Geography
![Picture](/uploads/2/1/0/0/21002734/702942021.jpg)
Yap Stone Money Bank
Yap is located within the Federation States of Micronesia. The geologies consist of low-lying island-atolls, and is a volcanic island. The island is around 745 miles from east to west. The land mass is approximately 40 square miles, and has four islands which are connected by roads, channels, and waterways and are surrounded by a broad reef. The island biome consists of tropical and subtropincal moist broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests. Cyclones and rising sea level are natural environmental impacts, and overfishing, climate change, and pollution are environmental impacts caused by human activity. Previously, the main exports were copra, which is the dried meat of a coconut, turmeric (spice), sugar cane, and sea cumbers, but today the island relies on tourism and fishing as the main industries.
Geology and Species
The soil of Yap is characterized as poor due to volcanic eruptions, where vegetation cannot grow, and also due to the lack of a raised coral reef. Hydrothermal alteration is also responsible for excessive weathering, which impacts the lack of nutrients in the soil. Clay containing kaolinite is found in this area, and this clay can be used for ceramics. The clay can be considered a natural mineral resource. The island of Yap is unique that there is not a raised coral reef, nor is there limestone found in this area. The lack of limestone may be based on the culture of that Yap people since they use stone for money. They are currently importing limestone from neighboring countries.
Forest cover approximately forty percent of the land area, and can be segregated into three types of forests: upland, swamp, and mangrove. Twenty six percent of the land is used for tree gardens. The species found in controlled areas include the coconut palm, breadfruit, betel nut, papaya, banana, cassava, taro, and a variety of vegetation that is used for medicine, and florid species. The upland forests are low lying, and the canopy layer contains an abundance of species including Celtis sp., Buchanania engleriana, Campnosperma brevipetiolata, Trichospermum ikutai, Garcinia rumiyo, Pentaphalangium volkensii, Terminalia catappa, Pouteria obovata, Pangium edule, Aidia cochinchinensis, and Eurya japonica. The lower shrubs include Psychotria, Crateva, Streblus, Glochidion, Leea, Hibiscus, Polyscias, and Ixora. In exposed areas, the upland forests become more open on the slopes. Mangroves can be found along the coast in low areas.
There are three species of birds that are found endemic to this area and include a Monarch and two white eyes, a Rukia or a Zosterops. The Zosterops is classified as critically endangered due to the loss of its habitat and degradation due to agricultural activities, development, and typhoons. The brown tree snake (Boiga irreularis) is also a serious concern, and may pose a major threat. The Pteropus yapensis, the Yap flying fox, is also endemic to this area, but unfortunately this species is on the Red list due to hunting and typhoons. This species is found in the forest, mangroves, and agroforest. There is a ban on hunting this species due to the huge decrease in its population in the late 1970’s due to commercial hunting and exporting for the luxury food market.
Forest cover approximately forty percent of the land area, and can be segregated into three types of forests: upland, swamp, and mangrove. Twenty six percent of the land is used for tree gardens. The species found in controlled areas include the coconut palm, breadfruit, betel nut, papaya, banana, cassava, taro, and a variety of vegetation that is used for medicine, and florid species. The upland forests are low lying, and the canopy layer contains an abundance of species including Celtis sp., Buchanania engleriana, Campnosperma brevipetiolata, Trichospermum ikutai, Garcinia rumiyo, Pentaphalangium volkensii, Terminalia catappa, Pouteria obovata, Pangium edule, Aidia cochinchinensis, and Eurya japonica. The lower shrubs include Psychotria, Crateva, Streblus, Glochidion, Leea, Hibiscus, Polyscias, and Ixora. In exposed areas, the upland forests become more open on the slopes. Mangroves can be found along the coast in low areas.
There are three species of birds that are found endemic to this area and include a Monarch and two white eyes, a Rukia or a Zosterops. The Zosterops is classified as critically endangered due to the loss of its habitat and degradation due to agricultural activities, development, and typhoons. The brown tree snake (Boiga irreularis) is also a serious concern, and may pose a major threat. The Pteropus yapensis, the Yap flying fox, is also endemic to this area, but unfortunately this species is on the Red list due to hunting and typhoons. This species is found in the forest, mangroves, and agroforest. There is a ban on hunting this species due to the huge decrease in its population in the late 1970’s due to commercial hunting and exporting for the luxury food market.
