Archipelago Research Articles

Characterization of a spring pendulum phase-space trajectories.

We study the geometrical properties of phase-space trajectories (or orbits) of a spring pendulum as functions of the energy. Poincaré maps are used to describe the properties of the system. The points in the Poincaré maps of regular orbits (non-chaotic) cluster around separated segments or in chains of islands. Looking at how segments are formed, we conclude that the orbits are closely related to torus knots. Examining the toroidal and poloidal turns of the orbits, we introduce the definition of a rational parameter Ω, which is closely related to the concept of frequency used in the analysis of dynamical systems. Algorithms were developed to calculate Ω, and we found that this parameter naturally describes the orbits in terms of Farey sequences; also, calculations show that orbits with the same Ω have similar dynamics. Orbits corresponding to chains of islands are identified with cable knots that can be characterized using two parameters analogous to Ω. In some cases, non-trivial cable knots were found. With the analysis presented in this study, it is shown that Ω follows predictable distributions in the (z,Ω) space.

Localization of beam generated whistler wave and turbulence generation in reconnection region of magnetopause

Whistler waves have been studied for many years in relation to turbulence and particle heating, and observations show that they are crucial to magnetic reconnection. Recent research has revealed a close relationship between magnetic reconnection and turbulence. The current work investigates the whistler turbulence caused by the energetic electron beam in the magnetic reconnection sites of magnetopause and also due to dynamic evolution of magnetic islands. For this, we develop a model based upon the two-fluid approximation to study whistler dynamics, propagating in the medium with the pre-existing chain of magnetic islands and under the influence of background density perturbation originating from ponderomotive nonlinearity of wave. Dynamics of nonlinear whistler have been solved with pseudo-spectral approach and a finite difference method with a modified predictor–corrector method and a Runge Kutta method for the semianalytical model. In the current research, we study how the nonlinear whistler wave contributes to the significant space phenomenon, i.e., turbulence, localization, and magnetic reconnection. We have also investigated the formation of a current sheet in a magnetopause region of the order of few-electron inertial length. We analyzed the power spectrum at the magnetopause when the system reached a quasi-steady condition. Our new approach to study whistler turbulence by an energetic electron beam at the magnetic reconnection sites has extensive applications to space plasmas, shedding a new light on the study of magnetic reconnection in nature.

Patterns and Trend Analysis of Rain-on-Snow Events using Passive Microwave Satellite Data over the Canadian Arctic Archipelago Since 1987

Abstract Climate change has a profound effect on Arctic meteorology extreme events, such as rain-on-snow (ROS), which affects surface state variable spatial and temporal variability. Passive microwave satellite images can help detect such events in polar regions where local meteorological and snow information is scarce. In this study, we use a detection algorithm using high-resolution passive microwave data to monitor spatial and temporal variability of ROS over the Canadian Arctic Archipelago from 1987 to 2019. The method is validated using data from several meteorological stations and atmospheric corrections have been applied to the passive microwave dataset. Our approach to detect ROS is based on two methods: 1) over a fixed time period (i.e., 1 November–31 May) throughout the study period and 2) using an a priori detection for snow presence before applying our ROS algorithm (i.e., length of studied winter varies yearly). Event occurrence is analyzed for each winter and separated by island groups of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Results show an increase in absolute ROS occurrence, mainly along the coasts, although no statistically significant trends are observed. Significance Statement Rain-on-snow (ROS) is known to have significant consequences on vegetation and fauna, especially widespread events. This study aimed to use a recent high-resolution dataset of passive microwave observations to investigate spatial and temporal trends in ROS occurrence in the Arctic. Results show that a global increase in event occurrence can be observed across the arctic.

Distribution pattern of Armadillidae species (Crustacea: Isopoda: Oniscidea) on the Izu Islands, Japan

Faunal studies of oceanic islands provide unique opportunities to study ecology and evolution. Four Armadillidae taxa were recorded from the Izu Islands, a group of oceanic islands off the coast of Japan. The distributions of these taxa and a phylogenetic tree are based on molecular data for 249 specimens from 88 sites. The Spherillo russoi (Arcangeli, 1927) species complex is distributed widely throughout these islands, and dispersal may have occurred via oceanic currents. On the nearby Izuoshima and Toshima Islands, Spherillo dorsalis (Iwamoto, 1943) may have recently migrated from the Izu Peninsula either via currents or been transported by human activity. In the middle islands, Shikinejima, Kozushima, Miyakejima, and Mikurajima, Venezillo hasegawai (Nunomura, 1991) was found, which may be derived from Spherillo obscurus (Budde-Lund, 1885) distributed in the Kanto region on the mainland. On the most southern and distant Hachijojima Island, Spherillo punctatus Nunomura, 2007 was found, and it does not differ genetically from specimens from Izenajima and Tokunoshima Islands in the Nansei Island Group, despite an approximate 1,000-km distance between them; this species may have been transferred by human activity. Our study showed that the Armadillidae assemblages in the Izu Islands were formed by several migration routes.

