Impressionen aus Neukaledonien - Trauminsel der Botaniker

Impressions of New Caledonia, the Botanical Dream Island

2002

13 Lit. Ang.

Unselbständiges Werk

4354

200079339

The French "Territoire d'outre-mer Nouvelle Calédonie" (New Caledonia) is situated in the south-west Pacific Ocean, just north of the Tropic of Capricorn. It consists of an archipelago of 18,580 km¬ with the main island Grande Terre (16,350 km¬). Grande Terre was part of Gondwanaland and broke away from Australia 140 million years ago. Respite its small size New Caledonia is exceptionally rich in vegetation. Of the 3000 vascular plant species (2750 phanerogams and 250 cryptogams) are 80 % endemic. The vegetation of the very interesting ultra basic soils is nearly 100 % endemic. There are 43 species of conifers (Taxaceae, Podocarpaceae, Cupressaceae and Araucariaceae), all endemic. Noteworthy is the great number of species of the Araucaria family. 13 of the 19 species of the genus Araucaria worldwide recorded, are endemic in New Caledonia. 5 of the 20 Agathis species worldwide existing are endemic here. The biodiversity is particularly high in the humid evergreen forest (23 % of Grande Terre, 300 m - 1500 m above sea-level) and the maquis minier (30 % of the island area). The paper deals with the vegetation, its endangering (deforestation, opencast nickel mining, bushfires) and its protection (nature reserves, ecological rehabilitation, afforestation) of these two vegetation types.