P u b l i c a t i o n s s c i e n t i f i q u e s d u m u s é u m

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Santoedited byPhilippe Bouchet, Hervé Le Guyader, Olivier Pascal

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i r d é d i t i o n sP r o - n a t u r a i n t e r n a t i o n a l

The Santo 2006 expedition was organized, with the support, among others, of

and

Représentation de l'Union Européenne au Vanuatu

edited byPhilippe Bouchet, Hervé Le Guyader & Olivier Pascal

SantoTh

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Foreword by Edward Natapei, Prime Minister of Vanuatu ...................................... 10

Introduction. The Natural History of Santo: An Attempt to Bridge the Gapbetween Academic Research and Consevation and Education .......................... 11

Vanuatu in the South Pacific ............................................................................................................. 13Benoît Antheaume

ESPIRITu SANTo IN SPACE ANd TIME ........................................................................................... 17coordinated by Bruno Corbara

The Late Quaternaty Reefs ............................................................................................................................. 19Guy Cabioch & Frederick W. Taylor

The Holocene and Pleistocene Marine Faunas Reconsidered ................................. 25Pierre Lozouet, Alan Beu, Philippe Maestrati, Rufino Pineda & Jean-Louis Reyss

Geography of Santo and of the Sanma Province ............................................................... 34Patricia Siméoni

drainage, Hydrology and Fluvial Geomorphology ............................................................. 46James P. Terry

The Climate of Santo ............................................................................................................................................................. 52James P. Terry

Large-scale Climatic and oceanic Conditions around Santo ............................................................... 57Christophe Maes & David Varillon

A Brief History of Biodiversity Exploration and Scientific Expeditionson and off the Island of Santo ...................................................................................................................................... 62Bruno Corbara & Bertrand Richer de Forges

deforestation on Santo and Logging operations .......................................................................................... 67Rufino Pineda

The Impact of WWII on Infrastructures and Landscape .......................................................................... 69Laurent Palka & Rufino Pineda

Conservation Efforts in Santo ........................................................................................................................................ 71Samson Vilvil-Fare

VEGETATIoN ANd FLoRA ..................................................................................................................................................... 73coordinated by Jérôme Munzinger & Porter P. Lowry II

Exploration by the Santo 2006 Botany Team .................................................................................................... 75Porter P. Lowry II & Jérôme Munzinger

Principal Types of Vegetation occuring on Santo ......................................................................................... 76Jérôme Munzinger, Porter P. Lowry II & Jean-Noël Labat

Phytogeographic Relationships ......................................................................................................................................... 77Gordon McPherson

How old are the Kauri (Agathis microphylla) Trees? .............................................................................................. 83Jonathan Palmer

The Flora of Santo .................................................................................................................................................................... 89Some New, Characteristic or Remarkable Species ......................................................................................... 89Gordon McPherson & Jérôme Munzinger

Focus on Araliaceae:Several Genera Exemplify Santo's Melanesian Biogeographic Relations ........................................ 90Porter P. Lowry II & Gregory M. Plunkett

Focus on Geissois (Cunoniaceae):Another Example of the Melanesian Connection ........................................................................................... 93Yohan Pillon

Focus on Pandans ............................................................................................................................................................... 94Thomas Haevermans

Focus on orchids ................................................................................................................................................................. 97Marc Pignal

Cont

ents

6. . .

. . . . . . .Contents

Focus on Palms ..................................................................................................................................................................... 102Jean-Michel Dupuyoo

Focus on Ferns ...................................................................................................................................................................... 105Germinal Rouhan

Focus on Bryophytes ......................................................................................................................................................... 110Elizabeth A. Brown

Fungi, the Forgotten Kingdom ....................................................................................................................................... 113Bart Buyck

TERRESTRIAL FAuNA .............................................................................................................................................................. 117coordinated by Bruno Corbara

IBISCA-Santo Biodiversity Along an Altitudinal Gradient ...................................................................... 119Bruno Corbara on behalf of the IBISCA network

Insects on Santo ........................................................................................................................................................................ 123

Focus on orthoptera .......................................................................................................................................................... 123Laure Desutter-Grandcolas, Sylvain Hugel & Tony Robillard

Termites in Santo: Lessons from a Survey in the Penaoru Area ............................................................ 128Yves Roisin, Bruno Corbara, Thibaut Delsinne, Jérôme Orivel & Maurice Leponce

Focus on Bees and Wasps .............................................................................................................................................. 131Claire Villemant

