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ISLAND DIRECTORY
Islands of South Africa
Marion [5]
Group: Archipelago: Prince Edward Islands
Country: South Africa - Prince Edward Islands
Lat: 46.90º S Long : 37.75º E
Area: 295.6 sq. km Altitude: 1230 m
Shoreline: 73.4 km (scale 1:1000000) Coastal Index: 0.2483
Depth to nearest land: 3000 m
Nearest island: 21 km group: 925 km
Nearest continent: Africa Distance: 1800 km Isolation Index: 77
ISLAND TYPE: active volcanic Natural Protection Indicator: 0
GEOLOGY/SOILS:
Central basaltic mountain (oldest rock 500,000 years old), steep
escarpments
above a coastal plain, radial elevated lava ridges, numerous scoria
cones,
fissure eruption on west coast in 1980; permanent ice in small valley on
summet plateau, peat soils at low altitudes
CLIMATE: wet cool temperate mean 5øC, 2500 mm
CATASTROPHIC THREATS: volcanic eruptions
Threat Indicator: 1
ECOSYSTEMS: Number of Ecosystems - Terrestrial: 6 Marine: 1
Herbs in salt spray region, tussock grass, protected slopes with
fern/schrub
association, rush/grass mires and bogs, feldmark above 300 m, mosses up
to
1200 m; rocky shores with kelp beds of Durvillea and Macrocystis
| SPECIES NUMBERS: |
Total |
Endemic |
Threatened (EVRI) |
| Plants |
24 |
0 |
0 |
| Butterflies |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land snails |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Rept/Amphib |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land birds |
0 |
0 |
4 |
| Mammals |
3 |
0 |
0 |
SPECIES OF CONSERVATION INTEREST:
Plants:
24 native vascular plants, 14 introduced, 1 group endemic, no trees or
large
shrubs; 72 mosses, 36 hepatics (many endemic), 50 lichens
Elaphoglossum randii, endemic to Marion and Prince Edward
Pringlea antiscorbutica (Kerguelen Cabbage)
Invertebrates:
several flies, butterflies, moths, spiders, 4 endemic weevils
Birds:
29 breeding species, totaling over 2 million
Chionis minor marionensis (Lesser Sheathbill) endemic to Marion and
Prince
Edward
Aptenodytes patagonicus (King Penguin) second largest breeding
population of
200,000 pairs
Pterodroma macroptera (Great-winged Petrel) endangered by feral cats
Pterodroma mollis (Soft-plumaged Petrel) endangered by feral cats
Procellaria cinerea (Grey Petrel) endangered by feral cats
Sterna vittata (Antarctic Tern) rare
Sterna virgata (Kerguelen Tern) rare
Mammals:
3 seals
SPECIES RICHNESS:
Species Richness Indicator - Terrestrial: 0 Marine: 2
few
ENDEMISM: Terrestrial: Terrestrial Endemism Indicator - Island: 0 Group: 1
2 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 rookery
INVASIVE SPECIES: Invasive Species Indicator: 3
14 plants, feral cats, mice
Cats introduced 1949 to control mice, increased 20%/year to 2000 in
1975,
killing 450,000 petrels per year, cat control programme has brought down
population
HUMAN OCCUPATION: Inhabited, scientific station
Population: 22 (1984) Density: 0.1 persons/sq. km
Growth Rate: 0.0%/yr Stable
Major Human Activities: scientific research
HUMAN IMPACTS:
Sealing from temporary bases established 1802; annexed by South Africa
1948,
meteorological station established 1949, access strictly controlled
Habitat: research station Urban Pop: 0 Urban Indicator: 0
Conservation support: tenure, government support, legislation
PROTECTED AREAS: Protected Area Coverage Indicators - Terrestrial: 7 Marine: 0
Number: 1 Area: Terrestrial: 295.6 sq. km Marine: 0 sq. km
Seabirds and seals protected, access restricted, managed as a nature
reserve
although not legally declared as such (30,000 ha)
DATA RELIABILITY: good Data Rel. Indicator: 3
HUMAN IMPACT INDEX HI: 3
CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE INDEX CI-Terrestrial: 6 Moderate
CI-Marine: 6 Moderate
REFERENCES:
Clark, M.R. and Dingwall, P.R. 1985. Conservation of islands in the
Southern
Ocean: a review of the protected areas of Insulantarctica. IUCN,
Gland and
Cambridge. 193 p.
Last updated: 01/07/89
Prince Edward [1099]
Group: Archipelago: Prince Edward Islands
Country: South Africa - Prince Edward Islands
Lat: 46.63º S Long : 37.93º E
Area: 43.7 sq. km Altitude: 672 m
Shoreline: 28.4 km (scale 1:1000000) Coastal Index: 0.6499
Depth to nearest land: 3000 m
Nearest island: 22 km group: 1000 km
Nearest continent: Africa Distance: 1800 km Isolation Index: 79
ISLAND TYPE: volcanic Natural Protection Indicator: 2
GEOLOGY/SOILS:
Shield volcano with 2 periods of activity, 5000 years old; widespread
peat
soils
CLIMATE: wet cool temperate mean 5øC, 2500 mm
ECOSYSTEMS: Number of Ecosystems - Terrestrial: 3 Marine: 1
Coastal herbs, grass/fern/shrub/moss association inland,
feldmark above 250-300 m; rocky shores
| SPECIES NUMBERS: |
Total |
Endemic |
Threatened (EVRI) |
| Plants |
21 |
0 |
0 |
| Butterflies |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land snails |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Rept/Amphib |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Land birds |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Mammals |
3 |
0 |
0 |
SPECIES OF CONSERVATION INTEREST:
Plants:
21 native species, 1 group endemic, 28 mosses, 25 hepatics, 12 lichens
Elaphoglossum randii, endemic to Prince Edward and Marion
Invertebrates:
numerous species, endemic genus of weevil
Birds:
20 seabird species, 1 group endemic
Chionis minor marionensis (Lesser Sheathbill) endemic to Prince Edward
and
Marion
Mammals:
3 seals
SPECIES RICHNESS:
few
ENDEMISM: Terrestrial: Terrestrial Endemism Indicator - Island: 0 Group: 1
Marine endemic species: 0
Marine Endemism Indicator - Island: 0 Group: 0
SPECIAL FEATURES : Special Features Indicator - Terrestrial: 3 Marine: 0
seabird/penguin rookery, seal rookery
nearly undisturbed island
INVASIVE SPECIES: Invasive Species Indicator: 0
1 plant (Poa annua), no animals
HUMAN OCCUPATION: Uninhabited, occasional scientific visits
Population: 0 Density: 0.0 persons/sq. km
Major Human Activities: nature conservation, scientific research
HUMAN IMPACTS:
Nineteenth century sealing and whaling; access strictly controlled
Conservation support: tenure, government support, legislation
PROTECTED AREAS: Protected Area Coverage Indicators - Terrestrial: 7 Marine: 0
Number: 10 Area: Terrestrial: 43.7 sq. km Marine: 0 sq. km
Seals and birds protected and access strictly controlled, managed as a
strict
nature reserve although without full legal status (4400 ha)
DATA RELIABILITY: good Data Rel. Indicator: 3
CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE INDEX CI-Terrestrial: 7 Moderate
CI-Marine: 3 Low
REFERENCES:
Clark, M.R. and Dingwall, P.R. 1985. Conservation of islands in the
Southern
Ocean: a review of the protected areas of Insulantarctica. IUCN,
Gland and
Cambridge. 193 p.
Last updated: 01/07/89
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Page last updated: 09/05/10