Central Polynesian tropical moist forests

The Central Polynesian tropical moist forests ecoregion is located in Polynesia and includes the northern Cook Islands, Line Islands in Kiribati, Johnston Atoll, Jarvis Island, Palmyra Atoll, and Kingman Reef. These islands are atolls, consisting of coral sand surrounding a central lagoon, with eight inhabited and nine uninhabited atolls spanning 3,400 kilometers from north-northwest to south-southeast across the equator.

The climate is tropical with warm temperatures year-round and minimal seasonal variation. The northern and southern islands receive between 1,500 and 3,000 mm of annual rainfall, while those within 5° latitude of the equator receive less than 1,000 mm annually, experiencing periodic droughts.

Native vegetation on more humid islands includes tropical atoll forests with species like Pisonia grandis, Calophyllum inophyllum, and Pandanus tectorius. Drier islands are covered by low plants such as Lepturus repens grass and creepers like Tribulus cistoides, along with scrub areas.

The fauna is dominated by seabirds, with no native non-marine mammals or amphibians. The bokikokiko, an endemic reed warbler, is found on Teraina, Tabuaeran, and Kiritimati. The endangered Kuhl's lorikeet is present on Kiritimati and Teraina, formerly also in the Cook Islands.

Protected areas cover 83% of the ecoregion, including the Kiritimati wildlife refuge, Suwarrow Atoll, and the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, which protects Kingman Reef, Johnston Atoll, Jarvis Island, and Palmyra Atoll.