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Scientific expedition on Vanuatu Island a first
A scientific expedition without precedent, comprising some 165 researchers from 26 countries, is to take place in Vanuatu (South Pacific, east of Australia). The organizers involved say the expedition’s aim is to conduct a thorough estimate of living species within the rainforest canopy (tree crowns).
The expedition, named “Santo 2006, Méga biodiversité”, is to take off in August until December in the tropical island of Santo, 4000 square kms north of the Vanuatu archipelago. The total cost of the project is set to be €2.4 million. The island contains unique and rare samples of tropical forests and coral reefs, these also represent today’s major threatened ecosystems.
The expedition stems from a collaboration in between three institutes: the Natural History Museum of Paris, the NGO Pro-Natura International and the French Research Institute for Development (IRD).
If the project is successful, it will provide for the first time ever an up-to-date snapshot of canopy biodiversity, with a view to assess the impact of human activity disturbances and in particular of climate change.
In order to study the forest canopy, scientists will be using the latest equipment developed, a unique hot air balloon -the only one of its kind-, designed especially for this type of exploration.
According to Olivier Pascal, Manager of Pro Natura, 50% to 70% of all biodiversity on Earth is to be found within the canopy, and a large proportion of this biodiversity includes insects. Even though greatly disregarded, insects are an abundant and important part of the canopy ecosystem and their conservation is therefore vital to maintain ecosystem function and balance.
