n vegetation on
The individuals form a "scrub" or "chaparral" with open bare
SM exclusive member.
@ character of
substrate between them.
areas
may be used, is restricted to those
The "forest", if this designation
cal factors such
vidual species,
rock substrate is such that a
of the islets where the depth of the soil or
> factors.
distinct "water-lens" only of brackish water is formed.
How-
ué,
major species, although Ochrosia oppositifolia and Cordia subcordata may,
most exclusively
8,
Pisonia grandis is the
F
formerly, have reached their maximum development in this type of vegetation,
the vegetation F
The coconut plantations were planted in the forest area where they were
3
1a argentea the #
i.4
richer in
-Slets,
=
Cordta
Since there were two areas intensively studied,
one on the leeward,
having been
ees,
underlain by soil and in the high shrub type of vegetation.
side of the atoll,
these areas separately.
which may
one on the windward,
and
it may be useful to describe and discuss
These descriptions should be read in conjunction with
Figures 13 and 14,
8 well as seeq-
&
23 are an
KEITH.
Underlying the entire islet appears to be a shelf of consolidated
coral sand and shell rock which has its upper surface at about the high tide
shrub
level.
This shelf rock is soft and easily broken and begins
approximately at the beach,
. OF three
on the ocean side
On the lagoon side it extends 100-200 feet lagoon-
ward of the high tide line.
Plants and
The southeast half of the islet forms a shallow basin about 1-2 feet above
Which seems to
high tide level,
Ir isolated
I
here that
enclosed by a sandy ridge 3-8 feet above the floor of the basin.
Within the basin the high scrub in the chaparral are generally only 1-2 meters
high, though occasional larger shrubs occur.
‘ping vines,
The individuals are generally 5-10
meters apart and numerous seedlings are present.
also occurs
2
eeper-sandy
are the only shrubby species found.
They are subglobose in shape, with the
lateral branches touching the ground.
Between the shrubs may be found clumps of
Tricholaena repens and Fimbristylis atollensis,
‘ve or six
Messerschmidia and Scaevola
The rim on the lagoon side
carries the low vegetation with a preponderance of Scaevola, Triumfetta and
icens and
-
Lepturus.
Ipomoea tuba
7
seedlings corresponding to windrows of seaweed (a greater portion of which is
strand
j
& aav
subcor
cordat
data,
a
are
nearly
of Messerschmidia
.Rurbinaria) washed up by the sea and the Trades.
The rim on the ocean side is covered by the high shrub Messerschmidia and
Scaevola,
13,
On the lagoon side of the rim are distinct rows
Triumfetta and I. tuba occur as scattered plants and Lepturus is
almost entirely absent.
The beach slope is nearly bare, with only scattered
clumps of Triumfetta.
17
Sonne Re = SIRE ORAe ARE
REET
neg eR Soh: SVR ae Peoria meeRerin eA
*
*
Serna= meNE