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Call Number: [EL]
ISBN/ISSN: 978-2-8317-1030-3
Physical Description: 43 p. ; 29 cm
Fais (Tromelin) is an elevated coral island, surrounded by interrupted cliffs 15-20 meters high, lying some 140 miles east of Yap Island, at latitude 9'46' N, longitude 140'31' E in the western Caroline Islands. It has an area of 2.8 square km, and has a population of about 300 people, Micronesians, speaking a dialect of the Ulithi-Woleai tongue. As with many such raised coral islands, valuable calcium phosphate deposits occur on Fais, the greater portion of which was removed and exported during the period of Japanese rule (1914-1945).
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This paper describes the channels known as hoa which are characteristic of atoll land rims and of some islands on barrier reefs, where they often dissect previously more continuous reef-top sediment accumulations and conglomerate platforms. They are
This report includes an introductory section on the geography and vegetation, and a main portion listing the species of vascular plants known to occur, or to have occurred, on the island, with detailed descriptions of those of which time permitted a careful study, and brief descriptions of the remaining native species. Those suspected to have been brought by Polynesians in pre-European time are also described and discussed in some detail.
The Republic of the Marshall Islands requested a natural and cultural biodiversity survey of 6 northern atolls (Bok-ak, Pikaar, Toke, Wotto, Rondik, Adkup) and one reef island (Jemo) which was accomplished over 17 days in September 1988. This report covers the results of the survey of the reefs and corals during the expedition. Ninety-five marine sites were snorkeled and the shorelines of all island were surveyed during the
The Northern Line Islands consists of four atolls aligned on
an an axis which runs from south east to north west. The three southern islands Christmas (Kiritiraati), Fanning (Tabuaeran) and Washington (Teraina) have permanent populations and are part of the Republic of Kiribati. The fourth island, Palmyra, on the north end of the chain, is an unoccupied U.S. possession.
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Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 39 p.
The Gilbert Islands are a part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Crown Colony of Great Britain. They lie in the Pacific Ocean directly southeast of the Ilarshall Islands and are located between the parallels of g045' S. and 3'30' N. latitude, and the meridians of 1720301 E. and 177 15' E. longitude. All of the islands in this groui3 are low islands related to atolls. They are inhabited by Micronesian and Melanesian people who are greatly dependent on materials from the sea for food.
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Call Number: [EL]
The islands of the southern Cook and Austral groups in
the South Pacific exhibit astonishing differences in geology
and topography, even between closely adjacent islands of
similar ages. Some are sea-level atolls, others have low
fringes of Pleistocene raised reefs, and others substantial
rims of elevated mid-Tertiary limestones, locally known as
makatea. On some islands the relief of the makatea is
subdued, but on others it is dominated by eroded volcanics,
sea-level swamps, and vertical limestone walls. Sixty years
Coral atolls are natural laboratories within which to examine ecological processes (Sachet, 1967; Lee, 1984). They are often isolated, in some cases little disturbed, and have a geologically recent history of terrestrial plant colonisation. Reef islands around the rim of most atolls are Holocene in age. They are composed of biogenic skeletal sediments and have developed since reef growth caught up with sea level which stabilized after post-glacial sea-level rise. Plant colonisation of most of these islands must have occurred over a period of no more than 6000 years.
Interpretation of SEASAT geoid anomaly data and improved seafloor mapping of the
south-central Pacific suggest a complex tectonic history for the islands of the Pitcairn
group. While Oeno atoll formed at ~ 16m.y.BP at a 'hotspot' now south of the Easter micro-
plate, subsequent progressive island development at Henderson (13m.y.), Ducie (8m.y.)
and Crough seamount (4m.y.) resulted from the lateral leakage of magma from the Oeno
lineation along an old fracture zone, itself originating during the Tertiary reorientation
Located at 148°15' West and 15°50' South, in the northwesternmost part of the Tuamotu archipelago (Central Pacific), Makatea island is isolated from its nearest
neighbouring atolls, Rangiroa and Tikehau by about 80 km, and it is 245 km from its closest volcanic neighbour, Tahiti. This island rises at least 3,500 m above the sea floor.
During participation in part of the Fairbridge Expedition
to New Guinea, February to May, 1969, I had opportunity to visit 17 islands and cays east of the New Guinea mainland for sufficient time to assemble reasonably complete collections oi their terrestrial reptilian fauna. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of that survey. Fairbridge (1971 ) has previously published a brief report on the expedition and. a more detailed one is in preparation.
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Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 41 p.
From 0900 on 17 June to 0615 on 19 June 1965 Caroline Atoll was visited by a field party from the Pacific Ocean Biological Survey Program (POBSP) of the Smithsonian Institution. The field party, led by Sibley, collected and made observations on vascular plants, fish, reptiles, mammals, and birds. All islands with the exception of the northern two-thirds of Nake were visited. Prior knowledge of the biota of Caroline Atoll is very scant, deriving almost entirely from the visits of F. D. Bennett in 1835, Devoy in 1875, and the U.S.S. Hartford in 1883.
In a typical High Island coral reef complex of French Polynesia (transect of Tiahura, Hoorea Island, Society Archipelago!, 73 species of decapod Reptantia and stomatopod crustaceans were collected. Over 9 stations localised along the transect, 3 different units of hard coral substrate of simi1ar volume (about 17 litres each), were sampled at each station. The results are discussed from two aspects : the first shows that at least 50 carcinologic species occur within the cavitary biotopes ; 16 species (mainly Xanthid crabs), represent more than 90% of all collected individuals.
Guam is the southernmost island in the Mariana Islands
Archipelago. Of all the islands in Micronesia, Guam is the
largest in terms of both land area (543 sq km) and population
Kwajalein is a crescent-shaped atoll that lies between 09°25' and 08°40'N and between 166°50' and 167°45'E, near the center o£ the western (Ralik) chain of the Marshall Islands (Figure 1). Composed of more than 90 islets, largely uninhabited, Kwajalein Atoll extends about 75 miles from southeast to northwest. It has a land area of about 6 square miles (3,854 acres) (Global Associates 1987), an increase of about 263 acres over the original area that was brought about by filling of land on Kwajalein, Roi-Namur, and Meek Islands.
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Island ecosystems have proven to be particularly sensitive to
human disturbances (Bourne 1975; Byrne 1980; Jarvis 1979). This was first noted by Charles Darwin in the explanation of his theory of natural selection (Byrne 1980). Since then, qualities of insular species have been examined by various authors in an attempt to understand the basis for island vulnerability.
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Call Number: [EL],VF 2783
Physical Description: 34 p.
Christmas island3, the largest atoll in the world in terms of
Samoa has retained the same ruling governing party of the last 20 years as its government for the next five years after the general elections in early March 2006. After years in power since 1985, the Human Rights Political Party (HRPP) continues to advance its 9 focus on enhancing the macroeconomic stability of the country. Apart from reliance on traditional mainstays such as agriculture and remittances, it targeted growth led by the construction, other manufacturing, hotels and restaurants, transport and communication sectors.
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Call Number: [EL],550 SOP
Physical Description: various pagings ; 29 cm