The Amsterdam and Saint-Paul Islands temperate grasslands is an ecoregion located on two volcanic islands in the South Indian Ocean.

Contents 1 Setting 2 Flora 3 Fauna 4 Threats and preservation 5 External links

[edit] Setting

Île Amsterdam and Île Saint-Paul are two volcanoes 83 km from each other located right in the centre of a triangle between Australia, Antarctica and southern Africa, about 3000 km from each so are very remote indeed. They have a cool ocean climate with temperatures ranging from 13 °C in August to 17°C in February, rainfall of 1,100 mm, persistent westerly winds and high levels of humidity.

[edit] Flora

Plant life changes with elevation, at the lower levels the volcanoes are covered with grass and tussock grasslands and sedge meadows and, on Amsterdam, the Phylica arborea tree mixed with ferns. Higher up there are shrubs, bogs, and mosses.

[edit] Fauna

These isolated islands are not rich in wildlife but are home to a number of species in the ocean including a large population of Subantarctic Fur Seal. They are an important breeding ground for the Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross, Flesh-footed Shearwater, gentoo penguin, Northern Rockhopper Penguin (Eudyptes moseleyi) great skua, Antarctic tern and in particular the endemic Amsterdam Albatross.

[edit] Threats and preservation

Although the islands are remote and therefore safe from most human activity and pollution a number of introduced species, both flora and fauna, have damamged the wildlife. The presence of cattle in particular, by grazing on young plants and trampling on birds eggs. Five cattle were brought to Amsterdam in 1871 and they have grown to a population of 2,000. As part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands the islands are home to a research base which is working to preserve the original plant and animal life by restricting the cattle to the southern half of Amsterdam. Ironically however the cattle population itself is of scientific interest now as it a rare example to study a feral, unmanaged herd. Humans have caused other damage to the islands' ecosystems as much of Amsterdam's phylica woodland was cleared in the 19th century by passing ships and is struggling to recover. Also sealing was carried out here on an industrial scale, although the seal population has now recovered.

The only way to visit the islands is on the French ship Marion Dufresne.

[edit] External links

• Amsterdam and Saint-Paul Islands temperate grasslands (World Wildlife Fund)

This ecoregion article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e