RAPID BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT OF REPUBLIC OF NAURU JUNE 2013 NAOERO GO T D'S W I LL FIRS SPREP Library/IRC Cataloguing-in-Publication Data McKenna, Sheila A, Butler, David J and Wheatley, Amanda. Rapid biodiversity assessment of Republic of Nauru / Sheila A. McKeena … [et al.] – Apia, Samoa : SPREP, 2015. 240 p. cm. ISBN: 978-982-04-0516-5 (print) 978-982-04-0515-8 (ecopy) 1. Biodiversity conservation – Nauru. 2. Biodiversity – Assessment – Nauru. 3. Natural resources conservation areas - Nauru. I. McKeena, Sheila A. II. Butler, David J. III. Wheatley, Amanda. IV. Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) V. Title. 333.959685 © SPREP 2015 All rights for commercial / for profit reproduction or translation, in any form, reserved. SPREP authorises the partial reproduction or translation of this material for scientific, educational or research purposes, provided that SPREP and the source document are properly acknowledged. Permission to reproduce the document and / or translate in whole, in any form, whether for commercial / for profit or non-profit purposes, must be requested in writing. Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme P.O. Box 240, Apia, Samoa. Telephone: + 685 21929, Fax: + 685 20231 www.sprep.org The Pacific environment, sustaining our livelihoods and natural heritage in harmony with our cultures. RAPID BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT OF REPUBLIC OF NAURU SHEILA A. MCKENNA, DAVID J. BUTLER, AND AmANDA WHEATLEY (EDITORS) NAOERO GO T D'S W I LL FIRS CONTENTS Organisational Profiles 4 Authors and Participants 6 Acknowledgements 7 Foreword 8 Executive Summary and Synthesis 9 CHAPTERS Chapter 1 Botanical Survey of Nauru 17 Chapter 2 Terrestrial Invertebrates of Nauru and their conservation 37 Chapter 3 Reptiles of Nauru 63 Chapter 4 Bird Fauna of Nauru 75 Chapter 5 Reef Corals of Nauru 85 Chapter 6 Marine Non-Cryptic Macro Invertebrate Diversity of Nauru 103 Chapter 7 Coral Reef Fish Diversity of Nauru 113 Chapter 8 Targeted and commercial fish species assessment 123 Chapter 9 Reef Condition 147 Chapter 10 A rapid assessment of the intertidal reef flats with emphasis on the marine flora of Nauru 155 APPENDICES 161 Appendix 1 Annotated Checklist of the Flora of Nauru 163 Appendix 2 Checklist of the flora of Nauru with voucher specimens 182 Appendix 3 Vegetation Plot Data 187 Appendix 4 Annotated list of moths, ants, snails and other invertebrates surveyed on Nauru 191 Appendix 5 A tentative IUCN Red list assessment (IUCN 2012) of three land snails endemic to Nauru. 202 Appendix 6 Capacity building with Nauruan CIE and USGS combining laboratory and field techniques 204 Appendix 7 Reptile taxa found at sampling stations in Nauru, June 18–26, 2013 205 Appendix 8 Birds Table: Average Warbler and Micronesian pigeon numbers obtained from point counts divided into three land cover categories 208 Appendix 9 Details of dive survey sites 210 Appendix 10 Coral Species of Nauru 211 Appendix 11 Additional information for species which represent range extensions in Nauru 213 Appendix 12 Total Marine Invertebrate species recorded with number of sites species observed. 214 Appendix 13 Marine invertebrates: Macro invertebrate species known to occur in Nauru 215 Appendix 14 Family groups represented per site 220 Appendix 15 Full list of reef fish species known to occur in Nauru 221 The views expressed in this report are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent those of the individual Appendix 16 Number of Individuals, Mean densities and Mean biomass of all finfish species recorded in the 2013 Nauru BIORAP 234 organisations involved. Each chapter is the culmination of work by a team and was written by the team leader and sub-edited only. Appendix 17 Mean percent benthic cover for reef sites surveyed in Nauru 238 CONTENTS Organisational Profiles 4 Authors and Participants 6 Acknowledgements 7 Foreword 8 Executive Summary and Synthesis 9 CHAPTERS Chapter 1 Botanical Survey of Nauru 17 Chapter 2 Terrestrial Invertebrates of Nauru and their conservation 37 Chapter 3 Reptiles of Nauru 63 Chapter 4 Bird Fauna of Nauru 75 Chapter 5 Reef Corals of Nauru 85 Chapter 6 Marine Non-Cryptic Macro Invertebrate Diversity of Nauru 103 Chapter 7 Coral Reef Fish Diversity of Nauru 113 Chapter 8 Targeted and commercial fish species assessment 123 Chapter 9 Reef Condition 147 Chapter 10 A rapid assessment of the intertidal reef flats with emphasis on the marine flora of Nauru 155 APPENDICES 161 Appendix 1 Annotated Checklist of the Flora of Nauru 163 Appendix 2 Checklist of the flora of Nauru with voucher specimens 182 Appendix 3 Vegetation Plot Data 187 Appendix 4 Annotated list of moths, ants, snails and other invertebrates surveyed on Nauru 191 Appendix 5 A tentative IUCN Red list assessment (IUCN 2012) of three land snails endemic to Nauru. 