Location of New Caledonian barrier reef in New Caledonia
Show map of New Caledonia
New Caledonian barrier reef (Oceania)
Show map of Oceania
The New Caledonian barrier reef surrounds Grande Terre, New Caledonia's largest island, as well as the Ile des Pins and several smaller islands, reaching a length of 1,500 kilometres (930 mi). The reef encloses a lagoon of 24,000 square kilometres (9,300 sq mi), which has an average depth of 25 metres (82 ft). The reefs lie up to 30 kilometres (19 mi) from the shore, but extend almost 200 kilometres (120 mi) to the Entrecasteaux reefs in the northwest. This northwestern extension encloses the Belep Islands and other sand cays. Several natural passages open out to the ocean. The Boulari passage, which leads to Nouméa, the capital and chief port of New Caledonia, is marked by the Amédée lighthouse.
In 2008, the barrier reef and its enclosing lagoon was inscribed on the UNESCOWorld Heritage List for its outstanding beauty, its unique geography as a reef entirely encircling Grande Terre, and its exceptional marine diversity (in particular its coral diversity).[1]
The reef systems of New Caledonia are considered to be the second largest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, the longest continuous barrier reef in the world with a length of 1,600 km and its lagoon, the largest in the world with an area of 24,000 square kilometers. This ecosystem hosts along with Fiji, the world's most diverse concentration of reef structures, 146 types based on a global classification system, and they equal or even surpass the much larger Great Barrier Reef in coral and fish diversity.[1]
The reef has great species diversity with a high level of endemism. In total, there have been 2328 fish species observed in the reef, belonging to 248 families.[2] In addition, the reef is home to third-largest population of endangered dugongs(Dugong dugon) on Earth, and is an important nesting site for green sea turtles(Chelonia mydas).[1]
In the lagoons of New Caledonia there are many other marine species, including over 2000 species of molluscs[3] and a thriving population of humpback whales.[4]
Environmental threats
Most of the reefs are generally thought to be in good health. Some of the eastern reefs have been damaged by effluent from nickel mining on Grand Terre. Sedimentation from mining, agriculture, and grazing has affected reefs near river mouths, which has been worsened by the destruction of mangrove forests, which help to retain sediment. Some reefs have been buried under several metres of silt.[5] In 2008, an assessment of northwest near-shore reefs concluded that many would be dead within years, and at best decades, if present trends relating to mining sediment and silt run-off continued.[6]
In January 2002, the French government proposed listing New Caledonia's reefs as a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site. UNESCO listed New Caledonia barrier reef on the World Heritage List under the name The Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems on 7 July 2008.[1]
There are 13 local management committees, composed of tourist operators, fishermen, politicians and chiefs of local tribes which work with the community to monitor the health of the lagoons.[7]
Human use
Scuba Diving is common, with several dive sites in the lagoon and around the reef. These include the Prony needle, the Shark Pit and the Cathedral.[8]
This part of the lagoon, near Dumbéa and Païta, in the North-West of Nouméa, is not included in the UNESCO world heritage sites.
^ abcd"Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
^Mallet, Delphine; Vigliola, Laurent; Wantiez, Laurent; Pelletier, Dominique (2016). "Diurnal temporal patterns of the diversity and the abundance of reef fishes in a branching coral patch in New Caledonia" (PDF). Austral Ecology. 41 (7): 733–744. doi:10.1111/aec.12360.
^Bouchet, Philippe; Lozouet, Pierre; Maestrati, Philippe; Heros, Virginie (20 April 2002). "Assessing the magnitude of species richness in tropical marine environments: exceptionally high numbers of molluscs at a New Caledonia site". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 75 (4): 421–436. doi:10.1046/j.1095-8312.2002.00052.x.
^Garrigue, Claire; Zerbini, Alexandre N.; Geyer, Ygor; Heide-Jorgensen, Mads-Peter; Hanaoka, Wakao; Clapham, Phil (17 February 2010). "Movements of satellite-monitored humpback whales from New Caledonia". Journal of Mammalogy. 91 (1): 109-115. doi:10.1644/09-MAMM-A-033R.1.
^"New Caledonia Barrier Reef". WWF. from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
^Fenner, Douglas; Muir, Paul (1 February 2008). "Reef Corals of the Northwestern Lagoon of Grande-Terre, New Caledonia". A Rapid Marine Biodiversity Assessment of the Coral Reefs of the Northwest Lagoon, between Koumac and Yandé, Province Nord, New Caledonia. p. 18. doi:10.1896/054.053.0102.
^"Historic Local community meeting in New Caledonia to strengthen World Heritage conservation". UNESCO. 20 July 2015. from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
^"Scuba Diving". nouvelle caledonie. from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to New Caledonian lagoon.
