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Definition ot the region Special characteristics of Oceania Reviewing the protected areas system Methods Factors not considered in this regional synthesis

The South Pacific Regional Environment Programme has collected enough information through country reports and topic reviews to make a summary overview of the state of the environment in the South Pacific region. It is thus possible to examine the shared heritage of land, sea and living things that is common to all South Pacific peoples, as well as the environmental problems that are becoming widespread in the region. This overview can provide the basis for shared approaches to environmental management and problem-solving.

An ecosystem consists of all the organisms - plants, animals and micro-organisms - that occur in a given area, together with the non-living elements of the environment. The term ecosystem is used because the living and non-living elements are closely interrelated in a functioning system with producing, consuming, decomposing and non-living components. An ecosystem has therefore a spatial definition (it occurs in a definable area) and a functional definition (the parts of the system are interdependent and maintain at least temporary stability).