Thirty-four new species of Rhagovelia (Heteroptera: Veliidae) from the East Papua Composite Terrane, far eastern New Guinea.

Thirty-four new species of Rhagovelia are described from the East Papua Composite Terrane of far eastern New Guinea. The new taxa described from this area are as follows: R. yela, R. woa, and R. mbo from Rossel Island; R. tagula, R. kolukolu, and R. riu from Tagula Island; R. bwagabwaga from Misima Island; R. suloga from Woodlark Island; R. torrenticola and R. elongata from Goodenough Island; R. awaetowa from Fergusson Island; R. dibuwa from Normanby Island; R. basima from Fergusson and Normanby islands; R. kalawai from Sideia and Basilaki islands; R. guiagoila from Basilaki, Sideia and Sariba islands; R. tufi, R. bowutu, R. obscura, R. upalai, R. antap, R. goilala, R. udabe, R. watuti, R. peninsularis, R. auga, R. aviavi, R. tekadu, R. sapoi, R. mimani, R. dinga, R. ivimkana, R. loriae, R. grisea, and R. cheesmanae from the Owen Stanley Range of eastern New Guinea. Redescriptions are also provided for five previously described species occurring in this portion of New Guinea: R. peggiae Kirkaldy, R. hirsuta Lansbury, R. priori Lansbury, R. caesius Lansbury and R. aureospicata Lansbury. A regional key is provided for these 39 species of Rhagovelia occurring in the Papuan Peninsula and adjacent island groups, accompanied by figures of the male parameres and other diagnostic morphological structures, and distribution maps for all species.

Biogeography and History of the Prehuman Native Mammal Fauna of the New Zealand Region

The widespread perception of New Zealand is of a group of remote islands dominated by reptiles and birds, with no native mammals except a few bats. In fact, the islands themselves are only part of a wider New Zealand Region which includes a large section of Antarctica. In total, the New Zealand Region has at least 63 recognised taxa (species, subspecies and distinguishable clades) of living native mammals, only six of which are bats. The rest comprise a large and vigorous assemblage of 57 native marine mammals (9 pinnipeds and 48 cetaceans), protected from human knowledge until only a few centuries ago by their extreme isolation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. Even after humans first began to colonise the New Zealand archipelago in about 1280 AD, most of the native marine mammals remained unfamiliar because they are seldom seen from the shore. This paper describes the huge contrast between the history and biogeography of the tiny fauna of New Zealand’s native land mammals versus the richly diverse and little-known assemblage of marine mammals.

Investigating radiation profiles and conducting risk assessment for ecological and environmental components on Vaan and Koswari islands in the Tuticorin group of islands, India.

Natural radioactive concentration assessment was conducted on sediment, water, and biota obtained on Vaan and Koswari islands in the Tuticorin group of islands, Tamil Nadu, India. For biotic and abiotic components, radiation profiles such as gross alpha, beta, primordial radionuclide, polonium, and lead analyses were performed. The gross α and β range from BDL to 15.18 ± 1.7Bq/kg and 40.43 ± 4.9Bq/kg to 105.12 ± 11.7Bq/kg, respectively. Primordial radionuclides were analyzed using Nal(TI)-based scintillator with PC-MCA, and the concentrations ranged from 13.43 ± 3.3Bq/kg to 30.97 ± 9.6Bq/kg with a mean of 21.31 ± 2.7Bq/kg for 238U; for 232Th, the values ranged from 11.09 ± 2.6Bq/kg to 33.55 ± 9.5Bq/kg with an average value of 23.89 ± 3.7Bq/kg; and for 40K, the values are 93.33 ± 27.3Bq/kg to 219.91 ± 39.6Bq/kg with an average value of 148.27 ± 21.7Bq/kg. The present study values are lesser than the world average values. 210Po and 210Pb concentrations with an average value were determined to be 33.13Bq/L and 16.56Bq/L, 47.55Bq/L and 22.37Bq/L in the water sample, and 50.437Bq kg1 and 62.012Bq kg1, 46.99Bq/kg and 58.625Bq/kg in sediments of Vaan island and Koswari island. The concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb of Pogonias cromis were 19.27 ± 1.5Bq/kg and 8.27 ± 1.01Bq/kg, Belonidae 28.54 ± 2.4Bq/kg and 18.32 ± 2.3Bq/kg, Lepisosteidae 18.68 ± 1.4Bq/kg and 11.17 ± 1.8Bq/kg. The committed effective dosage was determined to be 35.74-54.61 µSv/y for 210Po and 25.39-56.25 µSv/y for 210Pb, in which the 210Pb value is lower; however, the 210Po value is higher than the global average value. The annual committed effective dosage as well as the radiological hazard indices were assessed and found to be much below the global average and the recommended limit, respectively. This research provides an extensive analysis of natural background radiation and establishes a baseline report on the radiological profile of biotic and abiotic factors in the Tuticorin group of islands, namely Vaan and Koswari, in Tamil Nadu, India.