January 07, 2023
caledonian, barrier, reef, barrier, reef, located, caledonia, south, pacific, being, longest, continuous, barrier, reef, world, third, largest, after, great, barrier, reef, australia, mesoamerican, barrier, reef, lagoons, caledonia, reef, diversity, associated. The New Caledonian barrier reef is a barrier reef located in New Caledonia in the South Pacific being the longest continuous barrier reef in the world and the third largest after the Great Barrier Reef of Australia and the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef Lagoons of New Caledonia Reef Diversity and Associated EcosystemsUNESCO World Heritage SiteNorthern tip of Grande TerreLocationNew Caledonia state party France IncludesGrand Lagon Sud Zone Cotiere Ouest Zone Cotiere Nord Est Grand Lagon Nord Atolls d Entrecasteaux fr Atoll d Ouvea et Beautemps Beaupre fr CriteriaNatural vii ix x Reference1115Inscription2008 32nd Session Area1 574 300 ha 3 890 000 acres Buffer zone1 287 100 ha 3 180 000 acres Coordinates20 24 43 S 164 33 59 E 20 41194 S 164 56639 E 20 41194 164 56639 Coordinates 20 24 43 S 164 33 59 E 20 41194 S 164 56639 E 20 41194 164 56639Location of New Caledonian barrier reef in New CaledoniaShow map of New CaledoniaNew Caledonian barrier reef Oceania Show map of OceaniaThe New Caledonian barrier reef surrounds Grande Terre New Caledonia s largest island as well as the Ile des Pins and several smaller islands reaching a length of 1 500 kilometres 930 mi The reef encloses a lagoon of 24 000 square kilometres 9 300 sq mi which has an average depth of 25 metres 82 ft The reefs lie up to 30 kilometres 19 mi from the shore but extend almost 200 kilometres 120 mi to the Entrecasteaux reefs in the northwest This northwestern extension encloses the Belep Islands and other sand cays Several natural passages open out to the ocean The Boulari passage which leads to Noumea the capital and chief port of New Caledonia is marked by the Amedee lighthouse In 2008 the barrier reef and its enclosing lagoon was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its outstanding beauty its unique geography as a reef entirely encircling Grande Terre and its exceptional marine diversity in particular its coral diversity 1 Contents 1 Ecology 2 Environmental threats 3 Human use 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksEcology EditThe reef systems of New Caledonia are considered to be the second largest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef of Australia the longest continuous barrier reef in the world with a length of 1 600 km and its lagoon the largest in the world with an area of 24 000 square kilometers This ecosystem hosts along with Fiji the world s most diverse concentration of reef structures 146 types based on a global classification system and they equal or even surpass the much larger Great Barrier Reef in coral and fish diversity 1 The reef has great species diversity with a high level of endemism In total there have been 2328 fish species observed in the reef belonging to 248 families 2 In addition the reef is home to third largest population of endangered dugongs Dugong dugon on Earth and is an important nesting site for green sea turtles Chelonia mydas 1 In the lagoons of New Caledonia there are many other marine species including over 2000 species of molluscs 3 and a thriving population of humpback whales 4 Environmental threats EditMost of the reefs are generally thought to be in good health Some of the eastern reefs have been damaged by effluent from nickel mining on Grand Terre Sedimentation from mining agriculture and grazing has affected reefs near river mouths which has been worsened by the destruction of mangrove forests which help to retain sediment Some reefs have been buried under several metres of silt 5 In 2008 an assessment of northwest near shore reefs concluded that many would be dead within years and at best decades if present trends relating to mining sediment and silt run off continued 6 In January 2002 the French government proposed listing New Caledonia s reefs as a UNESCO World Heritage Site UNESCO listed New Caledonia barrier reef on the World Heritage List under the name The Lagoons of New Caledonia Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems on 7 July 2008 1 There are 13 local management committees composed of tourist operators fishermen politicians and chiefs of local tribes which work with the community to monitor the health of the lagoons 7 Human use EditScuba Diving is common with several dive sites in the lagoon and around the reef These include the Prony needle the Shark Pit and the Cathedral 8 This part of the lagoon near Dumbea and Paita in the North West of Noumea is not included in the UNESCO world heritage sites ASTER image of the lagoonsSee also EditList of reefsReferences Edit a b c d Lagoons of New Caledonia Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems UNESCO World Heritage Centre Archived from the original on 27 December 2016 Retrieved 18 December 2016 Mallet Delphine Vigliola Laurent Wantiez Laurent Pelletier Dominique 2016 Diurnal temporal patterns of the diversity and the abundance of reef fishes in a branching coral patch in New Caledonia PDF Austral Ecology 41 7 733 744 doi 10 1111 aec 12360 Bouchet Philippe Lozouet Pierre Maestrati Philippe Heros Virginie 20 April 2002 Assessing the magnitude of species richness in tropical marine environments exceptionally high numbers of molluscs at a New Caledonia site Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 75 4 421 436 doi 10 1046 j 1095 8312 2002 00052 x Garrigue Claire Zerbini Alexandre N Geyer Ygor Heide Jorgensen Mads Peter Hanaoka Wakao Clapham Phil 17 February 2010 Movements of satellite monitored humpback whales from New Caledonia Journal of Mammalogy 91 1 109 115 doi 10 1644 09 MAMM A 033R 1 New Caledonia Barrier Reef WWF Archived from the original on 20 December 2016 Retrieved 18 December 2016 Fenner Douglas Muir Paul 1 February 2008 Reef Corals of the Northwestern Lagoon of Grande Terre New Caledonia A Rapid Marine Biodiversity Assessment of the Coral Reefs of the Northwest Lagoon between Koumac and Yande Province Nord New Caledonia p 18 doi 10 1896 054 053 0102 Historic Local community meeting in New Caledonia to strengthen World Heritage conservation UNESCO 20 July 2015 Archived from the original on 20 December 2016 Retrieved 18 December 2016 Scuba Diving nouvelle caledonie Archived from the original on 20 December 2016 Retrieved 18 December 2016 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to New Caledonian lagoon New Caledonia Barrier Reef World Wildlife Fund New Caledonia reefs French Coral Reef Society Biodiversity and Nickel Mining in Kanaky New Caledonia Mines and Communities Website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title New Caledonian barrier reef amp oldid 1128968348, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
