GEO-6 Regional Assessment for Asia and the Pacific


genetic diversity of natural populations. The use of invasive alien species may result in competition with indigenous species and negative impacts on their diversity (Lymer 2010).


Invasive species are implicated in more than half of known bird extinctions on islands, mainly in the Asia and the Pacific region, and studies show that three-quarters of all threatened birds on oceanic islands globally are in danger from invasive species due to predation by introduced invasive mammals such as rats, cats, mongooses and feral dogs; herbivory and habitat degradation by goats, cattle and pigs; and disease transmission through introduced and invasive micro- organisms (UNEP in press). In addition, the introduction of brown tree snake (Boiga irregulars) through cargo directly transported from Guam to Pacific Islands causes substantial impacts on native bird species (Rodda and Savage 2007).


Globally, from 1 086 attempts to remove invasive vertebrates from islands, 924 (85 per cent) have succeeded. The majority of the successes, 584 of 924, have taken place in the Pacific sub-region (Island Conservation et al. 2014).


BirdLife Pacific Partnership has treated 30 islands for five species of introduced mammals across Fiji, French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Palau (BirdLife International 2008).


Habitat shifts and altered productivity


Geographical distribution of species and vegetation types is projected to shift radically due to climate change. Vegetation modelling studies suggest significant forest dieback towards the end of this century and beyond, especially in tropical, boreal and mountain areas (Fischling et al. 2007; McClean et al. 2005; Miles 2002). In a warmer world, the current carbon- regulating services of forests acting as carbon sinks may be lost entirely, as land ecosystems turn into a net source of carbon dioxide later in the century (Seppälä et al. 2009). In India, about 77 and 68 per cent of the forest grids are likely to experience vegetation shift under the IPCC A2 and B2 scenarios of climate change respectively by the 2080s (Ravindranath et al. 2006).


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Continued warming is likely to result in ongoing elevation range contractions, and eventually species extinctions, particularly at mountaintops. Trisurat (2015) reported that future climate change would eradicate most suitable habitats for wetland birds, for example the sarus crane (Grus antigone), giant ibis (Thaumatibis gigantea) and lesser adjutant stork (Leptoptilos javanicus) in the Emerald Triangle forest complex along the borders of Cambodia, Lao PDR and Thailand.


From 1999–2008, China’s total living-wood growing stock and forest growing stock had net increases of 1.13 billion cubic metres and 1.12 billion cubic metres respectively. In addition, biomass productivity in the grassland ecosystems in China also increased from 94 million tonnes of biomass in 2005 to 106 million tonnes in 2012 after conservation and desertification control measures (Ministry of Environmental Protection of PRC 2014).


Coastal overfishing and the loss of inshore marine biodiversity arguably constitute some of the most serious threats to conservation in the Pacific. However, initiatives such as locally-managed marine areas (Figure 2.3.7) show strong scope to reverse the current trend of overfishing.


2.3.5 Impacts


Livelihood of communities dependent on forest and fisheries resources


Non-wood forest products play an important role for the poor residing in remote forested areas. They generate employment for millions of people in the Asia and the Pacific region; for example 49 per cent of household income in India and 45 per cent in upland Lao PDR. Harvested non-wood forest products are used for food, nutrition and healthcare, and are recognized as the main contribution to food security and nutrition for forest-dependent communities (Hansda 2009).


Fisheries are nutritionally important for the people of the Lower Mekong Basin. Fish are the primary source of animal


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