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Asian Development Bank Member Factsheet - Vanuatu

Available Online

Vanuatu is an archipelago with a population of about 297,000 people spread across 84 islands in the West Pacific. It is ranked the most vulnerable country in the world to natural disasters and the effects of climate change. Economic growth has traditionally been driven by tourism, public spending on infrastructure, private sector construction activities, and aid flows. The largely rural population is engaged in subsistence farming and limited production of copra, beef, cocoa, and kava for export.

Asian Development Bank Member Factsheet - Tonga

Available Online

Tonga is a small island economy with the challenges of geographic isolation, limited human and financial resources a small domestic market, and high costs of doing business. The country relies significantly on official development assistance and remittances increasing its vulnerability to external shocks.

Mixed stock analysis of juvenile green turtles aggregating at two foraging grounds in Fiji reveals major contribution from the American Samoa Management Unit

Island and Ocean Ecosystems

Available Online

Piovano, Susanna

The aim of this study was to assess the stock composition of green turtle aggregations at Yadua Island and Makogai Island foraging grounds by using molecular markers (mtDNA) on samples from wild ranging individuals captured and released in situ.

American Samoa invasive species and action plan.

Available Online

American Samoa invasive species strategy and action plan for the only US territory in the South Pacific being such is faced with unique threats with its location from a national perspective and has a need for both nation al and regional collaborations. The ecological integrity of American Samoa is of utmost importance in the face of invasive species. The cultural identity of American Samoans is also closely tied to the ecological integrity of its natural environment. And given its a highly limited economy, any impact by invasive species on its natural ecosystems that provide goods and services will be almost immediate. The establishment of an invasive species plan, with its clearly articulated priority actions, goals and objectives will provide a guidance to deal with the threats of invasive species. The implementation of the plan will: (1) increase awareness of their threats; (2) inspire cooperation to prevent and minimize their impacts and implement appropriate approaches; and (3) improve decision making through the process of data and information sharing from the best available science. Priorities are: Implement urgent and necessary actions; Enhance capacities for informed decisions; Advance preventive and rapid-response protocols and measures.

Natural history guide to American Samoa : a collection of articles

Island and Ocean Ecosystems

Available Online

Craig, P.

This collection of articles provides a glimpse into the marine and wildlife resources in American Samoa's tropical, oceanic environment. The articles were written by 8 biologists at the Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources (DMWR), National Park of American Samoa (NPS) and Land Grant Program at the American Samoa Community College (ASCC). Our purpose in writing these was to make the results of our studies available to local teachers, students, visitors and whoever else might be curious about Samoa's unique environment. The use of English, Samoan and scientific names of plants and animals varies.

American Samoa: summary of species on the 2008 IUCN Red List

Climate Change Resilience, Island and Ocean Ecosystems, BRB

Available Online

IUCN

The Pacific islands of Oceania cover almost 15% of the worlds surface and are characterised by a high degree of ecosystem and species diversity. The region is characterised by thousands of isolated small coral atolls and higher volcanic islands, which has led to the high diversity of species found today. In fact, the number of plants and animals found nowhere else on earth (endemic species) is extremely high - often up to 90% for particular groups. Often, these rare and endemic species are adapted to specialised habitats and limited to small areas of a few islands. With economic and cultural dependence on the natural environment very high in the Pacific islands, along with a rapidly expanding human population, there are ever increasing demands on the regions natural resources. Plant and animal species are therefore vulnerable to extinction from climate change, competition from introduced (invasive) species and human impacts such as habitat destruction, over-harvesting of species and pollution.

Introduced marine species in Pago Pago harbour, Fagatele bay and the national park coast, American Samoa

Available Online

Coles S.L., Reath P.R., Skelton P.A., Bonito V., DeFelice R.C., Basch L

The biological communities at ten sites around the Island of Tutuila. American Samoa were surveyed in October 2002 by a team of four investigators. Diving observations and collections of benthic observations using scuba and snorkel were made at six stations in Pago Pago Harbor, two stations in Fagatele Bay. and one station each in Vatia Bay and Fagasa Bay. The purpose of this survey was to determine the organisms greater than 0.5 mm in size occurring at each site, including benthic algae, macroinvertebrates and fishes, and to evaluate the presence and potential impact of nonindigenous (introduced) marine species. These results were compared with all reports of marine organisms for these areas by previous investigators.

