Rapid Biodiversity Assessment of Key Biodiversity Areas: Falealupo Peninsula Coastal Rainforest, Central Savai’i Rainforest, and Uafato-Tiavea Coastal Rainforest, Samoa March 2017 ISBN: © 2017 Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Conservation International Pacific Islands Programme. Suggested citation: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Conservation International Pacific Islands Programme. 2017. Rapid Biodiversity Assessment of Key Biodiversity Areas: Falealupo Peninsula Coastal Rainforest, Central Savaii Rainforest, and Uafato-Tiavea Coastal Rainforest, Samoa. Apia, Samoa. 285pp. Cover photos: Top left: Taga montane rainforest (Mark O’Brien) Top right: Micronesian skink (Jonathan Richmond) Bottom Left: Thalassodes species emerald moth (Eric Edwards) Bottom Right: Samoan Broadbill (James Atherton) i Table of Contents Authors ................................................................................................................................................ vi Organizational Profiles ........................................................................................................................ vii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................... x Acronyms ............................................................................................................................................. xi Foreword ............................................................................................................................................ xii Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1: Report on the survey of flora and vegetation of the Falealupo Peninsula Coastal Rainforest, Central Savai‘i Rainforest and Uafato-Ti‘avea Coastal Rainforest ..................................... 18 Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 19 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 20 2. Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 20 3. Falealupo Peninsula Coastal Rainforest Key Biodiversity Area ....................................................... 23 3.1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 23 3.2. Methodology ......................................................................................................................... 24 3.3. Vegetation ............................................................................................................................ 24 3.4. The Flora ............................................................................................................................... 29 3.5. Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 29 4. Central Savaii Rainforest KBA ....................................................................................................... 31 4.1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 31 4.2. Methodology ......................................................................................................................... 31 4.3. Vegetation ............................................................................................................................ 32 4.4. The Flora ............................................................................................................................... 38 4.5. Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 39 5. Uafato Key Biodiversity Area ........................................................................................................ 41 5.1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 41 5.2. Methodology ......................................................................................................................... 41 5.3. Vegetation ............................................................................................................................ 41 5.4. The Flora ............................................................................................................................... 45 5.5. Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 46 6. Literature Review of botanical information on the Lake Lanoto’o National Park in the Apia Catchments KBA .............................................................................................................................. 48 6.1. Vegetation ............................................................................................................................ 48 6.2. The Flora ............................................................................................................................... 51 6.3. Rare Species .......................................................................................................................... 51 6.4. Invasive Species ..................................................................................................................... 51 6.5. Research Needed .................................................................................................................. 52 ii 7. Recommendations ....................................................................................................................... 53 LITERATURE CITED ........................................................................................................................... 54 Appendix 1.1. Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the Falealupo KBA .................................................. 55 Appendix 1.2. Tree Data for the Falealupo KBA Forest Plots ............................................................. 59 Appendix 1.3. Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the Central Savai‘i KBA ........................................... 63 Appendix 1.4. Tree Data for the Central Savai'i KBA Forest Plots. ..................................................... 73 Appendix 1.5. Combined Montane Forest Tree Plot Data for the Central Savaii KBA ......................... 80 Appendix 1.6. Table of Combined Cloud Forest tree data from 10 Plots above 1500m Elevation ...... 81 Appendix 1.7. Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the Uafato KBA ....................................................... 82 Appendix 1.8. Tree Plot Data for the Uafato Forest Plots .................................................................. 94 Appendix 1.9. Checklist of the Flora of Lake Lanoto’o National Park ................................................. 96 Chapter 2: Report on the Land Reptiles Survey of the Falealupo Peninsula Coastal Rainforest, Central Savai’i Rainforest and Uafato-Ti’avea Coastal Rainforest.................................................................. 103 Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 104 1.Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 105 2.Methodology .............................................................................................................................. 109 2.1 Sampling techniques ............................................................................................................ 109 2.2 Site information ................................................................................................................... 110 3.Results ........................................................................................................................................ 112 3.1 General findings ................................................................................................................... 112 3.2 Summary for each survey site ............................................................................................... 113 3.3 Summary of reptile species................................................................................................... 114 3.4 Invasive species detection .................................................................................................... 119 4. Discussion .................................................................................................................................. 120 4.1 General findings ................................................................................................................... 121 4.2 Comments on invasive species ............................................................................................. 122 4.3 Distributional limits for reptiles and implications of climate change...................................... 125 5. Recommendations ....................................................................................................................