Lyon Arboretum, Honolulu, Hawai’i
Savai’i, the westernmost of the Samoan islands, has an area of 1820 km2 and an elevation of 1860 m, making it the third largest and fourth highest island in tropical Polynesia. Its surface is covered with lava flows of various ages, the most recent of which occurred in 1901-1911. Its location (14o S) in the wet tropics results in a relatively high annual precipitation, and prior to the arrival of the first Polynesians, nearly the entire island was covered with a lush tropical rain forest. Today most of the lowland forest has been felled for timber and agriculture, but the summit region (called “Silisili”), although damaged by recent hurricanes, is covered with a relatively intact and rarely visited montane forest.
The native angiosperm flora of the island comprises about 468 species, which makes it richer than that of any tropical Polynesian island other than those in the Hawaiian archipelago (which, however, have fewer native angiosperm genera). Part of the summit is already protected by an agreement with A’opo village, and there are current plans to also protect and enhance the lowland areas of that village. These plans, along with the large flora, large area of remaining intact montane forest, and recent biological surveys, make the Savai’i summit ideally suited as a PABITRA transect site.
Abstract from: XIX Pacific Science Congress, July 4-9, 1999, Sydney, Australia.
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Last Updated: 11/26/99 |
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