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ISLAND DIRECTORY
Islands of Falkland Islands (United Kingdom)
East Falkland [923]
Group: Archipelago: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Country: Falkland Islands (United Kingdom)
Lat: 51.85º S Long : 58.75º W
Area: 7039.5 sq. km Altitude: 705 m
Shoreline: 1668.7 km (scale 1:1000000) Coastal Index: 0.2370
Depth to nearest land: <200 m
Nearest island: 5 km group: 800 km
Nearest continent: South America Distance: 800 km Isolation Index: 59
ISLAND TYPE: continental Natural Protection Indicator: 0
GEOLOGY/SOILS:
Generally rugged and hilly except for Lefonia plain in the south,
indented
coastline with bays and inlets; several small rivers; Paleozoic and
Mesozoic
sedimentary rocks with considerable folding, oldest rocks Pre-Cambrian
(2.5
billion years old), widespread peaty soils with stony gravels at high
elevations
CLIMATE: dry cool temperate mean 5-6øC, 635 mm
ECOSYSTEMS: Number of Ecosystems - Terrestrial: 8 Marine: 2
Oceanic heath in coastal areas, former lowland tussock grass largely
replaced,
scrub inland on well-drained slopes, patches of bush, feldmark above 600
m;
bogs, ponds and small rivers; beaches, rocky shores with offshore kelp
beds
(Macrocystis, Lessonia, Durvillea)
| SPECIES NUMBERS: |
Total |
Endemic |
Threatened (EVRI) |
| Plants |
163 |
1 |
2 |
| Butterflies |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land snails |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Rept/Amphib |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land birds |
21 |
0 |
1 |
| Mammals |
4 |
0 |
0 |
SPECIES OF CONSERVATION INTEREST:
Plants:
163 native vascular plants, 92 introduced, no trees,
130 mosses, 127 hepatics
Phlebolobium (Cruciferae) endemic genus
Calandrinia feltonii (herb) endemic, Extinct in the wild, in
cultivation
Arabis macloviana (herb) endemic, Endangered by grazing
Invertebrates:
insects about 70% endemic
Reptiles/amphibians:
no native species
Birds:
63 species of sea and land birds, 16 group endemics
Tachyeres brachypterus (Falklands Steamer Duck) endemic, flightless
Podiceps rollandi (Rolland's Grebe) endemic
Nycticorax nycticorax cyanocephalus (Night Heron) endemic
Chloephaga picta (Upland Goose) endemic
Chloephaga poliocephala (Ashy-headed Goose) endemic
Chloephaga hybrida malvinarum (Kelp Goose) endemic
Pezites militaris falklandicus (Military Starling) endemic race
Melanodera melanodera melanodera (Black-throated Finch) endemic race
Anthus correndera trayi (Falkland Pipit) endemic race
Muscisaxicola muscisaxicola macloviana (Garnot's Ground Tyrant)
endemic
Cistothorus platensis hornensis (Grass Wren) endemic
Troglodytes musculus cobbi (Cobb's Wren) endemic
Pelecanoides urinatrix berard (Common Diving Petrel) endemic
subspecies, on
outer islands
Turdus falklandii (Falkland Thrush) endemic, on outer islands
Phalcobaenus australis (Striated Caracara) rare, offshore islands and
some
remote islands off Cape Horn
Mammals:
4 seals
Freshwater fish:
several endemic species of Galaxias (Minnows)
Marine life:
rich invertebrate fauna, fish common nearshore
SPECIES RICHNESS:
Species Richness Indicator - Terrestrial: 1 Marine: 2
poor
ENDEMISM: Terrestrial: Terrestrial Endemism Indicator - Island: 1 Group: 2
moderate group endemism
Marine endemic species: 0
Marine Endemism Indicator - Island: 0 Group: 0
SPECIAL FEATURES : Special Features Indicator - Terrestrial: 2 Marine: 0
seabird/penguin rookery, seal rookeries
offshore islets important for seabirds
INVASIVE SPECIES: Invasive Species Indicator: 4
many introductions, high impact on main island
HUMAN OCCUPATION: Inhabited, local population plus British troops
Population: 1800 (1980) Density: 0.3 persons/sq. km
Growth Rate: 0.0%/yr Stable
Major Human Activities: sheep farming, fishing, tourism
HUMAN IMPACTS:
Heavy sealing and whaling in 18th and 19th centuries, continuing for sea
lions
to 1960s, penguins also exploited; pigs, rabbits, goats and cattle
introduced
in 1760s, and tussock grass burnt to flush them out, increasing soil
erosion;
continuous British occupation since 1833; sheep farming begun 1860s with
continued burning to maintain pasture; kelp harvested 1970-1976; war
with
Argentina in 1982, several thousand British troops stationed at Stanley;
major
development programme since 1982, including new airport, roads, etc.
