Marine fisheries
Vegetation dynamics
First Biennial Report
Forest
Disaster preparedness and climate change adaptation and vulnerability
Convention on Biodiversity National Report for PNG
Ozon Depletion substances in PNG
Conservation needs asessment for PNG
Ramsar National Report to COP 13
UNCCD National Report for Papua New Guinea
Management Plan for Kuk World Heritage Site
Much of the world’s tropical forests have been affected by anthropogenic disturbance. These forests are important biodiversity reservoirs whose diversity, structure and function must be characterized across the successional equence. We examined changes in structure and diversity along a successional gradient in the lowlands of New Guinea. To do this, we measured and identified all stems ≥5 cm diameter in 19 0.25 ha plots ranging in age from 3 to >50 yr since disturbance. We also measured plant functional traits related to establishment, performance, and competitive ability.
Biosafety issues are becoming very contentious today given the uncertainty of the impact of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on the environment, biodiversity and the people. There are those that view GMOs as an answer to alleviating world hunger and mitigating global health problems through the introduction of new and technologically advanced GMO for food, feed, food processing and pharmaceuticals. Then there is the other group that argue that GMOs pose a risk to the environment, biological diversity and the safety and health of the people.
The relatively remote islands of Manus and Mussau, located in the northern portion of the Bismark sea have been long identified as key biodiversity areas in Papua New Guinea and within greater Melanesia. Manus Island has long been known for its endemism and relatively intact forest, while Mussau Island, although relatively unstudied, has been ecognised as an Endemic Bird Area.
Coral bleaching events around the world appear to be increasing in frequency and severity, with the 2002 bleaching events reportedly causing greater coral mortality than those in 1998. The primary driver is global (i.e. excessive CO2 production in industrial countries), while the impact is local, and highly variable. Ecological, and consequent socio-economic impacts of coral bleaching may not be measurable in relatively lightly bleached areas, such as Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, for perhaps 10 or more years, though medium to long term (10-50 years) impacts might well be dramatic.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) is the largest Pacific Island country in total land area (some 460,000 square kilometers (sq
km) and second in respect to ocean area (some 3 million sq km within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). PNG’s
population of over some 6 million people is sparsely distributed: population density strands at about 9 people per
sq km which is the lowest in the south pacific region.
The corals reefs of Australia and Papua New Guinea cover 19% of the world’s total reef area and contain levels of biological diversity approaching the ‘hot spots’ of the Philippines and Indonesia. Human pressures on these reefs are lower than in other parts of the world (particularly SE Asia). The reefs of eastern Australia, particularly the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), have a long history of research and monitoring and world leading management.