1168

Further Reading meters) from north to south and 560 miles (900 Barbero, M., G. Bonin, R. Loisel, and P. Quézel. kilometers) from east to west. There are eight low, “Changes and Disturbances of Forest Ecosystems sandy islands, 26 reefs, 21 shoals, and 10 sub- Caused by Human Activities in the Western Part of merged banks, with a total land area above water the Mediterranean Basin.” Vegetatio 87 (1990). of less than 2 square miles (5 square kilometers). Blondel, J. Aronson. Biology and Wildlife of the This is because most of the reefs in the Spratly Mediterranean Region. Oxford, UK: Oxford Islands are submerged at high tide. here University Press, 1999. have high species diversity, including many fish, McNeill, J. M. The Mountains of the Mediterranean seabirds, and turtles. Ongoing industrial develop- World. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1992. ment and additional surveys suggest that there are Quézel, P., F. Médail, R. Loisel and M. Barbero. significant reserves of oil and natural gas beneath “Biodiversity and Conservation of Forest Species the ocean floor here. in the Mediterranean Basin.” Unasylva 50, no. 197 The Spratly Islands have a southern tropi- (February 1999). cal climate, with an average annual temperature of 81 degrees F (27 degrees C). Summer is from May to August, with an average temperature of about 86 degrees F (30 degrees C). is not much cooler, with an average temperature of 77 Spratly Islands degrees F (25 degrees C). The islands have a seven- month dry season and a five-month rainy season. Category: Marine and Oceanic Biomes. Southeast winds blow from March to Geographic Location: South Sea. April, with southwest monsoon winds from May Summary: This marine environment, including to November. Few of the islands have substantial more than 750 reefs, , atolls, cays, and freshwater resources. islands, has a rich ecosystems, but is mired in a tug-of-war between several nations. Flora and Fauna The Spratly Islands encompass several hundred The Spratly Islands are located in the central region reefs in one the world’s most diverse seas. of the . In , they are The marine environment is a breeding grounds known as the Truong Sa Islands, in the for sea turtles, birds, marine mammals, and tuna. as the Kalaya’an Island Group, and in China as the It is thought that the larval form of marine inver- Nansha Archipelago. Ownership of the islands is tebrates in this area may supply other marine eco- disputed by China, Vietnam, , the Philip- systems throughout the South China Sea. In the pines, (Darussalam), and . Also, it is future, the Spratly Islands may play a crucial role important to note that receives 90 percent in seeding and restoring some of the over-har- of its oil shipped through this area. Each of these vested marine populations throughout the South nations claim some or all of the islands, along with China Sea. their adjacent marine territories and resources. Much is known about the marine environment, Despite disputed ownership, the Spratly Islands but less has been recorded about the terrestrial and surrounding waters have remained prolific environment here. Little vegetation grows natu- marine ecosystems, with many unique reefs, fish, rally on these islands, which are subject to intense and other marine species. . The few larger land surfaces have tropi- cal and scrub forests and grasses. Several islands Geography and Climate were in the 1930s covered with shrubs, , The reefs of the Spratly Islands are spread over , and . , , and palm 155,000 square miles (400,000 square kilometers) may have been cultivated on some of the islands in a region measuring about 500 miles (800 kilo- in more distant history. A few islands have been Srebarna Lake 1169 developed as small tourist resorts; soil has been Hong, Nong. United Nations Convention on the Law of added and trees planted. Very few humans occupy the Sea (UNCLOS) and Ocean Dispute Settlement: this marine region on a regular basis, however, with Law and Politics in the South China Sea. New York: the exception of several military establishments. Routledge, 2012. Marine turtles and many species of seabirds visit Lally, Mike. “Spratly Islands Strategic Importance the islands. The green turtle and hawksbill turtle and Rising Sea Levels.” Inventory of Conflict and are still found here. Seabirds use the islands for Environment Case Studies 226 (December 2010). nesting, breeding and overwintering. These avians Department of Energy: Energy include streaked shearwater, brown booby, red- Information Administration. “South China Sea footed booby, great crested tern, and white tern. Energy Data, Statistics, and Analysis—Oil, Gas, Electricity, Coal.” March 11, 2008. http://www.eia Human Impact .gov/emeu/cabs/South_China_Sea/pdf.pdf. The terrestrial and marine ecosystems in the Spratly Islands are under stress from increasing human activities. Military groups that occupy the islands on behalf of different countries shoot turtles and seabirds, and raid birds’ nests for eggs Srebarna Lake and young. Harvesting of rare medicinal plants and cutting of timber are additional threats. The Category: Inland Aquatic Biomes. marine environment is under stress from overfish- Geographic Location: Eastern Europe. ing and the use exploitative methods of harvesting Summary: Srebarna Lake is the only significant fish and invertebrates, such as the use of bottom Danubian wetland in ; it shelters trawling, explosives, or poison. a significant percentage of the endangered The danger of rising sea levels due to global Dalmatian pelican. climate change threatens to permanently sub- merge many of these landforms. More immediate At roughly 2.5 square miles (6.5 square kilome- threats to the region appear to be from the stra- ters), including wetlands and the lake, Srebarna tegic importance of location, with seven nations is the largest river lake in Bulgaria. Surrounding in persistent conflict over the area eying the value and protecting the freshwater lake from intrusion of shipping lanes, fisheries, and ocean bed mineral is the Srebarna Nature Reserve, a World Heritage and hydrocarbon resources. Site. The lake and reserve are located approxi- An international marine park has been sug- mately 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the Black gested for portions of the Spratly Islands. If Sea to the southeast, and 85 miles (140 kilometers) accepted by the countries claiming ownership, from Bucharest, to the northwest. The this designation could safeguard fish, birds, -tur combined ecosystem incorporates former farm- tles, and other fauna. The ecological benefits to land, a belt of forest plantations along the river, the biome could also extend to commercial inter- three islands in the Danube River, and the water ests, by helping to ensure a steady supply of young between the island and riverbank. Vegetation here fish and invertebrates for regional fisheries. is that of the Ukraine-Kazakh biotic province. Adjacent to Srebarna is the Pelikanite, another, Magdalena A. K. Muir nearly 2-square-mile (5-square-kilometer) enclave of protected pelican environment. The main pur- Further Reading pose of the reserve is wildfowl protection for half Gyo Koo, Min. Island Disputes and Maritime Regime of the avifauna in Bulgaria; this area is on the Building in : Between a Rock and a Hard Western Palearctic bird migratory flyway. Place. Dordrecht, : Springer Science Srebarna Lake is quite close to the Danube and Business Media, 2010. River, which provides seasonal flooding of the