The Hawaiian tropical low shrublands are a tropical savanna ecoregion in the Hawaiian Islands.
| Hawaiian tropical low shrublands | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Oceanian |
| Biome | Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands |
| Borders | Hawaiian tropical dry forests [1] |
| Geography | |
| Area | 1,500 km2 (580 sq mi) |
| Country | United States |
| State | Hawaii |
| Conservation | |
| Conservation status | Critical/Endangered [2] |
| Global 200 | No [3] |
| Protected | 0 km² (0%) [4] |
These shrublands cover an area of 1,500 km2 (580 sq mi) in the leeward lowlands of the main islands and most of the smaller islands, not including the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands which form an ecoregion of their own.
The ecoregion includes both grasslands and mixed shrublands. Kāwelu ( Eragrostis variabilis ), mauʻu ʻakiʻaki ( Fimbristylis cymosa ), ʻakiʻaki ( Sporobolus virginicus ), and Lepturus repens are common grassland plants. Shrublands are dominated by ʻilima ( Sida fallax ), ʻaʻaliʻi ( Dodonaea viscosa ), naupaka ( Scaevola spp.), hinahina kū kahakai (Heliotropium anomalum var. argenteum), kīpūkai ( Heliotropium curassavicum ), maʻo ( Gossypium tomentosum ), ʻakoko ( Euphorbia spp.), ʻāheahea ( Chenopodium oahuense ), naio ( Myoporum sandwicense ), kolokolo kahakai ( Vitex rotundifolia ), and pūkiawe ( Styphelia tameiameiae ). [2] More than 90% of the plant species found in this ecoregion are endemic, including ʻōhai ( Sesbania tomentosa ), [5] ʻāwiwi ( Schenkia sebaeoides ), and wahine noho kula ( Isodendrion pyrifolium ). [6]
Protected areas that cover part of the ecoregion include Koko Head District Park, Diamond Head, Mākua Kea'au Forest Reserve, Ka'ena Point State Park, and Kuaokala Forest Reserve on Oahu.
An ecoregion is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural communities and species. The biodiversity of flora, fauna and ecosystems that characterise an ecoregion tends to be distinct from that of other ecoregions. In theory, biodiversity or conservation ecoregions are relatively large areas of land or water where the probability of encountering different species and communities at any given point remains relatively constant, within an acceptable range of variation . Ecoregions are also known as "ecozones", although that term may also refer to biogeographic realms.
The Hawaiian tropical rainforests are a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in the Hawaiian Islands. They cover an area of 6,700 km2 (2,600 sq mi) in the windward lowlands and montane regions of the islands. Coastal mesic forests are found at elevations from sea level to 300 m (980 ft). Mixed mesic forests occur at elevations of 750 to 1,250 m, while wet forests are found from 1,250 to 1,700 m. Moist bogs and shrublands exist on montane plateaus and depressions. For the 28 million years of existence of the Hawaiian Islands, they have been isolated from the rest of the world by vast stretches of the Pacific Ocean, and this isolation has resulted in the evolution of an incredible diversity of endemic species, including fungi, mosses, snails, birds, and other wildlife. In the lush, moist forests high in the mountains, trees are draped with vines, orchids, ferns, and mosses. This ecoregion includes one of the world's wettest places, the slopes of Mount Waiʻaleʻale, which average 373 in (9,500 mm) of rainfall per year.
The Northern dry deciduous forests, presently known as the North Deccan dry deciduous forests, is a tropical dry broadleaf forest ecoregion of east-central India.
The Sri Lanka dry-zone dry evergreen forests are a tropical dry broadleaf forest ecoregion of the island of Sri Lanka.
Moʻomomi is a Nature Conservancy preserve located on the northwestern shore of Molokaʻi in Hawaii. It was established in 1988. This area is dry and hot, primarily denuded of soil due to overgrazing and poor land use practices over the last 150 years.
The South Saharan steppe and woodlands, also known as the South Sahara desert, is a deserts and xeric shrublands ecoregion of northern Africa. This band is a transitional region between the Sahara's very arid center to the north, and the wetter Sahelian Acacia savanna ecoregion to the south. In pre-modern times, the grasslands were grazed by migratory gazelles and other ungulates after the rainfalls. More recently, over-grazing by domestic livestock have degraded the territory. Despite the name of the ecoregion, there are few 'woodlands' in the area; those that exist are generally acacia and shrubs along rivers and in wadis.
The Hawaiian tropical dry forests are a tropical dry broadleaf forest ecoregion in the Hawaiian Islands. They cover an area of 6,600 km2 (2,500 sq mi) on the leeward side of the main islands and the summits of Niʻihau and Kahoʻolawe. These forests are either seasonal or sclerophyllous. Annual rainfall is less than 127 cm (50 in) and may be as low as 25 cm (9.8 in); the rainy season lasts from November to March. Dominant tree species include koa, koaiʻa, ʻakoko, ʻōhiʻa lehua, lonomea, māmane, loulu, lama, olopua, wiliwili, and ʻiliahi. Endemic plant species in the dry forests include hau heleʻula, uhiuhi, and Gouania spp. The palila, a Hawaiian honeycreeper, is restricted to this type of habitat.
The Hawaiian tropical high shrublands are a tropical savanna ecoregion in the Hawaiian Islands.
The Timor and Wetar deciduous forests is a tropical dry forest ecoregion in Indonesia and East Timor. The ecoregion includes the islands of Timor, Wetar, Rote, Savu, and adjacent smaller islands.
The Carpentaria tropical savanna is a tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregion in northern Australia.
The Victoria Plains tropical savanna is a tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregion in northwestern Australia.
The Southeast Australia temperate savanna ecoregion is a large area of grassland dotted with eucalyptus trees running north–south across central New South Wales, Australia.
The Cape York Peninsula tropical savanna is a tropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregion in northern Australia. It occupies the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, mainland Australia's northernmost point. It is coterminous with the Cape York Peninsula, an interim Australian bioregion.
The Peninsular Malaysian rain forests is an ecoregion on Malay Peninsula and adjacent islands. It is in the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome.
The Mitchell Grass Downs is a tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregion in northeastern Australia. It is a mostly treeless grassland, characterised by Mitchell grasses .
The Southeastern Papuan rain forests is a tropical moist forest ecoregion in southeastern New Guinea. The ecoregion covers the mountainous center and coastal lowlands of the Papuan Peninsula.
The Southern New Guinea lowland rain forests is a tropical moist forest ecoregion in southeastern New Guinea. The ecoregion covers portions of New Guinea's southern lowlands.
The Central Polynesian tropical moist forests is a tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests ecoregion in Polynesia. It includes the northern group of the Cook Islands, the Line Islands in Kiribati, and Johnston Atoll, Jarvis Island, Palmyra Atoll, and Kingman Reef which are possessions of the United States.
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