The PABITRA Gateway Transect in Fiji covers most of the eastern part of Viti Levu, the largest island in the archipelago. Viti Levu is located exclusively on the Fiji Plate, a microplate between the giant Pacific Plate and the Indo-Australian Plate that has been moved counterclockwise within the past 42 million yr as a result of their oblique convergence. There is no secure geologic evidence that Viti Levu was ever in contact with part of Gondwana, despite the presence of Gondwana flora. The oldest rock series in the area is the submarine Eocene Wainimala Group, intruded in places by the Colo Plutonics. These are succeeded by the Medrausucu Andesitic Group, the Ba Volcanics, and the Verata Sedimentary Group, a Plio-Pleistocene group of sediments representing deltaic and shallow-water deposition in the southeast of the area. The modern Rewa Delta and associated alluvial flats compose the youngest rocks in the area. The geology of the six study sites within the PABITRA Transect is explained in detail. Being on the windward side of the island, the area's climate is humid tropical, with the lowest temperatures and highest precipitation being associated with the highest elevations. A short account of the area's landscape is given.
展开▼
