TY - BOOK AU - James, Shelley A. TI - Climate change impacts on native plant communities in Melanesia T2 - Bishop Museum Technical Report U1 - 577.220995 PY - 2008/// CY - Honolulu, USA PB - Bishop Museum KW - Climatic changes KW - Environmental aspects KW - Melanesia KW - Vegetation and climate KW - Plants KW - Effect of global warming on N1 - Includes bibliographical references (p. 13-15) N2 - "Melanesia is a hotspot of diversity for vascular and non-vascular plant species, with estimated species endemism as high as 80% for New Guinea. The current lack of site-specific climate and species information is a major impediment to the assessment of possible effects of climate change on islands within Melanesia. Plant communities predicted to be impacted most by the effects of climate change are the mangrove and coastal systems, montane systems, and dryland vegetation communities. However, anthropogenic effects, such as land-clearing, logging, and fire, may have greater effects on diversity in the short-term. Research needs for the area include intensive botanical surveys, physiological and phenological assessments of plant species to the effects of climate change, and long-term monitoring to determine baseline and trends in biodiversity and community structure. This paper summarizes the limited amount of information known about the effects of climate change on native plant communities ranging from subsurface to montane ecoregions in Melanesia, which includes the islands of New Guinea (Papua New Guinea and Papua), the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, and New Caledonia. Agricultural and human modified systems (e.g., forestry plantings) will not be considered within the scope of this paper." UR - http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/ccbm/Areas/Melanesia/Papers/CCBM_Paper8.pdf ER -