Pacific Offshore Chile

Abstract

The study of island biotas has been one of the most productive issues in biogeography. Indeed, one of the most interesting and challenging aspects of Chilean plant geography correspond to the Pacific islands offshore the American continent. This applies especially for the Juan Fernandez and the Islas Desventuradas archipelagos that are analyzed regarding their geographical relationships. The flora of Juan Fernandez is especially attractive for biogeography due to the presence of many locally endemic taxa, and a primitive endemic family: the Lactoridaceae, represented by the only species Lactoris fernandeziana. Finally, the threatened status of most of the Fernandezian flora is discussed with attention for the possibilities of conservation and restoration. The Pacific islands offshore the continent have been called ``the portion of Chile that is not in America{''}(1) (Fig. 1.1). These are three separate clusters of islands that are emerged seamounts on the Nazca Plate, formed by intraplate volcanoes that occur along linear chains (Stern et al. 2007). The volcanic origin of these islands is most evident in Rapa Nui, which harbors three coalescent volcanic centres (Rano-Kau, Poike, and Maunga Terewaka), plus ca 70 secondary eruptive centres (IGM 2005).