202 Appendix 6 Capacity building with Nauruan CIE and USGS combining laboratory and field techniques 204 Appendix 7 Reptile taxa found at sampling stations in Nauru, June 18–26, 2013 205 Appendix 8 Birds Table: Average Warbler and Micronesian pigeon numbers obtained from point counts divided into three land cover categories 208 Appendix 9 Details of dive survey sites 210 Appendix 10 Coral Species of Nauru 211 Appendix 11 Additional information for species which represent range extensions in Nauru 213 Appendix 12 Total Marine Invertebrate species recorded with number of sites species observed. 214 Appendix 13 Marine invertebrates: Macro invertebrate species known to occur in Nauru 215 Appendix 14 Family groups represented per site 220 Appendix 15 Full list of reef fish species known to occur in Nauru 221 Appendix 16 Number of Individuals, Mean densities and Mean biomass of all finfish species recorded in the 2013 Nauru BIORAP 234 Appendix 17 Mean percent benthic cover for reef sites surveyed in Nauru 238 ORGANISATIONAL PROFILES BIRDLIFE PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP NEW ZEALAND DEPARTMENT OF CoNSERVATION (DOC) BirdLife International is a global network of 117 national The New Zealand Department of Conservation works NGOs (Partners) – including seven in the Pacific - whose nationally conserving natural and historic heritage mission is “to conserve wild birds, their habitats and global and recreational opportunities on public conservation biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in lands including national parks, world heritage areas, the use of natural resources”. much mountain land and many islands along with some marine protected areas. The department has an official The BirdLife Partnership is supported by a Secretariat with role advocating protection of wildlife including for headquarters in Cambridge, UK. A regional supporting example birds, freshwater and marine life. Active Maori Secretariat for the Pacific Partnership is based in Fiji, and relationships with natural heritage are respected under includes a ‘BirdLife Fiji Programme’. BirdLife’s Pacific Partners the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. The Department are in Australia, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, New partners many agencies and organisations in its work and Caledonia, New Zealand, Palau and Samoa with a country provides some capacity to cooperate internationally in programme managed by the Pacific Secretariat in Fiji. work such as pest eradication from islands and technical For more information visit: http://www.birdlife.org support for conservation management such as this BIORAP. For more information visit: http://www.doc.govt.nz/ CoNSERVATION INTERNATIONAL PACIFIC SECRETARIAT OF THE PACIFIC REGIONAL ISLANDS PROGRAM ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (SPREP) The focus of the Conservation International Pacific Islands The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program is to provide for the development of sustainable Programme (SPREP) has been charged by the governments societies by the people of the Pacific Islands, through the and administrations of the Pacific region with the protection preservation of natural capital and adaptation to climate and sustainable development of the region’s environment. change. CI’s Pacific Islands Program covers 20 - 30,000 SPREP is based in Apia, Samoa, with over 90 staff. islands in the 22 countries and territories which make up SPREP’s activities are guided by its Strategic Action Plan the Polynesia-Micronesia and New Caledonia Biodiversity 2011-2015, which was developed through extensive Hotspots, and Papua New Guinea. The total oceanic consultations with Members, Secretariat programme coverage of the program is around 40 million sq km (more staff and partner organisations.T he Plan establishes four than four times the size of the continental United States). strategic priorities, which form the basis and focus of The Pacific Islands Program is the only regional program SPREP’s work: Climate Change; Biodiversity and Ecosystem within CI’s Asia-Pacific Field Division. It consists of three Management; Waste Management and Pollution Control; sub-country/territory programs with linked national and Environmental Monitoring and Governance. SPREP strategies for Fiji, Papua New Guinea and New Caledonia, is actively engaged as a partner in many environmental and a regional Pacific Oceanscape field program. management and conservation projects in the region such For more information visit http://www.conservation.org/ as this biodiversity assessment of Upland Savai’i. Pages/default.aspx For more information visit: http://www.sprep.org/ 4 Rapid Biodiversity Assessment of Republic of Nauru UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY DEPARTMENT OF CoMMERCE, INDUSTRIES (USGS) AND ENVIRONMENT NAOERO