Taxonomy
Red List Status -
Endangered (EN) , assessed in 03/07/2017Protected species -
in Southern Province , in Northern Province
Araucaria rulei
©www.forestlight.co.uk - Sur maquis minier Plateau de Poro. Alt. 660 m. Avril 2004. -
Araucaria rulei
©www.forestlight.co.uk - Sur maquis minier (ancienne mine) Plateau de Poro. Alt. 660 m. Avril 2004. -
Araucaria rulei is assessed as Endangered as it meets the following criteria: it is estimated that there has been a population decline of more than 50% over the last 100 years, most of which has occurred in the last decades. The reduction in the area of occupancy and the population decline are the direct result of open cast mining and associated activities and impacts such as road building, spoil dumping and wildfires. A. rulei is almost totally restricted to nickel rich areas and these have been and continue to be heavily exploited. In some areas (e.g. Tiébaghi), this species has been included in restoration and rehabilitation work.
Geographical area
Araucaria rulei has a wide but discontinuous distribution in New Caledonia. Most subpopulations are concentrated around Mt Boulinda and Paéoua in the northwest or in the Canala and Poro area on the central northeast coast. Occurs from 250 to 950 m asl.
Population
Population size can vary from several thousand trees scattered over several kilometres to just a few localized trees.
Habitat
Restricted to serpentine, often nickel bearing soils, in 'maquis-minier' shrubland. Trees are usually scattered and rarely form dense stands.
Threats
The species has experienced severe declines because of open cast nickel mining and associated activities and impacts. In general, it regenerates poorly and grows slowly.
Conservation
This species is legally protected in province Sud and province Nord although it only occurs in a single protected area (Vallée de la Thy). 75 plants were transferred toThiebaghi in 2016 (VNC)
Bibliography
Morat, P.; Jaffré, T.; Tronchet, F.; Munzinger, J.; Pillon, Y.; Veillon, J.-M. and Chalopin, M. 2012. Le référentiel taxonomique Florical et les caractéristiques de la flore vasculaire indigène de la Nouvelle-Calédonie [The taxonomic database « FLORICAL » and characteristics of the indigenous flora of New Caledonia]. Adansonia sér 3(34) , p.177-219.
Munzinger J., Morat Ph., Jaffré T., Gâteblé G., Pillon Y., Rouhan G., Bruy, D., Veillon J.-M., & M. Chalopin 2020. FLORICAL: Checklist of the vascular indigenous flora of New Caledonia [continuously updated].
Endemia.nc 2016. Faune et Flore de Nouvelle-Calédonie.
de Laubenfels, D.J. 1972. Flore de la Nouvelle-Calédonie et dépendances..
Manauté, J., Jaffré, T., Veillon, J.-M. and Kranitz, M. 2003. Revue des Araucariaceae de Nouvelle-Calédonie. IRD, Nouméa..
Jaffré, T., Bouchet, P. and Veillon, J.-M. 1996. Threatened plants of New Caledonia: Is the system of protected areas adequate?. Biodiversity and Conservation (7(1)) , p.109-135.
Jaffré, T., Munzinger, J. & Lowry, P.P. 2010. Threats to the conifer species found on New Caledonia’s ultramafic massifs and proposals for urgently needed measures to improve their protection.. Biodiversity and Conservation (19) , p.1485-1502.
Ibanez, T., Birnbaum, P., Gâteblé, G., Hequet, V., Isnard, S., Munzinger, J., Pillon, Y., Pouteau, R., Vandrot, H. and Jaffre, T. 2019. Twenty years after Jaffré et al. (1998), is the system of protected areas now adequate in New Caledonia? . Biodiversity and Conservation(28) , p.245-254.
Experts
Assessor(s): Amice, R., Cazé, H., Dumontet, V., Fleurot, D., Garnier, D., Héquet, V., Lagrange, A., Lannuzel, G., McCoy, S., Suprin, B., Veillon, J.
Reviewer(s): Munzinger, J., Gardner, M., Thomas, P., Jaffré, T.
Contributor(s): Butaud, J., Gueugnier, C.
Facilitator(s): Tanguy, V., Maura, J.