War against rats Newsletter 9

Brown Peter Mr.

Chambers Lisa MS.

Hinds Lyn Dr.

Hood Greg Dr.

Krebs Charles Prof.

Leung Luke Dr.

Pech Roger Dr.

Singleton Grant Dr.

Zhang Zhibin Dr.

Seaweeds of American Samoa

Available Online

Posa A. Skelton

This study provides the latest, up-to-date information on the diversity of marine plants (algae and seagrasses) of American Samoa. A general introduction to marine plants is provided, with observations on the flora of the islands. An illustrated guide to 67 macroalgae and seagrasses is provided in this report. The surveys covered 26 sites from four inhabited islands Tutuila, Aunuu, Ofu and Olosega and two smaller uninhabited islands Nuutele and Nuusilaelae. The habitats surveyed include subtidal sites to 20-m depth, inter tidal and the spray or splash zone. It also included surveys of relatively pristine coral reefs as well as high impact areas such as the inner Pago Pago Harbor. Two separate surveys, both over a two-week period in October 2002 and September 2003 were carried out and the final results are reported herein. A total of 635 specimens were analyzed and 239 algal and seagrass species were enumerated. The red algae (Rhodophyta) had the highest number of species with 133 identified. The green algae (Chlorophyta) had 60 species, the brown algae (Phaeophyta) had 29, and the blue-green (Cyanophyta) 27; only two seagrass species were found. This study showed that the flora of American Samoa is diverse, and that what is recorded reflects about 60% of the potential flora. The most diverse site was Utulei with 56 species; a site located near the Pago Pago Harbor entrance. Other notable diverse sites include the Fagatele National Marine Sanctuary with 50 species, Fagasa (44), Mafafa (36), Aua (32), and Onososopo and Fagaalu both with 31 species. The least diverse sites were the docks and the smaller Nuusilaelae Island. This is attributed to the limited collections from these sites for safety reasons. There are no substantiated records of endemic algae or seagrasses from American Samoa. Two species recorded by the American phycologist, William Setchell in 1924 (Sargassum fonanonense and Sargassum anapense) need more studies to verify their endemicity, as similar species have been recorded in the neighboring Western Samoa islands, where they are known under different names. Four algae are considered to be recently introduced into the American Samoan flora. Halymenia durvillei and Caulerpa serrulata may have been introduced from Apia Harbor, Western Samoa, whereas Grateloupia filicina and Codium mamillosum may have been introduced from places beyond the Archipelago. Although only single specimens were collected for the latter two algae, it is prudent that monitoring and surveys must be maintained to keep abreast of any potential impacts. The flora of American Samoa fits in with the biogeographic theory of decreasing diversity away from the Indo-Pacific centre of biodiversity. The 222 species of red, green and brown algae is well above those of the Cook Islands (67) and the Easter Islands (134), but below that of French Polynesia (308). The reason for this disparity is attributed to the intensity of collections. The diversity of American Samoan seagrasses and algae are better known than those of neighboring island countries. To allow for a continuous buildup and maintenance of this knowledge the following observations and recommendations are made.

Observation on invasive plant species in American Samoa / by James C. Space and Tim Flynn

Available Online

Space, J.C. and Flynn, T.

This is a continuation of the survey of islands in Micronesia and American Samoa for invasive plant species requested by the Pacific Islands Committee, Council of Western State Foresters. A survey of selected Micronesian islands was conducted in 1998 and was discussed in a previous report2. This report is based on perceptions gained from a trip to American Samoa from 16 to 23 July 1999, including the islands of Tutuila, Ofu, Olosega and Ta'u. The objectives were three-fold: (1) To identify plant species on the islands that are presently causing problems to natural and semi-natural ecosystems; (2) to identify species that, even though they are not presently a major problem, could spread more widely or spread to other islands where they are not present, potentially causing problems; and (3) to confirm the absence of species that are a problem elsewhere and, if introduced to American Samoa, could be a threat there.

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