Myrmecophily in Santo: A Canopy Ant-Plant and its Expected and Less Expected Inhabitants 143Bruno Corbara

Beetles in Saratsi Range, Santo .................................................................................................................................. 146Alexey K. Tishechkin, Jürgen Schmidl

Lepidoptera in Vanuatu: Fauna, Geography and the IBISCA-Santo Project .................................... 155Roger L. Kitching

other Invertebrates ................................................................................................................................................................. 161

diversity of Spiders ............................................................................................................................................................ 161Christine Rollard

Some Arthropods as Expressed in the Words of Penaoru Villagers .................................................... 167Bruno Corbara

Indigenous Land Snails .................................................................................................................................................... 169Benoît Fontaine, Olivier Gargominy & Vincent Prié

The Vertebrates of Santo .................................................................................................................................................... 179

Terrestrial Bird Communities ....................................................................................................................................... 179Nicolas Barré, Thibaut Delsinne & Benoït Fontaine

Amphibians and Reptiles ............................................................................................................................................... 187Ivan Ineich

RIVERS ANd oTHER FRESHWATER HABITATS ..................................................................................................... 237coordinated by Philippe Keith

Freshwater Habitat Types ................................................................................................................................................. 239Philippe Keith & Clara Lord

Freshwater Biota ...................................................................................................................................................................... 242

Focus on Fish, Shrimps and Crabs .......................................................................................................................... 242Philippe Keith, Clara Lord, Philippe Gerbeaux & Donna Kalfatak

Focus on Aquatic Insects ............................................................................................................................................... 251Arnold H. Staniczek

Focus on Freshwater Snails .......................................................................................................................................... 257Yasunori Kano, Elen E. Strong, Benoît Fontaine, Olivier Gargominy, Matthias Glaubrecht & Philippe Bouchet

The Natural History of Santo

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. . . . . . .CAVES ANd SoILS ...................................................................................................................................................................... 265coordinated by Louis Deharveng

The Karst Team .......................................................................................................................................................................... 267Louis Deharveng & Anne-Marie Sémah

Karst and Caves ......................................................................................................................................................................... 269Bernard Lips, Franck Bréhier, Denis Wirrmann, Nadir Lasson, Stefan Eberhard, Josiane Lips & Louis Deharveng

Caves as Archives ..................................................................................................................................................................... 278Denis Wirrmann, Jean-Christophe Galipaud, Anne-Marie Sémah & Tonyo Alcover,

Ni-Vanuatu Perception and Attitudes Vis-à-Vis the Karstic Environment ................................ 284Florence Brunois

Karst Habitats of Santo ...................................................................................................................................................... 288Focus on Soils ...................................................................................................................................................................... 288Anne Bedos, Vincent Prié & Louis Deharveng

Focus on Cave Terrestrial Habitats ........................................................................................................................... 296Louis Deharveng, Anne Bedos, Vincent Prié & Éric Queinnec

Focus on Guano .................................................................................................................................................................. 300Louis Deharveng, Josiane Lips & Cahyo Rahmadi

Focus on Blue Holes ......................................................................................................................................................... 306Stefan Eberhard, Nadir Lasson & Franck Bréhier

Focus on the Loren Cave ................................................................................................................................................ 310Franck Bréhier, Sephan Eberhard & Nadir Lasson

Focus on Anchialine Fauna ........................................................................................................................................... 312Geoff Boxshall & Damià Jaume

Karst Biota of Santo ............................................................................................................................................................... 316Focus on Bats ........................................................................................................................................................................ 316Vincent Prié

Fish and Shrimps of Santo Karstic Systems ...................................................................................................... 323Marc Pouilly & Philippe Keith

Focus on Springtails .......................................................................................................................................................... 327Louis Deharveng & Anne Bedos

Focus on Microcrustaceans ......................................................................................................................................... 331Damià Jaume, Geoff Boxshall & Eric Queinnec

MARINE ECoSySTEMS ........................................................................................................................................................... 335coordinated by Philippe Bouchet

Benthic Algal and Seagrass Communities from Santo Islandin Relation to Habitat diversity ........................................................................................................................................ 337Claude E. Payri

The Position of Santo in Relation to the Centre of Maximum MarineBiodiversity (the Coral Triangle) .................................................................................................................................. 369Bert W. Hoeksema & Adriaan Gittenberger

Focus on Selected (Micro)Habitats .......................................................................................................................... 373

Sulfide Rich Environments ............................................................................................................................................. 373Yasunori Kano & Takuma Haga

Marine Interstitial ................................................................................................................................................................ 375Timea Neuser

Mangroves Environments of South East Santo ................................................................................................. 377 Jean-Claude Plaziat & Pierre Lozouet

Focus on Selected Biota ..................................................................................................................................................... 383

Checklist of the Fishes ..................................................................................................................................................... 383Ronald Fricke, John L. Earle, Richard L. Pyle & Bernard Séret

8. . .