Cumulative trophic curves elucidate tropical coral reef ecosystems

There are few generalizable patterns in ecology, with widespread observations and predictability. One possible generalizable pattern is the cumulative trophic theory, which consistently exhibits S-curves of cumulative biomass over trophic level (TL) for over 200 different marine ecosystems. But whether those cumulative biomass patterns persist in some of the more distinct marine ecosystems, coral reefs, is unclear. Coral reefs are unique among marine ecosystems, representing global biodiversity hotspots and providing crucial ecosystem services. They are subject to many pressures, including both global (e.g., climate and ocean changes, warming, acidification) and local (e.g., overexploitation/overfishing, increase in turbidity, bleaching, habitat destruction, invasive species) stressors. The analysis of emergent ecosystem features, such as cumulative biomass S-curves, could represent a useful and new analytical option that can also be implemented for coral reefs. The cumulative biomass approach was applied to 42 U.S. Pacific islands (Guam and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the Pacific Remote Islands Areas, and the Northwestern and Main Hawaiian Islands), using data collected from fish surveys. Results show that coral reef ecosystems do indeed follow the S-curve patterns expected from cumulative trophic theory, which is not trivial for tropical reef systems that tend to be less widely examined and strongly dominated by structuring organisms like corals. The curve parameters results are also consistent with both fish assemblage diversity indexes and the benthic substrate ratio, which suggests this measure could serve as a useful ecosystem indicator to measure the ecological status of reefs. Moreover, the curve shape was consistent with what one would expect for different levels of perturbation, with the areas more densely inhabited showing less pronounced S-curves, in contrast to those observed in low human population density islands. All this is reflected in the curve parameters, particularly inflection point of the TL and steepness, generally showing a negative response to both natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Cross-archipelago differences have also been detected with the Hawaiian Island chain tending to have lower inflection points for biomass and TL than other regions. Collectively our findings demonstrate the potential application of the cumulative biomass approach to evaluate coral reef ecosystems.

Morphological Study of The Pulai Watershed on Bintan Island, Riau Island

The Riau Islands are a group of small islands whose entire land is divided into watersheds. One of the watersheds in the Riau Islands that is currently the main source of raw water for the community is Sei Pulai. The condition of the watershed on Bintan Island is greatly influenced by its morphometrics. The purpose of this study is to determine the morphological characteristics of the Pulai watershed on Bintan Island. This research was conducted in 2024 with observation by survey. Data processing is carried out by physical mapping of watersheds (soil, slope and geology). The results of the analysis showed that the Island watershed was included in the category of high rainfall (average rainfall of 2,500 -< 3,000 mm/year) but the intensity of rainfall was relatively low with an average ± 19.11 mm/day; the widest geological characteristics were composed of Pre-Tertiary and Quaternary sedimentary formations and igneous rocks consisting of granite and diorite; geomorphological characteristics consist of hills and undulating, rivers have low relief, laminar river flows and no rapids are found, with clear river water color; The slope of the Pulai watershed varies with class I slopes covering an area of ±412 Ha (7%); class II covering an area of ±4,071 Ha (74%); class III covering an area of ±897 Ha (16%); class IV covering an area of ±36 Ha (1%) and class V covering an area of ±83 Ha (2%); the shape of the slope of the Pulai watershed which has a hilly area with a sunken slope will produce a sharper hydrograph uplift. In general, the morphological characteristics of the Pulai watershed are geologically dominated by slopes of 8-15%, while geomorphology is dominated by the shape of old volcanic plains. Efforts are needed to rehabilitate and plant protected areas to overcome erosion caused by the slope of hilly land and fragile soil characteristics, especially protected areas outside forest areas during the rainy season.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Tuberculosis Incidence, Arkansas, USA, 2010-2021.

