Editing Juan de Nova Island (section)

== Fauna and flora ==
[[File:TAAF JuanDeNovaCimetière 09.jpg|alt=A spider of the genus Nephila|left|thumb|184x184px|A spider of the genus ''[[Nephila]]'' on Juan de Nova Island.]]
[[File:Juan de nova - récifs vues aériennes (26).jpg|alt=A coral reef off Juan de Nova Island.|thumb|Coral reefs are an important part of Juan de Nova Island's biodiversity.]]
Three or four times a year, scientists come to Juan de Nova Island to study its ecosystem. Despite the ongoing scientific efforts, an inventory of the island's biodiversity (particularly genetics) is only in its earliest stages. There is much to be studied.

Researchers from the [[University of Reunion Island]]'s ECOMAR lab have worked to identify or observe seabirds around the island. In particular, they have worked to study the behavior of 2 million pairs of [[tern]]s that have sought refuge on the island, forming the largest colony in the [[Indian Ocean]].

Pascale Chabanet, of the [[Institut de recherche pour le développement]], says based on their research on the island:
[[File:TAAF JuanDeNova28.jpg|alt=A crab from the Coenobitidae family|thumb|A crab from the [[Coenobitidae]] family on Juan de Nova Island.]]
<blockquote>"The reefs of these deserted and isolated islands like Juan de Nova Island are preserved from all pollution and anthropogenic influence. But they are affected by [[climate change]]."</blockquote>Such environments are useful for scientists to measure to what degree environmental changes are attributable to humans.

The scientists are also observing and working to mitigate the impact of the presence of [[invasive species]] on the island, including [[mosquito]]es such as ''[[Aedes aegypti]], [[Aedes fryeri]], [[Culex sitiens]], [[Culex tritaeniorhynchus]],'' and ''[[Mansonia uniformis]]''.<ref name=":1">Benedict MQ, Levine RS, Hawley WA & Lounibos LP – ''Spread of the Tiger: Global Risk of Invasion by the Mosquito Aedes albopictus'' . Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis, 2007, 7, 76-85</ref> ''[[Aedes albopictus]]'', an invasive Asian species that can carry pathogenic [[arbovirus]], has also been seen on the island.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=L. Bagny, M. Freulon, & H. Delatte|date=2009|title=Première mention d'Aedes albopictus, vecteur d'arbovirus, dans les îles Éparses du canal du Mozambique et actualisation de l'inventaire de la faune culicidienne.|url=http://www.pathexo.fr/documents/articles-bull/T102-3-3317-6p.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728054005/http://www.pathexo.fr/documents/articles-bull/T102-3-3317-6p.pdf|archive-date=2017-07-28|access-date=|website=ENTOMOLOGIE MÉDICALE|language=fr}}</ref>