. . . . . . .Contents

unusual and Spectacular Crustaceans ................................................................................................................... 410Tim-Yam Chan, Masako Mitsuhashi, Charles H.J.M. Fransen, Régis Cleva, Swee Hee Tan, Jose Christopher Mendoza, Marivene Manuel-Santos & Peter K.L. Ng

The Marine Molluscs of Santo ..................................................................................................................................... 421Philippe Bouchet, Virginie Héros, Pierre Lozouet, Philippe Maestrati & Rudo von Cosel

A Rapid Assessment of the Marine Molluscs of Southeastern Santo ................................................ 431Fred E. Wells

Molluscs on Biogenic Substrates ................................................................................................................................ 438Anders Warén

Marine Partnerships in Santo's Reef Environments:Parasites, Commensals and other organisms that Live in Close Association ............................. 449Stefano Schiaparelli, Charles Fransen & Marco Oliverio

Seaslugs: The underwater Jewels of Santo ......................................................................................................... 458Yolanda E. Camacho & Marta Pola

MAN ANd NATuRE .................................................................................................................................................................. 465coordinated by Michel Pascal

Pre-European Times .............................................................................................................................................................. 467

Vertebrate Pre-Human Fauna of Santo: What Can we Expect to Find? .............................................. 467Joseph Antoni Alcover

The Prehistory of Santo .................................................................................................................................................. 469Jean-Christophe Galipaud

Introduced Biota ........................................................................................................................................................................ 476

overview: Introduced Species, the "Good", the "Worrisome" and the "Bad" ................................. 476Michel Pascal, Olivier Lorvelec, Nicolas Barré, Michel de Garine-Wichatitsky & Marc Pignal

Focus on Synanthropic Mammals ............................................................................................................................ 480Olivier Lorvelec & Michel Pascal

Focus on Feral Mammals ............................................................................................................................................... 483Michel de Garine-Wichatitsky & Anthony Harry

Focus on Alien Birds ........................................................................................................................................................ 488Nicolas Barré

Focus on Introduced Amphibians and Reptiles .............................................................................................. 490Olivier Lorvelec & Michel Pascal

Focus on Introduced Fish .............................................................................................................................................. 494Philippe Keith, Clara Lord, Donna Kalfatak & Philippe Gerbeaux

Focus on Alien Land Snails .......................................................................................................................................... 495Olivier Gargominy, Benoît Fontaine & Vincent Prié

Endemic, Native, Alien or Cryptogenic?The Controversy of Santo darkling Beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) .................. 500Laurent Soldati

The Case of Two Invasive Species: Mikania micrantha and Merremia peltata ........................ 503Marc Pignal

Man Santo in his Environment ..................................................................................................................................... 508Food-Garden Biodiversity in Vanuatu ................................................................................................................... 508Sara Muller, Vincent Lebot & Annie Walter

At the Junction of Biological Cycles and Custom: the Night of the Palolo .................................... 515Laurent Palka

Ni-Vanuatu Perceptions and Attitudes Vis-à-Vis Biodiversité ................................................................. 516Florence Brunois & Marine Robillard

THE SANTo 2006 ExPEdITIoN ........................................................................................................................................ 523

The Santo 2006 Expedition from an Ethnologist's Point of View ...................................................... 525Elsa Faugère

The Natural History of Santo

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. . . . . . .The "Making of" Santo 2006 ............................................................................................................................................ 529Philippe Bouchet, Hervé Le Guyader, Olivier Pascal

Santo 2006 Expedition in the Classroom .............................................................................................................. 549Sophie Pons & Alain Pothet

Santo 2006 Expedition Participants List ................................................................................................................ 550

Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................................................. 553

Bibliography .................................................................................................................................................................................... 557

Addresses of the Authors .................................................................................................................................................... 564

278. . .

The caves from a karst system play a very impor-tant role as sedimentary archives, because they are the place of very large sedimentation, and accumu-late various kinds of deposits, like clastic fragments in association with calcite secondary precipitates

Hereafter we will present a few exam-ples of the archives which we have retrieved in different sites (caves, rock shelters and dolines) from the limes-tones realm of Santo (Fig. 325).