We conducted an epidemiologic assessment of disease distribution by race/ethnicity to identify subpopulation-specific drivers of tuberculosis (TB). We used detailed racial/ethnic categorizations for the 932 TB cases diagnosed in Arkansas, USA, during 2010-2021. After adjusting for age and sex, racial/ethnic disparities persisted; the Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (NHPI) group had the highest risk for TB (risk ratio173.6, 95% CI 140.6-214.2) compared with the non-Hispanic White group, followed by Asian, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic Black. Notable racial/ethnic disparities existed across all age groups; NHPI persons 0-14 years of age were at a particularly increased risk for TB (risk ratio888, 95% CI 403-1,962). The risks for sputum smear-positive pulmonary TB and extrapulmonary TB were both significantly higher for racial/ethnic minority groups. Our findings suggest that TB control in Arkansas can benefit from a targeted focus on subpopulations at increased risk for TB.

The role of culturally appropriate interpersonal communication strategies to reduce hepatitis B and liver cancer disparities.

Asian and Pacific Islander (API), African, and Caribbean immigrant groups in the U.S. are disproportionately impacted by chronic hepatitis B and hepatocellular carcinoma (primary liver cancer). Creating educational communication campaigns about hepatitis B and liver cancer for these communities is necessary to increase disease-related awareness and prompt health-promoting behaviors. Identifying interpersonal communication (IPC) preferences within diverse communities for integration into an educational campaign that emphasizes the link between hepatitis B and liver cancer can ultimately promote uptake of screening, vaccination and linkage to appropriate care. Fifteen focus groups and two key informant interviews were conducted with participants from Micronesian, Chinese, Hmong, Nigerian, Ghanaian, Vietnamese, Korean, Somali, Ethiopian, Filipino, Haitian, and Francophone West African communities. Data were analyzed using thematic coding and analysis. Findings demonstrate that all communities preferred that materials be offered in both English and native languages and emphasized that campaigns highlight the connection between hepatitis B and liver cancer. Educational sessions should take place in settings where communities feel safe, including community-based organizations, religious establishments, and healthcare offices, and should be facilitated by trusted messengers, including patient navigators, doctors and faith leaders. Presenting accurate information and dispelling myths and misconceptions around hepatitis B, liver cancer, and their connection were the biggest needs identified across all focus groups. This study provides insight into community-specific preferences for learning about hepatitis B and liver cancer through IPC methods. The findings from this study can be used to design multi-platform, culturally and linguistically appropriate health education campaigns to facilitate improved diagnosis, prevention, and management of hepatitis B and liver cancer among heavily impacted communities in the U.S.

Boreal to temperate forests transition within Kunashir Island (the Kuril Archipelago): Insights from the novel vegetation map

The vegetation of the Kuril Islands remains insufficiently explored due to their remote location and harsh environment. Understanding the factors that influence vegetation distribution in this extensive volcanic chain of islands, spanning over a thousand kilometers, is important for global biogeography. Our paper presents the first vegetation map of Kunashir Island from the Kuril archipelago, compiled using Sentinel-2 medium-resolution multispectral satellite imagery, incorporating original field research data and the Random Forest machine-learning algorithm. The temperate broad-leaved forests are mainly composed of Acer mono subsp. mayrii and Quercus mongolica, predominantly limited to the southwestern coast, and true-boreal dark-coniferous Abies sachalinensis–Picea jezoensis forests located in the northeast part of Kunashir. The vegetation distribution pattern is associated with the warming effect of the Soja current on the east coast of Kunashir Island and the cooling effect of the Kuril current on the west coast. Kunashir's vegetation displays features of an ecotone between temperate and boreal zones. Still, the boundary between these zones should be drawn within the island, rather than between Kunashir and Hokkaido or Kunashir and Iturup, as suggested in some previous biogeographic generalizations.