Habitat: town and small settlements Urban Pop: 0 Urban Indicator: 0
Accessibility: port, airport
Conservation support: government and public support, legislation
PROTECTED AREAS: Protected Area Coverage Indicators - Terrestrial: 0 Marine: 0
Number: 6 Area: Terrestrial: 0.0 sq. km Marine: 0 sq. km
Reserves and sanctuaries:
Cape Dolphin
Volunteer Point
Cape Pembroke Peninsula
Offshore islands:
Kidney Island
Cochon Island
Bleaker Island
DATA RELIABILITY: partial Data Rel. Indicator: 2
HUMAN IMPACT INDEX HI: 2
CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE INDEX CI-Terrestrial: 9 Moderate
CI-Marine: 5 Moderate
REFERENCES:
Last updated: 01/07/89
Pebble [921]
Group: Archipelago: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Country: Falkland Islands (United Kingdom): Atlantic
Lat: 51.30º SLong: 59.65º W
Area: 119.8 sq. km Altitude: 277 m Shoreline: 92.0 km (scale 1:1000000)
ISLAND TYPE: continental
Saunders [926]
Group: Archipelago: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Country: Falkland Islands (United Kingdom): Atlantic
Lat: 51.35º SLong: 60.18º W
Area: 131.6 sq. km Altitude: 488 m Shoreline: 106.8 km (scale 1:1000000)
ISLAND TYPE: continental
Weddel [927]
Group: Archipelago: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Country: Falkland Islands (United Kingdom): Atlantic
Lat: 51.89º SLong: 60.98º W
Area: 265.8 sq. km Altitude: 383 m Shoreline: 175.7 km (scale 1:1000000)
ISLAND TYPE: continental
West Falkland [922]
Group: Archipelago: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Country: Falkland Islands (United Kingdom)
Lat: 51.75º S Long : 60.05º W
Area: 4530.8 sq. km Altitude: 732 m
Shoreline: 1258.7 km (scale 1:1000000) Coastal Index: 0.2778
Depth to nearest land: <200 m
Nearest island: 5 km group: 800 km
Nearest continent: South America Distance: 800 km Isolation Index: 59
ISLAND TYPE: continental Natural Protection Indicator: 0
GEOLOGY/SOILS:
Steep coastal cliffs, rugged and hilly interior; Paleozoic and Mesozoic
sediments with considerable folding, some Pre-Cambrian rocks 2.5 billion
years
old, widespread peaty soils, with stony gravel soils at high elevations
CLIMATE: dry cool temperate mean 5-6øC, 635 mm
ECOSYSTEMS: Number of Ecosystems - Terrestrial: 8 Marine: 1
Oceanic heath in coastal areas, tussock grass in lowlands where not
affected
by grazing, scrub inland on well-drained slopes, patches of bush,
feldmark
above 600 m; bogs, ponds and rivers; rocky coasts with offshore kelp
beds of
Macrocystis, Lessonia and Durvillea
| SPECIES NUMBERS: |
Total |
Endemic |
Threatened (EVRI) |
| Plants |
163 |
0 |
2 |
| Butterflies |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land snails |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Rept/Amphib |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land birds |
21 |
0 |
0 |
| Mammals |
0 |
0 |
0 |
SPECIES OF CONSERVATION INTEREST:
Plants:
163 native vascular plants, 92 introduced, no trees
Calandrinia feltonii (herb) endemic, Endangered by grazing
