An invasive species spread by threatened diurnal lemurs impacts rainforest structure in Madagascar

DeSisto, Camille; Park, Daniel; Davis, Charles C.; Ramananjato, Veronarindra; Tonos, Jadelys L.; Razafindratsima, Onja H.

doi:10.1007/s10530-020-02293-7

Cited by 18 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…These include neem trees (Azadirachta indica), guava (Psidium guajava), Ziziphus spp., or Morus spp. (Carrière et al 2008;DeSisto et al 2020;Kull et al 2012). Moreover, many of the more than 20 plant taxa people listed as "weeds" (e.g., Clidemia hirta, Lantana camara, and Rubus spp.)…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Utilitarian Plants for Lemur Conservation

et al. 2021

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Nature and species conservation often conflict with intensive natural resource or land use. Many protected areas are too small for long-term conservation of viable vertebrate populations, especially in Madagascar, and forests are subject to exploitation for a variety of natural resources. Trying to exclude people from the use of these resources has not been successful during economic, natural, or political crises or when human population growth outruns any development effort. People need economic and other benefits, and conservation measures have to account for these needs. We compiled native and introduced tree, shrub, and herbaceous species used by both people and native vertebrates for three regions, covering the domains of the dry, transitional, and humid forest of Madagascar. We carried out semistructured interviews and group discussions in 12 different villages in each study region in November 2017. People listed 139 utilitarian plant taxa. Our literature search revealed that 72 of these plant species and 13 genera used by people, were also used by 208 different terrestrial vertebrates including 58 lemur species. Application of the Forest Landscape Restoration approach with a combination of exotic and native plant species used by both people and animals could increase the economic value of restored forest habitats for people, thus providing incentives for forest conservation. Plantations of mixed utilitarian trees and shrubs could be integrated into agricultural landscapes. Among land-living vertebrates, lemurs seem to benefit most from this approach. These measures might contribute to a successful array of biodiversity conservation in anthropogenic landscapes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Utilitarian Plants for Lemur Conservation

et al. 2021

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“…In contrast, exotic fruiting trees and shrubs that readily grow in regenerating forests may attract frugivorous animals such as lemurs, promoting dispersal of native fruiting species and thus aiding in forest regeneration (Martinez & Razafindratsima, 2014). However, native seed dispersers can also facilitate invasion by exotic species, including Clidemia hirta and Psidium cattleianum (DeSisto et al, 2020; Martinez & Razafindratsima, 2014; Ramananjato et al, 2020).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The eco‐evolutionary history of Madagascar presents unique challenges to tropical forest restoration

et al. 2022

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High biodiversity and endemism combined with persistently high deforestation rates mark Madagascar as one of the hottest biodiversity hot spots. Contemporary rising interest in large-scale reforestation, both globally and throughout Madagascar itself, presents a promising impetus for forest restoration and biodiversity conservation across the island. However, Madagascar may face unique restoration challenges due to its equally unique eco-evolutionary trajectory, which must be understood to enable successful ecological restoration. We conducted a systematic review of potential barriers to restoration for terrestrial forest biomes (rain forests, dry forests, and subhumid highland forests) in Madagascar. Our results indicate that aboveground biomass recovery of Malagasy forests appears to be slower than other tropical forests. We suggest four key synergistic factors that inhibit restoration in Madagascar: (a) lack of resilience to shifting nutrient and fire regimes arising from widespread high-intensity shifting cultivation; (b) predominance of nutrient-poor, highly weathered ferralitic soils; (c) vulnerability of regenerating native trees to competition with invasive species due to their evolutionary isolation; and (d) low seed dispersal into regenerating forests due to the unique dependence of Malagasy trees on dispersal by forest-dependent endangered or extinct primates. However, we note that rigorous experimental study of regenerating forests in Madagascar is currently lacking. There are great opportunity and need for such research to disentangle drivers and interactions inhibiting forest restoration. These studies would enable reforestation practitioners to effectively capitalize on current global momentum to implement the large-scale restoration necessary for the conservation of Madagascar's numerous endemic species.

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“…In addition, effects must be considered at different scales. For examples, the presence of strawberry guava has been reported to locally increase species richness in frugivores, but as they are primary dispersers of the seed this further contributes to the spread and to associated changes in floral and faunal community structure and reduction in taxonomic richness (50).…”

Section: Predicting Future Extinction: Direct Drivers Of Lossmentioning

confidence: 99%

Madagascar’s extraordinary biodiversity: Evolution, distribution, and use

Antonelli

Smith

Perrigo

et al. 2022

Science

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Madagascar’s biota is hyperdiverse and includes exceptional levels of endemicity. We review the current state of knowledge on Madagascar’s past and current terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity by compiling and presenting comprehensive data on species diversity, endemism, and rates of species description and human uses, in addition to presenting an updated and simplified map of vegetation types. We report a substantial increase of records and species new to science in recent years; however, the diversity and evolution of many groups remain practically unknown (e.g., fungi and most invertebrates). Digitization efforts are increasing the resolution of species richness patterns and we highlight the crucial role of field- and collections-based research for advancing biodiversity knowledge and identifying gaps in our understanding, particularly as species richness corresponds closely to collection effort. Phylogenetic diversity patterns mirror that of species richness and endemism in most of the analyzed groups. We highlight humid forests as centers of diversity and endemism because of their role as refugia and centers of recent and rapid radiations. However, the distinct endemism of other areas, such as the grassland-woodland mosaic of the Central Highlands and the spiny forest of the southwest, is also biologically important despite lower species richness. The documented uses of Malagasy biodiversity are manifold, with much potential for the uncovering of new useful traits for food, medicine, and climate mitigation. The data presented here showcase Madagascar as a unique “living laboratory” for our understanding of evolution and the complex interactions between people and nature. The gathering and analysis of biodiversity data must continue and accelerate if we are to fully understand and safeguard this unique subset of Earth’s biodiversity.

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An invasive species spread by threatened diurnal lemurs impacts rainforest structure in Madagascar

Cited by 18 publications

References 70 publications

Using Utilitarian Plants for Lemur Conservation

Using Utilitarian Plants for Lemur Conservation

The eco‐evolutionary history of Madagascar presents unique challenges to tropical forest restoration

Madagascar’s extraordinary biodiversity: Evolution, distribution, and use

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