Putting the State in its Place. An Ethnographic Look at Tuvalu’s Sovereignty in the Context of the Ecological Crisis

Composed entirely of low-lying coral atolls and reef islands, the Polynesian microstate of Tuvalu is at risk of being submerged by sea levels rising due to global warming. Such circumstance raises unprecedented scenarios: were it to become uninhabitable, in fact, Tuvalu would be the first state to lose its sovereignty due to a physical damage to its territory. However, traditional understandings of sovereignty are of little use in assessing Tuvalu’s political consistency, and speculations on the future of the country, such as those that predict its disappearance, are at risk of overlooking the specificity of its history. Combining a historical and an ethnographic approach with an analysis of recent land conflicts that arose in the capital of the country, this article explores the question of Tuvalu’s future within a) the long history of institutional vicissitudes that led a disparate group of islands to become a sovereign state; and b) a study of the dynamics underlying the political texture of Tuvalu and the complex architecture of its sovereignty.

Japan's "Three National Security Documents" and Defense Capabilities: Reinforcing a Radical Military Trajectory

Abstract: Japan's government argues that its 2022 three national security documents are at the same time transformational and yet maintain overall continuity in military and security policy. This article through investigating pivotal aspects of the defense reforms—perceived threats and strategy, defense budgets, counterstrike doctrine and capabilities, first island chain defense, and domestic policy and public resolve for implementation—weighs the strength of arguments for essential continuity versus step change. It concludes that the three documents fundamentally change Japan's exclusively defense-oriented policy and the division of labor in the U.S.-Japan alliance, further accelerate Japan's radical military trajectory, and pose important implications for regional security.

First records of Herald Petrel Pterodroma heraldica on Phillip Island (Norfolk Island Group)

The Herald Petrel Pterodroma heraldica is a medium-sized gadfly petrel that breeds primarily on islands across the tropical and subtropical South Pacific Ocean. Its only confirmed breeding site in the Australasian region is Raine Island off North Queensland, where it occurs in very small numbers. Here we report on the presence of a Herald Petrel ashore on Phillip Island (Norfolk Island Group) in June 2021, and subsequent sightings in May and June 2022. On most occasions that a Herald Petrel was observed on the ground, it was seen under a shrub, behaviour which is consistent with prospecting for a nest site in this surface-nesting species. These sightings make Phillip Island one of just four locations in Australian territory at which the Herald Petrel has been recorded ashore away from Raine Island. Our new records reinforce the importance of active island restoration and the value of long-term intensive monitoring efforts. Future observations will confirm whether the species attempts to establish on Phillip Island, a location free from introduced predators and with ample suitable habitat.

Doubling the known diversity of a remote island fauna: marine bivalves of the Juan Fernández and Desventuradas oceanic archipelagos (Southeastern Pacific Ocean).

Juan Fernández and Desventuradas are two oceanic archipelagos located in the southeastern Pacific Ocean far off the Chilean coast that received protected status as marine parks in 2016. Remoteness and access difficulty contributed to historically poor biodiversity sampling and limited associated research. This is particularly noticeable for bivalves, with most prior regional publications focused on single taxa or un-illustrated checklists. This study investigates marine bivalves collected between the intertidal and 415 m depth during (1) the 1997 IOC97 expedition aboard the M/V Carlos Porter, with special focus on scuba-collected micro-mollusks of both archipelagos, (2) two expeditions by the R/V Anton Bruun (Cruise 12/1965 and Cruise 17/1966), and (3) Cruise 21 of USNS Eltanin under the United States Antarctic Program, which sampled at Juan Fernández in 1965. Also, relevant historical material of the British H.M.S. Challenger Expedition (1873-1876), the Swedish Pacific Expedition (1916-1917), and by German zoologist Ludwig H. Plate (1893-1895) is critically revised. A total of 48 species are recognized and illustrated, including 19 new species (described herein) and six other potentially new species. The presence of two species mentioned in the literature for the region (Aulacomya atra and Saccella cuneata) could not be confirmed. The genera Verticipronus and Halonympha are reported for the first time from the Eastern Pacific, as are Anadara and Condylocardia from Chilean waters. Lectotypes are designated for Arca (Barbatia) platei and Mytilus algosus. These findings double the number of extant bivalve species known from the Juan Fernández and Desventuradas archipelagos, highlighting the lack of attention these islands groups have received in the past. A high percentage of species endemic to one or both archipelagos are recognized herein, accounting for almost 78% of the total. The newly recognized level of bivalve endemism supports the consideration of Juan Fernández and Desventuradas as two different biogeographic units (Provinces or Ecoregions) of the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

A noteworthy bat record from São Vicente Island, Cape Verde Archipelago (Mammalia: Chiroptera)

