New Britain–New Ireland lowland rain forests
{{Infobox ecoregion
| name = New Britain-New Ireland lowland rain forests
| image = File:Varanus semotus 03.jpg
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| image_caption = coastal forest on karst, Mussau Island
| map = Ecoregion AA0111.png
| map_size =
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Ecoregion territory (in purple)
| biogeographic_realm = Australasian realm
| biome = tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
| area = 39,570
| country1 = Papua New Guinea
| state1 = East New Britain
| state2 = Madang
| state3 = Morobe
| state4 = New Ireland,
| state5 = West New Britain
| region_type = Provinces
| border1 = New Britain–New Ireland montane rain forests
| coordinates = {{coord|5.7|S|150.35|E|display=title,inline}}
| bird_species =
| mammal_species =
| elevation =
| geology =
| habitat_loss =
| habitat_loss_ref =
| conservation = Critical/endangered
|protected = {{convert|1,026|km2|0|abbr=on}} 3
|embedded =
}}
The New Britain-New Ireland lowland rain forests is a tropical moist forest ecoregion in Papua New Guinea. The ecoregion covers the lowland rain forests of New Britain, New Ireland, and nearby islands in the Bismarck Archipelago.{{cite web|title=Map of Ecoregions 2017|url=https://ecoregions2017.appspot.com/|publisher=Resolve|language=en|access-date=August 20, 2021}}{{cite web|title=New Britain-New Ireland lowland rain forests|url=https://dopa-explorer.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ecoregion/10111|publisher=Digital Observatory for Protected Areas|language=en|access-date=August 20, 2021}}{{cite web|title=New Britain-New Ireland lowland rain forests|url=https://editors.eol.org/eoearth/wiki/New_Britain-New_Ireland_lowland_rain_forests|publisher=The Encyclopedia of Earth|language=en|access-date=August 20, 2021}}
Geography
The Bismarck Archipelago is a group of islands lying northeast of the island of New Guinea in Papua New Guinea. The ecoregion includes the lowland rain forests on New Britain, New Ireland, and nearby smaller islands, including Umboi, Long Island, and Karkar, near the New Guinea coast west of New Britain. The islands north of New Ireland, including New Hanover (Lavongai), the Saint Matthias Group, Tabar Group, Lihir Group, Tanga Islands, and Feni Islands, are also part of the ecoregion.Wikramanayake, Eric; Eric Dinerstein; Colby J. Loucks; et al. (2002). Terrestrial Ecoregions of the Indo-Pacific: a Conservation Assessment. Washington, DC: Island Press.
New Britain is the largest island in the ecoregion, with an area of {{convert|36520|km2|mi2|0|abbr=on}}. New Ireland is the second-largest, with an area of {{convert|7404|km2|mi2|0|abbr=on}}. The archipelago is mostly made of volcanic rocks, with extensive areas of limestone. Several of the ecoregion's volcanoes are still active. The islands are generally mountainous, with Mount Ulawun on New Britain reaching {{convert|2334|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}. The portions of New Britain and New Ireland above {{convert|1000|m|ft|0|abbr=off}} of elevation constitute the separate New Britain-New Ireland montane rain forests ecoregion.
Climate
Flora
Fauna
The ecoregion has 47 species of mammals. 36 of them are bats, and the rest are murid rodents or marsupials.{{WWF ecoregion|name=New Britain-New Ireland lowland rain forests|id=aa0111}}
The ecoregion has 19 endemic bird species. These include the black honey buzzard (Henicopernis infuscatus), slaty-mantled sparrowhawk (Accipiter luteoschistaceus), New Britain sparrowhawk (Accipiter brachyurus), New Britain bronzewing (Henicophaps foersteri), blue-eyed cockatoo (Cacatua ophthalmica), green-fronted hanging parrot (Loriculus tener), Bismarck hawk owl (Ninox variegata), Bismarck kingfisher (Ceyx websteri), New Britain kingfisher (Todirhamphus albonotatus), rusty thicketbird (Cincloramphus rubiginosus), white-breasted monarch (Symposiachrus menckei), Matthias fantail (Rhipidura matthiae), black-bellied myzomela (Myzomela erythromelas), Ashy myzomela (Myzomela cineracea), scarlet-bibbed myzomela (Myzomela sclateri), mottled munia (Lonchura hunsteini), New Ireland munia (Lonchura forbesi), New Hanover munia (Lonchura nigerrima), and Bismarck woodswallow (Artamus insignis).
Protected areas
External links
- {{WWF ecoregion|name=New Britain-New Ireland lowland rain forests|id=aa0111}}
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:New Britain-New Ireland lowland rain forests}}
Category:Australasian ecoregions
Category:Ecoregions of Papua New Guinea