Biological and Cultural Diversity in the Indo-Pacific Perhaps the biologically richest and most culturally such as Sulawesi, Nusa diverse region of the planet, the tropical Indo-Pacific is Tenggara, and the Moluccas composed of a vast array of tens of thousands of (known as the fabled —Spice islands, stretching from Indonesia eastward to Polynesia Islands“ to the explorer and northward to Micronesia. At its center is the Columbus, w ho was searching for Melanesian island of New Guinea, the world‘s largest them w hen he stumbled onto and highest tropical island. Yet today, various activities America), are important species such as logging, forest conversion for agriculture, and found nowhere else, such as the over-exploitation of resources present a serious and babirusa (—pig-deer“) and the increasing threat to the Indo-Pacific‘s rich trove of Komodo Dragon. In Micronesia biological and cultural diversity. to the north, and in other parts of Melanesia to the west lie other Participant at Goroka Festival, PNG; Ì Michael Moore important island chains containing The unparalleled richness of Indo- other unique animals and plants. Since many of these Pacific realm is due to its geographic islands lie such a great distance from other lands, their position at the crossroads of Asia and biota have evolved in isolation, and hence many species the Pacific. This is a geologically are found only on certain islands and nowhere else. complex region œ the so-called —Pacific Ring of Fire“ œ that has resulted in an Percentage of Total Indonesia PNG USA Sumatran Tiger array of biologically and culturally Global Species Photo courtesy ARKiv e unique island ecosystems and species. 11% 5% 9% In the far western Pacific (Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and Mammals * Bali) are found an Asian flora and fauna: tigers, Birds * 17% 8% 8% elephants, orangutans, monkeys, rhinos, rich Reptiles * 8% 5% 4% dipterocarp forests, and Rafflesia flowers (the largest on Amphibians * 6% 5% 5% Freshwat er Fish es * 7% 2% 4% Earth). Further to the east (in New Guinea, for Insect s † 5% 4% 3% example), the biota is quite different and unique. No Plants † 15% 8% 7% tigers or monkeys are found there, but instead are Marin e Fishes † 22% 22% 5% fl Marin e In vertebrates † 25% 25% 5% fl Australasian species such as tree kangaroos, *Documented species only. Total actual percentages for many Indo-Pacific taxa are likely monotremes (egg-laying mammals), cuscuses, birds of higher. †Estimated. fl Estimated; Hawaii only. paradise, an amazing profusion of endemic orchids, and Klinki Pines (the world‘s tallest While terrestrial floras and faunas are often highly unique to an island or island group, all the Indo-Pacific tropical trees). shares a rich marine diversity œ by far the highest and most important on the planet. The area is located at the Between the two biogeographic center of the so-called —Coral Triangle“ œ the epicenter of regions is Wallacea œ named after global marine diversity. While the entire Caribbean noted 19 th Century explorer and basin has about 60 species of corals, for example, the biologist Alfred Russel Wallace, island of New Guinea has an estimated 700. Despite the co-discoverer with Charles Darwin Indo-Pacific‘s unsurpassed biological richness, many of the theory of evolution through species are both rare and in immediate danger of natural selection. Wallacea is a extinction. The number of current extinctions globally zone of mixing between Asian and and regionally, in fact, rivals that of the end of the Age of Raggiana Bird of Paradise Australasian floral and faunal (Paradis aea raggiana ); Dinosaurs. Species are going extinct thousands of elements, but on some islands © Bruce Beehler times faster than new ones can evolve. Indo-Pacific Conser vati on Alliance, at the Bishop Museum, 1525 Bernice Street, Honolul u, HI 96817 Tel.: (808) 848-4124+F ax: (808) 847-8252+Email: [email protected]+Web: http://www.indopacific.org The problem of biodiversity ultimately based. The ecosystem loss is especially significant services provided by biodiversity because of its irreversibility: include purification of water and once a species is gone, it is air, pollination of crops and other truly lost forever. Given the plants, pest control, climate increasing scale and scope of regulation, and flood control. current threats such as Forests provide the oxygen logging, agricultural expansion, necessary for life on Earth, store and increasing demo-graphic excess carbon dioxide, help to pressures on natural prevent soil erosion, and Goodfellow's Tree Kangar oo (Dendr olagus goodfellowi ), Papua resources, new conservation contribute to the formation of rain New Guinea; © Bruce Beehler strategies are clearly and other weather patterns. Asmat sago-gatherer, Pirien necessary if biodiversity in the Indo-Pacific is to be village; © Burke Burnett protected. Unfortunately, zoos can‘t protect every The richness and diversity of species, nor can it even protect any single species lifeforms is also essential for many foods, medicines, indefinitely. fuels, and raw materials used by both local peoples and global consumers. Plant-based pharmaceutical Total Number of Indonesia PNG USA Species products have an estimated market value of $84 billion per year, of which nearly 40% comes from tropical Mammals * 515 242 428 forests. It is quite possible that cures for AIDS, cancer, Birds * 1,531 762 768 or other diseases could be found in the forests or reefs Reptiles and Amphibian s * 781 505 455 of the Indo-Pacific, perhaps the biologically richest Freshwat er Fish es * 1,400 214 790 areas of the planet. Insect s † 300,000 200,000 160,000 Plants † 37,000 25,000 18, 956 † Yet today, excessive logging, forest conversion for Marin e Fishes 3500+ 3,000+ 700 agriculture, population pressures and loss of traditional Marin e In vertebrates † 15,000+ 15,000+ 3,615 *Documented species only. Total actual numbers for many Indo-Pacific taxa is likely to be higher. conservation measures, and the introduction of exotic †Estimated. flHawaii only. species present serious threats to the Indo-Pacific‘s rich biodiversity. Without immediate action to improve Integrally linked to the biodiversity of the region is the natural resource management policies and practices, extraordinary cultural diversity of the Indo-Pacific. The many land, freshwater, and marine habitats w ill be democratic nation of Papua New Guinea has 817 degraded or destroyed. The inevitable result will be not distinct ethnic groups œ which makes it, despite its only the extinction of perhaps hundreds of thousands of relatively small size, easily the most culturally diverse species, but also the disruption of key ecological country on the planet. Indonesia is similarly rich, processes and increased poverty for local peoples. possessing at least 712 distinct ethnic groups, and the IPCA is committed to w orking w ith governments, the rest of the Indo-Pacific (Micronesia, Polynesia, and private sector, and local communities and NGOs to Melanesia) contains another 263 ethno-linguistic provide essential tools, training, and data to empower groups. This diversity is a source of vitality and institutions and communities to protect their strength, but it also requires of conservation a keen biodiversity. Indeed, it is clear that w ithout access to sensitivity to local and national complexities and this essential information and expertise, all other efforts perspectives. to adequately protect the rich biological and cultural heritage of the Indo-Pacific will be extremely difficult or The cultural integrity of many traditional communities is impossible. closely linked w ith biodiversity conservation. Traditional uses of forest and marine resources are consistent with effective conservation management, and indeed, conservation can't succeed without the support of local communities. Moreover, there are essential, if under-appreciated, links betw een economies and the environment. Biodiversity œ the sum total of genes, species, ecosystems, and ecological processes œ is the —natural capital“ upon which the wealth and prosperity of societies and economies are

Indo-Pacific Conser vati on Alliance, at the Bishop Museum, 1525 Bernice Street, Honolul u, HI 96817 Tel.: (808) 848-4124+F ax: (808) 847-8252+Email: [email protected]+Web: http://www.indopacific.org