Survey and inventory of New Guinea forest trees and arthropods

The island of New Guinea contains the third largest remaining area of tropical forest wilderness next to the Amazon and Congo basins. Biotic surveys in New Guinea are timely as the accelerating pace of human activity threatens species with extinction before they are known to science. A decade of prior collaboration has positioned the research team to conduct a coordinated survey of forest trees and insects at Wanang, Papua New Guinea (PNG). These surveys aim to establish the largest permanent study area for forest trees in PNG that will enable the discovery of new species. Surveys include the mapping and identification of all trees in 125 acres of forest followed by inventories of termites, moths, butterflies, fruit flies, ants and bees.

Building research infrastructure in New Guinea fills a major gap in the global network of forest monitoring sites. A network including PNG is needed to estimate the contribution of tropical forests to the global carbon budget and the potential for new forests to offset CO2 emissions. The survey has a direct impact on biodiversity conservation by establishing a new protected area. Specimens and data will establish a baseline for monitoring the response of tropical forests to global change.