While not strictly a birding topic, nonetheless I think at least some list
members may find this item of interest and even some relevance.
I recall once some time ago reading or being told that the White Mangroves
(Avicennia marina*) in Port Phillip Bay were “the most southerly mangroves
in the world”. Being over at Jawbone Reserve (near Williamstown, approx
10km sw of Central Melbourne - for those not from Melbourne) on Sunday where
there is a stand of White Mangroves on the shoreline, with information
boards referring to their significance, I got to wondering whether this was
accurate information or not.
Some Google work produced the three excerpts that I have reproduced below.
Unfortunately there is lack of consistency in the information provided by
these three sources, although it seems pretty clear that Port Phillip Bay is
not the most southerly site in Australia . What is less clear is whether we
take the prize or whether those upstarts across the Tasman might have pipped
us at the post yet again! [Whichever is the winner also clearly takes the
world prize for “highest latitude” distribution.]
Does any reader (Aussie or Kiwi - or possibly a world botanist such as those
who recently attended a major international botanical conference in
Melbourne) have any further light to shed on this new example of
cross-Tasman rivalry??!
*White Mangrove (Avicennia marina) - The most developed and extensive
Victorian mangrove populations occur in Westernport Bay. White mangroves,
Avicennia marina subsp. Australasica, are the only mangroves that grow in
Victoria and also grow in most other states except Tasmania.
Richard NOWOTNY
Port Melbourne, Victoria
M: 0438 224 456
Australia’s mangroves are found in all mainland States and Territories with
coastal boundaries, including Western Australia, the Northern Territory,
Queensland, New South Wales, Jervis Bay Territory, Victoria, and South
Australia. Mangroves are not present in Tasmania. Australia has the third
largest area of mangroves in the world after Indonesia and Brazil, totalling
around 11,500 km2 representing approximately 6.4% of the world’s total
mangrove area. The larger forested areas of Australia’s mangroves,
approximately 75%, occur in the humid tropics to the north where human
population densities are low. However, there are notable areas of mangroves
in temperate regions as far south as Corner Inlet in Victoria around 38° S.
This is the most southerly and highest latitude site of mangroves in the
world. These southern stands consist entirely of one species, Avicennia
marina, a member of the plant family Avicenniaceae.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia> Australia has approximately 11,500
km2 of mangroves, primarily on the northern and eastern coasts of the
continent, with occurrences as far south as Millers Landing in
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilsons_Promontory> Wilsons Promontory,
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_(Australia)> Victoria (38°54′S) and
Barker Inlet in <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelaide> Adelaide,
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Australia> South Australia. <http://en.
wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangrove#cite_note-28>
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand> New Zealand also has mangrove
forests extending to around 38°S (similar to Australia's southernmost
mangrove incidence): the furthest geographical extent on the west coast is
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raglan,_New_Zealand> Raglan Harbour (37°48′
S); on the east coast, Ohiwa Harbour (near
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opotiki> Opotiki) is the furthest south
mangroves are found (38°00′S).
Mangroves extend to 31°22′ N in Japan and 32°20′ N in Bermuda, and to
38°45′ S in Australia and 38°59′ S in New Zealand.
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