Denis Wirrmann, Jean-Christophe Galipaud, Anne-Marie Sémah & Tonyo Alcover

as ArchivesCa

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Figure 325: The main prospected sites (A) and (B) detailed geological pattern of the karst of Santo, redrawn by D. Wirmann after Strecker et al. (1987).

in BouCheT P., Le GuyADer h. & PASCAL o. (eds), The Natural History of Santo. MNhN, Paris; IrD, Marseille; PNI, Paris. 572 p. (Patrimoines naturels; 70).

The Natural History of Santo. . . . . . .

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of shelters, accomodations or habitats. That is why, for example, human artefacts are often very common into cave entrances and rock shelter deposits (burials, rock drawings, cave paintings, potsherds, etc.) and in a lesser extent in cave interior deposits.

One can ascertain that all the clastic, organic or preci-pitated sediments formed within a cave or the deposits transported into it, will allow a multiproxy study of the karst environmental fluctuations, which will encom-pass hydrogeology, geology (e.g. palaeoseismology), climatology, biodiversity and human palaeontology.

and other chemical and/or organic debris. Due to their natural environment (absence of light, difficult access) the caves tend to be preserved from degrada-tion and aerial erosion. Morever, their deep interiors remain mostly stable in temperature and atmosphe-ric composition, representing often particularly rich undisturbed sites. They represent protected reposito-ries amongst the other continental environments and preserve a large spans of time medium for palaeoen-vironmental studies.They are also very valuable for archaeological research, the caves or assimilated struc-tures having frequently played and playing still a role

Figure 326: The FAP1 stalagmite.

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StAlAgMiteSA few stalagmites and stalactites from the Fapon Cave (Butmas Plateau) have been sampled during a three-month field trip (Sémah and Wirrmann

in 2005) before the Santo 2006 expedition. Their study is in course and their dating by Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (TIMS, U-series

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Figure 327: example of grains of pollen from Santo sediments. A-B: Merremia peltata (Convolvulaceae), the invasive creeper (diameter size 60 μm). C: Barringtonia novae hiberniae (Lecythidaceae), endemic to the Vanuatu Archipelago (size 54 x 45 μm). (Photos A.-M. Sémah).

A B C

methods) will provide the basis for the respective relative age models.

Petrographic thin sections were prepared all along the stalagmites growth axis, in order to analyze the carbonate fabrics and the laminae under an optical polarizing microscope. Enlarged photographs of the thin sections were also used as analytical aid for mineralogical fabric observation and laminae counting. Along its growth axis the FAP1 sample (Fig. 326), a stalagmite of 9 cm length, shows many layers with distinctive widths and colors: the fluctuation of their number per millimeter illustra-tes the variation of the feeding conditions during the time of growth, in relation with the available dissolved calcite and water at the origin of the pre-cipitation of secondary calcite into the cave.

The study of pollen, the reproductive male cell (mean size about 30 μm) from spermatophytes (flower plants), is a valuable bio-marker used in "classical" sedimentology since the 1950s for environmental reconstitution. As each plant species is characteri-zed by a specific grain of pollen, the reconstitution of a palynological spectra and its variations during

the time will in turn allow the reconstitution of the climate. Nevertheless, it is only from the 1970s that it has been used for such a purpose in stalagmites, flowstone and spring travertine. Usually, the dedu-ced representation of the contemporary vegetation of the deposit does not correspond solely to the true live picture. It will privilege for example the local vegetation at the expense of the regional one, knowing that the sedimentation of the pollen may be more or less hampered by the wind circulation, or by change in aquifer plumbing, or by the perco-lating system over the cave and/or transformed by allogenic contributions (anthropic activities).

It will be particularly interesting to analyse the samples retrieved in Santo (speleothems, dolines and caves fillings) for precising the apparition of the alien Merremia peltata (Convolvulaceae), this invasive creeper which alters the structure and functioning of the insular ecosystem and about which we have no data for it first introduction in Vanuatu. It will be important too, to understand the distribution in stratigraphy of some endemic (novae hiberniae) vs pandemic (asiatica) species in the Barringtonia genus, for instance (Figs 327 & 328).

CAve fillingSIn almost all the twenty caves and rock shelters whe have prospected (Lori, Luri, Lonepré and several sites from Cape Cumberland, Fig. 325A), the artefact rich levels ly often under a more or less thick superficial bats or swiftlets guano layer.