The Reef/Biodiversity
![Picture](/uploads/2/1/0/0/21002734/894182155.jpg)
Sharks of Yap
The broad fringing reef has several channels and diving is offered within and out of the channel. Yap is the best destination in the world for seeing manta rays. The narrow channels attract the rays, and can be seen year round. Mantas can weigh up to one ton, and have a wingspan of fourteen feet or more. This natural underwater attraction is also the home to gray sharks, and many colorful fishes. The mangroves are home for many species of crabs, lobsters, and fishes such as rabbitfish and snapper. They also provide nesting sire for birds. The mangroves also naturally protect the coastline from wave damage, and erosion. Sea grass beds can be found beyond the mangroves. The roots of the sea grass help stabilize the sediment in the area, but also provide food and shelter for a variety of marine life such as parrotfishes, crustaceans, molluscs, sea cucumbers, and sea urchins. The intertidal fringing reef flats can be divided into three main zones, the inner reef flat, the outer reef flat, and the lagoonal reef slope. The lagoonal reef slope provides a great habitat for many corals. Fish can also be found in this area. The outer reef slope is the portion that slopes into deep water. Moderate to high coral cover can be found here. Coral cover decreases below the depth of this slope. The windward side has the reef with the most diversity due to a gradual slope. Half of the world’s coral reefs are found in Federation States of Micronesia.
Most of the threats to the coral reefs are caused by human activity. The leading causes are sewage, runoff, deforestation, sand mining, and dredging. Other threats include fishing practices (dynamite fishing), ship groundings and coastal construction. Natural threats include storm and wave action, outbreaks of predators such as the crown of thorns starfish, urchin, and gastropods, coral diseases, and increased water temperature, and runoff from freshwater.
Most of the threats to the coral reefs are caused by human activity. The leading causes are sewage, runoff, deforestation, sand mining, and dredging. Other threats include fishing practices (dynamite fishing), ship groundings and coastal construction. Natural threats include storm and wave action, outbreaks of predators such as the crown of thorns starfish, urchin, and gastropods, coral diseases, and increased water temperature, and runoff from freshwater.
Conservation
The Micronesia Challenge (2006) a collective effort of the Micronesian governments to form a commitment to strive for a balance to the need and use of their natural resources
The Nature Conservancy pledged three million dollars in helping to identify the places with the most biodiversity, the threats, and how to protect and preserve these areas. They also want to establish protected areas, and to train the organizations on how to protect the marine and coastal areas. They also want have the government establish policies to protect natural resources.
The Nature Conservancy pledged three million dollars in helping to identify the places with the most biodiversity, the threats, and how to protect and preserve these areas. They also want to establish protected areas, and to train the organizations on how to protect the marine and coastal areas. They also want have the government establish policies to protect natural resources.
Culture
![Picture](/uploads/2/1/0/0/21002734/529845012.jpg)
English is widely spoken in Yap, even among the Yapese. There are no less than four major traditional languages: Yapese, Ulithian, Woleaian and Satawalese. Yapese is spoken on Yap proper, the others on the outer islands.
The Yapese have managed to maintain their unique culture while selectively adopting desirable improvements from the west.
The Yapese have managed to maintain their unique culture while selectively adopting desirable improvements from the west.
Works Cited:
http://worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/oc0204
http://www.dtmag.com/Stories/DiveGeos/yapgeo.htm
http://www.sprep.org/att/IRC/eCOPIES/Countries/FSM/16.pdf\
http://cpi.kagoshima-u.ac.jp/publications/occasionalpapers/occasional/vol-34/34-6.pdf
http://experiencemicronesia.com/category/yap-island
http://www.scubadiving.com/find/yap?filters=tid%3A44
http://www.mantaray.com/the-island.php
http://worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/oc0204
http://www.dtmag.com/Stories/DiveGeos/yapgeo.htm
http://www.sprep.org/att/IRC/eCOPIES/Countries/FSM/16.pdf\
http://cpi.kagoshima-u.ac.jp/publications/occasionalpapers/occasional/vol-34/34-6.pdf
http://experiencemicronesia.com/category/yap-island
http://www.scubadiving.com/find/yap?filters=tid%3A44
http://www.mantaray.com/the-island.php