Anak Krakatau is the small still active core of the massive Krakatau volcano which erupted in 1883 creating a tsunami which killed over 36,000 people on the coasts of Java and Sumatra. Anak Krakatau only emerged above the sea in 1930.
There were severe eruptions in 1952 and 1957 which are said to have sterilized the island of all plant life so the vegetation on Anak Krakau was approx. 58 years old in 2015 when this photo was taken. The spit at the bottom of the photo is known as the East Foreland and the fig population has been well documented. In 1985 the first figs to appear F. septica and F. fulva started fruiting and by 1992 the fig population also included F. ampelas, F. nervosa, F. hispida, F. variegata and F. fistulosa. Note that all but one of the 7 species (F. ampelas) are primarily bat dispersed.
Sertung (the island in the background) was part of the original volocanic rim of Krakatau which exploded in 1883, so the vegetation on Sertung was approximately 132 years old in 2015.
Note the tiny tourist boats next to the beach on the lower left. If you are staying in Jakarta it is possible to visit Anak Krakatau on a (long) day trip. Google Maps
Update May 2020: Since this article was written in 2019 further eruptions on Anak Krakatau have wiped all vegetation from the island. See this article about Ficus nervosa growing on the nearby island of Peucang.




Thornton et al. (1969) The role of animals in the colonization of the Krakatau islands
Note that the first 7 fig species to become established (1896-1908) were all small dioecious fig trees of the forest understorey or secondary forest dispersed primarily by small Cynopterus fruit bats.
Most fig ecologists would have predicted the exact opposite i.e. that the first figs to establish would be the monoecious canopy level stranglers that are common in W. Java such as F. microcarpa, F. drupacea, F. virens and F. benjamina. In fact it took nearly 100 years for these monoecius figs to establish. For a possible explanation, see Are Fig Wasps Hitch-Hikers ?

The cycle of life begins anew. Both Anak Krakatau and and Panjang ( the island on the right) have been completely denuded of plant life whilst on Sertung (island on the left) the plant life appears untouched. Photo from Google Maps early 2020.