We have put at the day anthropic levels. These levels, still not dated but probably recent according to their stratigraphical position, contained airfall tephras, charcoals, ceramic potsherds and tiny animal bones remains. Beside these sites, a few other places cor-responded to burial caves, rich in human remains and

pig canines (the well known "tusks" of Vanuatu) as burial accompaniments. In all these places we have sampled superficial and deeper sediments in order to analyse their pollen content.

••• The North Cumberland areaThe karst environment of the Cape Cumberland area has been for many centuries an important

Sample n°(lab. Miami, USA)

δ13C ‰ vsstandard Pee Dee Belemnite

Conventional Age BP

Beta 96570 -27.4 1 110 ± 80

Beta 97558 -25.3 340 ± 60

Table 31: Datings of hokua shelters (after Galipaud, 1997).

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Figure 328: example of a doline, the doline of Arifos.

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View from the rim of the doline.

View on the hillside.

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Bottom of the doline.

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A 65 cm deep borehole sampled in the doline bottom.

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population center for the west coast controlling the exchanges with the Banks islands to the North- East. This is a very active environment with one of the bigger uplift rate in Santo, between 2.1 and 5.5 mm/year. Several caves with important anthropic levels have been previously surveyed near the actual village of Hokua. Datings of stone ovens (Table 31)

in two shelters near the irrigated taro gardens of Hokua have allowed to attest an occupation of this area during the last 1000 years.

Several new shelters revealing further human acti-vities in the area have been localized during the Santo 2006 expedition.

The most surprising and unexpected discovery was of a burial site well hidden in a very small cavity, par-tially blocked by accumulated rocks near the ancient village of Salea (14° 40.421' S; 166° 37.202' E). The site was arbitrary named "Abri aux dents de cochons".

In this cavity we discovered human bones from more than three individuals, in association with a child skull (younger than ten years), suidae’s teeth (22 tusks) and maxilla, and pottery pieces (Figs 329 & 330). The site is probably the tomb of a man of high rank as attested by the number of well developped pig tusks. A decayed piece of woven cotton as well as the relatively well preserved pig tusk suggested that the burial was not of great antiquity. Half of an open bowl with red slip further confirmed a inhumation during the last millenium. We took a pig molar for datings and submitted the sample to the Waikato laboratory (New Zealand). The result, (Sample n° Wk 20296, C14 Age BP = 209 ± 10, modern activity = 97.6 %) indicates that this inhumation dates to the last phase of the Santo prehistory, between the 17th and the 19th century.

In the same area, the "Abri Palatin" (14° 40.178' S; 166° 37.407' E) includes three adjoining chambers

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Figure 329: View on human bones and tusks in "Abri aux dents de cochons".

Figure 330: Fragment of a red slipped bowl, "Abri aux dents de cochons".

Figure 331: human remains in "Abri Palatin".

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containing human bones (Fig. 331). In the right chamber, more than five individuals were discovered, while on the left side, there was only one post cranial skeleton remains associated with two potsherds.

The third cavity contained another skeleton and faunal remains plus charcoals. In several other shelters from the same area, blocked chambers or scattered human bones suggest that such burial practices were frequent in the region during the second millenium. No such practices had been evidenced in Santo prior to this survey.

Further west along the same area, a dry cave named Malaostitir in the local language (14° 39.673' S; 166° 37.291' E; Figs 332 & 333), revealed traces of red and black drawings partly covered by calcite. Fragments of pottery with red slip on the sur-face suggest an occupation at the same period as the previously described burial sites. the drawings which are difficult to see correspond to geometrical forms of squares and crosses.

••• The Cape Quiros areaThis region encompass a well developed under-ground karst system. We will focuse here on one of its largest cavity, the Lonepré Cave (14° 59.227' S; 166° 59.160' E). Fallen rocks block partly its entrance, wich is oriented north-west south-east and makes a porch which opens in the first coastal crest over the forested littoral belt. A survey in this shelter made by J.-C. Galipaud and R. Pineda in late 2005, following its discovery by F. Brehier on 4 November 2005 uncovered large pieces of red-slip pottery under a the large and small coral blocks scattered on the surface. A one square meter

pit near the back wall of the shelter, revealed a homogenous dark clayish sediment with scatters of charcoals.

