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Microhabitat specialization of tropical rain-forest canopy trees in the Sovi Basin, Viti Levu, Fiji Islands

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 August 2011

Gunnar Keppel ,
Marika V. Tuiwawa ,
Alifereti Naikatini  and
Isaac A. Rounds
Gunnar Keppel*
Affiliation:
Curtin Institute for Biodiversity and Climate, Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia
Marika V. Tuiwawa
Affiliation:
South Pacific Regional Herbarium, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji
Alifereti Naikatini
Affiliation:
South Pacific Regional Herbarium, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji
Isaac A. Rounds
Affiliation:
Conservation International-Fiji, Pacific Islands Programme, 3 Ma'afu Street, Suva, Fiji
*
1Corresponding author. Email: g.keppel@curtin.edu.au
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Abstract:

Island biotas often have lower species diversity and less intense competition has been hypothesized as a result. This should result in lower habitat specificity compared with mainland habitats due to larger realized niches. We investigate microhabitat associations of canopy trees with regard to differences in topography on an oceanic island (Viti Levu, Fiji) using twenty 10 × 60-m plots. We find high tree-species diversity (112 species with dbh ≥ 10 cm in a total of 1.08 ha) and high endemism (c. 60%), compared with other islands in Western Polynesia. Our sample plots aggregate into three distinct groups that are mostly defined by micro-topography: (1) ridges and steep slopes (well-drained sites), (2) moderate slopes and ridge flats (moderate drainage), and (3) flats (poor drainage). Associations with microhabitat are found for more than 50% of the 41 most common species but only one species is apparently restricted to a single habitat. These findings are similar to other rain forests and demonstrate considerable niche differentiation among island rain-forest tree species.

Keywords

Fijihabitat differentiationislandsPacificrain forestSovi Basinspecies diversitytopography
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 27 , Issue 5 , September 2011 , pp. 491 - 501
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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