Arabis macloviana (herb) endemic, Endangered by grazing
Birds:
63 species of sea and land birds, 16 group endemics
Tachyeres brachypterus (Flightless Steamer Duck) endemic
Podiceps rollandi (Rolland's Grebe) endemic
Nycticorax nycticorax cyanocephalus (Night Heron) endemic
Chloephaga picta (Upland Goose) endemic
Chloephaga poliocephala (Ashy-headed Goose) endemic
Chloephaga hybrida malvinarum (Kelp Goose) endemic
Pezites militaris falklandicus (Military Starling) endemic race
Melanodera melanodera melanodera (Black-throated Finch) endemic race
Anthus correndera trayi (Falkland Pipit) endemic race
Muscisaxicola muscisaxicola macloviana (Garnot's Ground Tyrant)
endemic
Cistothorus platensis hornensis (Grass Wren) endemic
Troglodytes musculus cobbi (Cobb's Wren) endemic
Pelecanoides urinatrix berard (Common Diving Petrel) endemic
subspecies, on
outer islands
Turdus falklandii (Falkland Thrush) endemic, on outer islands
Phalcobaenus australis (Striated Caracara) rare, offshore islands and
some
remote islands off Cape Horn
Mammals:
4 seals
Freshwater fish:
several endemic species of Galaxias
Marine life:
rich invertebrate fauna, fish common nearshore
SPECIES RICHNESS:
Species Richness Indicator - Terrestrial: 1 Marine: 2
poor
ENDEMISM: Terrestrial: Terrestrial Endemism Indicator - Island: 0 Group: 2
< 22 group endemics
Marine endemic species: 0
Marine Endemism Indicator - Island: 0 Group: 0
SPECIAL FEATURES : Special Features Indicator - Terrestrial: 2 Marine: 0
seabird/penguin rookery, seal rookeries
seabirds abundant on offshore islands
INVASIVE SPECIES: Invasive Species Indicator: 4
many invasive species, considerable impact
HUMAN OCCUPATION: Inhabited, 2 small settlements
Population: 0 Density: 0.0 persons/sq. km
Major Human Activities: sheep farming, fishing
HUMAN IMPACTS:
Heavy sealing and whaling in 18th and 19th centuries, continuing for sea
lions
to 1960s, penguins also exploited; pigs, rabbits, goats and cattle
introduced,
and tussock grass burnt to flush them out, increasing soil erosion;
British
occupation since 1833; sheep farming begun 1860s; war with Argentina in
1982;
major development programme since 1982
Conservation support: government and public support, legislation
PROTECTED AREAS: Protected Area Coverage Indicators - Terrestrial: 0 Marine: 0
Number: 21 Area: Terrestrial: 0.0 sq. km Marine: 0 sq. km
Offshore islands:
Government reserves and sanctuaries:
Bird Island, Arch Islands, Sea Dog Island, Middle Island, Low Island,
Jason
Islands (Jason West, Jason East, The Fridays, Flat Jason, Seal Rocks,
Elephant Jason, South Jason, North Fur, South Fur, White Rock)
Unofficial reserves:
Steeple Jason, Grand Jason, New Island (and outliers), The Twins, West
Point
Island, Carcass Island
DATA RELIABILITY: partial Data Rel. Indicator: 2
HUMAN IMPACT INDEX HI: 2
CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE INDEX CI-Terrestrial: 8 Moderate
CI-Marine: 5 Moderate
REFERENCES:
Last updated: 01/07/89
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Page last updated: 09/05/10