A bat belonging to the family Molossidae was discovered on the eastern shore of Săo Vicente Island, Cape Verde Archipelago (approx. coordinates 16°50’45’N, 24°52’15’W) on 3 October 2023. The record represents a fourth bat species, and third bat family documented from the north-western island group of the Cape Verde Islands and a second species undoubtedly coming from Săo Vicente Island. Moreover, it very probably is the eighth species of bat documented from the whole archipelago, as the molossid bat previously recorded from Sal Island seems to belong to a different (but unknown) species. Because only photographs of the dorsal aspect of the newly recorded bat are available, while its proper examination has not been made, an accurate species identification is not possible. However, based on the body size and colouration of the bat, it seems to be clear that it does not comprise Tadarida teniotis, the only Palaearctic representative of the family, but most probably a species of the Afro-tropic origin. Possible species affiliation of the bat is discussed.

Molecular genetic biodiversity assessment of the Wallis Island sponge fauna in the Tropical Pacific

Abstract Polynesia is a hotspot for marine biodiversity in the South Pacific Ocean, yet the distribution of many invertebrate taxa in this region is still often poorly assessed. Information on the diversity and phylogeography of sponges in particular remains limited in spite of their importance for coral reef ecosystems. Recent expeditions to the island group of Wallis and Futuna enabled the first larger-scale assessment of the Wallis Island sponge fauna, resulting in the molecular identification of 82 unique Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) from 339 sponge samples based on 28S C-region rDNA and CO1 mtDNA data. Faunal comparisons with both adjacent archipelagos and more distant Indo-Pacific regions were predominantly based on the MOTUs obtained from Wallis Island ecoregions, and suggest high levels of endemism of sponges in Wallis and Futuna, corroborating previous data on the biodiversity of sponges and other marine phyla in the South Pacific. The results of this molecular taxonomic survey of the Wallis and Futuna sponge fauna aim to lay solid foundations for a sustainable ‘Blue Economy’ in Wallis and Futuna for the conservation of their local coral reefs.

Distribution network reconfiguration optimization method based on undirected-graph isolation group detection and the whale optimization algorithm

<abstract> <p>As distributed generation (DG) becomes increasingly integrated into the distribution grid, the structure of the distribution network is becoming more complex. To enhance the safety and cost-effectiveness of distribution systems, distribution network reconfiguration is gaining significant importance. Achieving optimal distribution network reconfiguration entails two key considerations: A feasible topology and economic efficiency. This paper addresses these challenges by introducing a novel approach that combines the potential island detection in undirected-graphs and the application of a whale optimization algorithm (WOA) for network reconfiguration optimization. To begin, we identified island categories based on the type of switchable-branches connected to these islands, allowing for the construction of potential island groups. Subsequently, unfeasible topologies were eliminated based on the conditions under which islands form within these potential island groups. Feasible topologies were then used to construct a model for network reconfiguration optimization. The optimal distribution network topology is determined using the WOA. In the final phase, the proposed method's effectiveness was demonstrated through a case study on the IEEE-33 node distribution network under scenarios with and without DG integration. The results showed that the proposed method exhibited better performance than traditional approaches in distribution network reconfiguration.</p> </abstract>

The Potential of Local Food Diversification in Supporting Sustainable Food Security in Maluku Islands

Every region in Indonesia has food potential according to the region's characteristics, as is the case with Maluku, an archipelago province with a diverse group of small islands. Due to the distinctive characteristics of each island, sufficient knowledge regarding the condition of potential food and its constraints is needed to avoid food shortages. The study aimed to analyze the constraints and potential of local food diversification on each island situated in the XII Island Clusters of Maluku to achieve the fulfillment of sustainable food and food security for each of these islands. The data used was descriptive data collected from a significant number of previous research journals, documents, and field notes. Data analysis was conducted using a qualitative descriptive method that attempts to describe and interpret food diversification potentials and constraints in XII GP in Maluku based on the reality through a thorough literature study. The analysis results showed that in most of the small islands in Maluku, the land was dry and hilly, the rainfall was low, the tilling layer was thin, the soil fertility was low, and it was easily degraded. The resources of farmers with qualified agricultural knowledge were still very limited. However, the potential gained was that there were six main types of food spread across XII GP, namely sago, corn, barley (hotong), upland rice, sweet potatoes, and bananas, which can be obtained and processed to fulfill the food needs of the community and ultimately achieve sustainable food security for everyone in the islands.