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ISLAND DIRECTORY
Islands of Dominica
Dominica [364]
Group: Archipelago: Windward Islands
Country: Dominica Region: Caribbean Sea
Lat: 15.45º N Long : 61.35º W
Area: 787.3 sq. km Altitude: 1447 m
Shoreline: 139.6 km (scale 1:877000) Coastal Index: 0.1773
Depth to nearest land: 1000 m
Nearest island: 35 km group: 160 km
Nearest continent: South America Distance: 500 km Isolation Index: 41
ISLAND TYPE: active volcanic Natural Protection Indicator: 0
GEOLOGY/SOILS:
Mountainous volcanic island with allophane podzols and latosols at
altitude,
and kandoid and smectoid clays near coast
CLIMATE: wet tropical mean 21-27øC, 1400-3550 mm
CATASTROPHIC THREATS: cyclones (David, 1979), volcanic eruptions
Threat Indicator: 2
ECOSYSTEMS: Number of Ecosystems - Terrestrial: 11 Marine: 3
Tropical rain forest (14,300 ha), montane rain forest and cloud forest
(5,900
ha), dry scrub woodland (1,800 ha), littoral vegetation, grassland;
crater
lakes including one boiling lake; swamp forest and marshes; 4 small
mangrove
stands; beaches, rocky shores with coral cover, limited coral reefs
especially
on west coast. More than half forest trees in south damaged by
Hurricane
David in 1979. Coral reefs, Mangroves
Percent of land: Forested: 70% Developed: 0% Degraded: 0%
| SPECIES NUMBERS: |
Total |
Endemic |
Threatened (EVRI) |
| Plants |
1000 |
8 |
0 |
| Butterflies |
53 |
0 |
0 |
| Land snails |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Rept/Amphib |
8 |
2 |
0 |
| Land birds |
51 |
2 |
3 |
| Mammals |
12 |
0 |
0 |
SPECIES OF CONSERVATION INTEREST:
Plants:
1,000 species, 8 endemic (including 2 varieties)
Invertebrates:
53 butterflies
Reptiles/amphibians:
6 reptiles, 2 amphibians, 2 endemic reptiles
Ameiva fuscata, endemic, common in dry coastal woodland
Anolis oculatus, endemic, common
Birds:
59 breeding birds, 166 total birds (land and sea), 2 endemic
Amazona arausiaca (Red-necked Parrot) endemic, Endangered, 200
individuals
(1984)
Amazona imperialis (Imperial Parrot) endemic, Endangered, 60 remaining
in
high altitude rain forest (1988)
Falco peregrinus tundrius (Peregrine Falcon) Endangered
8 breeding seabirds
Mammals:
12 bats
SPECIES RICHNESS:
Species Richness Indicator - Terrestrial: 3 Marine: 0
good
ENDEMISM: Terrestrial: Terrestrial Endemism Indicator - Island: 2 Group: 3
moderate
Marine endemic species: 0
Marine Endemism Indicator - Island: 0 Group: 0
SPECIAL FEATURES : Special Features Indicator - Terrestrial: 3 Marine: 0
seabird rookery, turtle nesting area
large remaining undisturbed forest and littoral vegetation areas
INVASIVE SPECIES: Invasive Species Indicator: 3
rats, mice, oppossom (1832), agouti
HUMAN OCCUPATION: Inhabited
Population: 80000 (1986) Density: 101.6 persons/sq. km
Growth Rate: 1.1%/yr Increasing slowly
Major Human Activities: bananas, root crops,, subsistance fishing
HUMAN IMPACTS:
Rapid forest clearing for banana production
Habitat: Urban Pop: 20000 Urban Indicator: 2
Accessibility: port, airport
Percent population in agr/mining/fishing: 36% Human Threat Indicator: 1
Gross Domestic Product: $ 750 per capita Economic Pressure Indicator: 0
Conservation support: tenure, government support, legislation
PROTECTED AREAS: Protected Area Coverage Indicators - Terrestrial: 2 Marine: 0
Number: 3 Area: Terrestrial: 68.4 sq. km Marine: 0 sq. km
Morne Trois Pitons National Park (6,840 ha) 1975
Northern Forest Reserve (22,000 ha)
Cabrits National Park (includes marine areas) 1986
DATA RELIABILITY: good Data Rel. Indicator: 3
HUMAN IMPACT INDEX HI: 9
CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE INDEX CI-Terrestrial: 26 Very high
CI-Marine: 4 Low
REFERENCES:
Johnson, Timothy H. 1988. Biodiversity and conservation in the
Caribbean:
profiles of selected islands. ICBP Monograph No. 1. International
Council
for Bird Preservation, Cambridge. 144 p.
Last updated: 16/07/89
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Page last updated: 09/05/10