The main diversity among genus Araucaria is hosted in New Caledonia, where 14 species, all endemic, are described out of a total of 20 extant species.[1] These New Caledonian species are mainly found as dispersed populations in open areas, where competition is less intense.[2]
New Caledonia, considered as the smallest of the most significant biodiversity hotspots in the world,[3] hosts a unique flora of which 75.1% is endemic.[4] Species of Araucaria trees can be found in every habitat that New Caledonia possesses.[2] However, almost all of them are growing on ultramafic substrate, characterized by low fertility (low N, P, K levels) and high levels of heavy metals (nickel, cobalt, etc.).[5]
- ^ Mill RR., Ruhsam M., Thomas PI., Gardner MF. and Hollingsworth PM. 2017. Araucaria goroensis (Araucariaceae), a new Monkey Puzzle from New Caledonia, and nomenclatural notes on Araucaria muelleri. Edinburgh Journal of Botany 1–17.
- ^ a b Veillon JM. 1980. Architecture des espèces néo-Calédoniennes du genre Araucaria. Candollea 35: 609-640.
- ^ Brummitt N., Lughadha EN. 2003. Biodiversity: where's hot and where's not. Conservation Biology 17: 1442-1448.
- ^ FLORICAL vers. 22.IV.2016. Morat P., Jaffré T., Tronchet F., Munzinger J., Pillon Y., Veillon J.-M. and Chalopin M. 2012. Le référentiel taxonomique FLORICAL et les caractéristiques de la flore vasculaire indigène de la Nouvelle-Calédonie. Adansonia sér. 3 34(2): 177-219. Munzinger J., Morat P., Jaffré T., Gâteblé G., Pillon Y., Tronchet F., Veillon J.-M., and M. Chalopin. 2016. FLORICAL: Checklist of the vascular indigenous flora of New Caledonia. vers. 22.IV.2016. http://www.botanique.nc/herbier/florical Archived 2017-04-01 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Jaffré T., Munzinger J. and Lowry PP. 2010. Threats to the conifer species found on New Caledonia’s ultramafic massifs and proposal for urgently needed measures to improve their protection. Biodiversity and Conservation 19: 1485-1502.