In 2006, a one square metre pit, reaching 60 cm depth, has been done in the middle of the entry. No well marked stratigraphy is observed. Nevertheless, different remains have been collected according to the depth of sampling: between 20 and 40 cm many mollusks fragments are present, the following level 40-45 cm is very rich in microcharcoals and below the sediment becomes dustier, ash-like and sterile. After 50 cm there are again numerous microcharcoals

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Figure 332: Sketch of The Malaostitir Cave. (15/09/2006, redrawn by D. Wirrmann after Lips & Lips, 2007)

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nand fallen calcareous blocks apparead from 60 cm depth. As the time allowed to this field trip was ended, we stopped the excavation and filled it with calcareous blocks and branches to protect it and to be

able to excavate again easily in a next future. A total of 51 potsherds, 20 charcoals, twomicrofaunal bone fragments and seven mollusks has been collected in this excavation.

ConClUSionMany small caves were discovered during two pre-liminary reconnaissance trips undertaken in 2005. After further deep explorations and sump diving during the expedition itself, several of these caves subsequently turned out to be very large indeed. The longest of Santo, the Funafu system, develops several kilometers of underground passages, and exploration is far from being completed. Another surprise came at the end of our stay, when we discovered huge sub-terranean galleries with big underground river near Butmas. Today, Santo has become the most promi-sing karst in the Pacific islands outside New Guinea for the exploration of large underground systems.

The twenty rock shelters or caves sampled in the karstic zone of Cape Cumberland, Cape Quiros, east coast and Aore Island provided plenty of archaeological and palaeontological rests. Megapod birds, thought to have possibly existed in Santo, as in New Caledonia, were searched for, but no remains were found. On the other hand, we found, at almost every site, layers with ceramics (more than 1 000 years old), fire marks, sometimes tools and fossil remains (more than two species of rattus, birds, bats and lizards). Human bones were also

discovered, sometimes associated with jaws and canines (tusks) of Suidae (pig family), indicating the importance of burial in these shelters.

Information extracted from the Santo karst is exciting in several respects. After a month of intensive sampling, Santo has become the best known island of the Pacific for cave and soil fauna. By the size of its karst, the easy access to its subterranean habitats, and the relatively low disturbance and high richness of its soils, Santo is a model island for testing key questions about the origin and evolution of biodiversity, well beyond its regional interest.

The use of multi-proxy studies of speleothems, involving combinations of geochemistry (isotopes and traces elements), mineralogy and palynology, integrated with parallel proxy materials from the same region (lake or swamps sediments, dolines fillings, coral cores, archaeology) will provide very useful data for identifying process controls and for working out the mechanisms of climate change and the exact timing of connections between cli-mate and environmental changes.

Figure 333: The Malaostitir Cave. Cave entry.

The

Natu

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Santo

ISSN 1281-6213

ISBN MNHN : 978-2-85653-627-8ISBN IRD : 978-2-7099-1708-7

The islands of the Pacific are renowned for the high levels of endemism of, and threats to, their unique faunas and floras. Espiritu Santo, affectionately known simply as Santo, is an island of superla-tives: the largest and highest in Vanuatu, Santo is an extraordinary geographical and cultural micro-cosm, combining reefs, caves, mountains, satellite islands, and a history of human habitation going back 3 000 years. In the spirit of famous voyages of discovery of the past, the Santo 2006 expedition brought together over 150 scientists, volunteers and students originating from 25 countries. With contributions by more than 100 authors, The Natural History of Santo is a lavishly illustrated homage to the biodiversity of this "planet-island". Bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and conservation and education, The Natural History of Santo was written with local stakeholders as well as armchair naturalists from all over the world in mind.

9 782856 536278 Prix : 59 TTC

Les îles du Pacifique sont célèbres pour le très haut niveau d’endémisme et la grande vulnérabilité de leurs faunes et de leurs flores. L'île d'Espiritu Santo, ou Santo, cumule les superlatifs : la plus grande et la plus haute du Vanuatu, Santo est un extraordinaire microcosme géographique et cultu-rel, avec récifs, grottes, montagnes, îles et îlots satellites, et une occupation humaine qui remonte à 3 000 ans. Renouant avec l'esprit des "Grandes Expéditions Naturalistes", l’expédition Santo 2006 avait mobilisé sur le terrain plus de 150 scienti-fiques, bénévoles et étudiants de 25 pays. Petit tour de force éditorial avec plus de 100 auteurs, ce Natural History of Santo est un éloge de la bio-diversité de cette "île-planète". À la fois beau livre richement illustré et bilan des connaissances scien-tifiques, The Natural History of Santo se veut un outil de connaissance pour sa conservation dura-ble. Il s'adresse autant aux acteurs locaux du déve-loppement et de l'éducation qu'aux naturalistes du monde entier.