Terrestrial biodiversity of the Federated States of Micronesia

Abstract

The diversity of terrestrial plants and animals within the FSM varies from east to west due to differences in climate (particularly rainfall), geology, topography and geographical isolation. Major vegetation types in the FSM are: cloud forest, native upland forest, palm forest, agroforest, secondary vegetation, savanna grass and fem lands, freshwater marsh, swamp forest, mangroves, atoll forest, limestone forest of rocky coasts and beach strand. The area covered by each vegetation type varies between the states and some types may not occur. For example, cloud forest is restricted to the cloud shrouded mountainous peaks of Pohnpei and Kosrae. which are absent in Chunk and Yap. Upland forest and agroforest are the major vegetation types in all states, but the area of relatively intact native forest is very limited in Chunk and Yap. Native forests are being heavily impacted throughout the FSM but vegetation maps based on 1976 aerial photos have been updated only for Pohnpei. Updated vegetation maps are needed to access changes since previous stuveys for the rest of the FSM.