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
M LaidlawQueensland Herbarium, Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation, Toowong, Queensland, Australia.
R PouteauInstitut Agronomique néo-Calédonien (IAC), Diversité biologique et fonctionnelle des écosystèmes terrestres, Nouméa, New Caledonia.
H VandrotInstitut Agronomique néo-Calédonien (IAC), Diversité biologique et fonctionnelle des écosystèmes terrestres, Nouméa, New Caledonia.
P BirnbaumInstitut Agronomique néo-Calédonien (IAC), Diversité biologique et fonctionnelle des écosystèmes terrestres, Nouméa, New Caledonia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background and Aims: The biodiversity hotspot of New Caledonia is globally renowned for the diversity and endemism of its flora. New Caledonia's tropical rainforests have been reported to have higher stem densities, higher concentrations of relictual lineages and higher endemism than other rainforests. This study investigates whether these aspects differ in New Caledonian rainforests compared to other high-diversity rainforests in the Southwest Pacific. Methods: Plants (with a diameter at breast height ≥10 cm) were surveyed in nine 1-ha rainforest plots across the main island of New Caledonia and compared with 14 1-ha plots in high-diversity rainforests of the Southwest Pacific (in Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands). This facilitated a comparison of stem densities, taxonomic composition and diversity, and species turnover among plots and countries. Key Results: The study inventoried 11 280 stems belonging to 335 species (93 species ha-1 on average) in New Caledonia. In comparison with other rainforests in the Southwest Pacific, New Caledonian rainforests exhibited higher stem density (1253 stems ha-1 on average) including abundant palms and tree ferns, with the high abundance of the latter being unparalleled outside New Caledonia. In all plots, the density of relictual species was ≥10 % for both stems and species, with no discernible differences among countries. Species endemism, reaching 89 % on average, was significantly higher in New Caledonia. Overall, species turnover increased with geographical distance, but not among New Caledonian plots. Conclusions: High stem density, high endemism and a high abundance of tree ferns with stem diameters ≥10 cm are therefore unique characteristics of New Caledonian rainforests. High endemism and high spatial species turnover imply that the current system consisting of a few protected areas is inadequate, and that the spatial distribution of plant species needs to be considered to adequately protect the exceptional flora of New Caledonian rainforests.

Indexed as

BiodiversityPlantsRainforestArecaceaeFernsNew CaledoniaPacific IslandsPlant StemsEndemism hotspotislandNew CaledoniaOceaniaPacific rainforestspalmsplot networkrelictual lineagesspecies richnesstree fernstreestropical forest

Identifiers

PMID29077788
PMCPMC5786226

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