Sheltered onshore mudflats, mainly on Tongatapu and in Vav'u, support a depauperate mangrove swamp community dominated by the mangroves Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Rhizophora samoensis and/or R. stylosa. Farther inland, where the water changes from saline to brackish or fresh, buttressed trees occur, such as Excoecaria agallocha, Inocarpus fagifer and Xylocarpus granatum. Paspalum vaginatum often forms a dominant grass cover on the inland margin of the swamp.
Mueller-Dombois, D. & F. R. Fosberg. 1998. Vegetation of the tropical Pacific islands. Springer-Verlag, New York. 733 pp.
Year |
Area |
Source |
Trend |
Methodology/Comments |
1983 |
1 000 |
Saenger, P., Hegerl E.J. and J.D.S., Davie. 1983. Global status of mangrove ecosystems. Commission on Ecology Papers No.3. IUCN. Gland, Switzerland. 88 pp. |
Secondary reference, no primary source provided. The "Year" is the publication year. | |
1990 |
500 |
Netatua, P, Department of Environment. 2001. Tonga Country Report. Regional Workshop on mangrove wetlands protection and sustanaible use. Marine Studies Centre, USP SUVA June 12-16, 2001 |
Aerial photographs | |
1990 |
1 305 |
Wiser, S. Burrows, L. Sykes, W. Drake, D. Savage, T. 1999. A Natural Forest Invenrory of Tongatapu and Nearby Islands. Kigdom of Tonga NZODA 1998/99 Forestry Project |
X |
Remote sensing and ground survey. |
No major changes appear to have occurred in this country over the last twenty years.
