The Use of Vanilla Plantations by Lemurs: Encouraging Findings for both Lemur Conservation and Sustainable Agroforestry in the Sava Region, Northeast Madagascar

Hending, Dan; Andrianiaina, Angelo; Rakotomalala, Zafimahery; Cotton, Sam

doi:10.1007/s10764-018-0022-1

Cited by 78 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…In addition to the effects of the vanilla plantations themselves on native vegetation, we predicted that factors other than human activity would also affect the floral species richness of the forests and vanilla plantations of Madagascar (and indeed the rest of the tropics). For example, seed‐dispersing lemurs (Hending et al, ; Wright et al, ) and birds (Bollen, Elacker, & Ganzhorn, ) are more abundant in Madagascar's forested areas and thus may contribute to the regeneration of forest vegetation, maintaining or enhancing floral species richness at the local level (Cordeiro & Howe, ). Indeed, we documented the presence of five species of lemur within vanilla plantations (Hending, Andrianiaina, Rakotomalala, & Cotton, ; Hending et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, seed‐dispersing lemurs (Hending et al, ; Wright et al, ) and birds (Bollen, Elacker, & Ganzhorn, ) are more abundant in Madagascar's forested areas and thus may contribute to the regeneration of forest vegetation, maintaining or enhancing floral species richness at the local level (Cordeiro & Howe, ). Indeed, we documented the presence of five species of lemur within vanilla plantations (Hending, Andrianiaina, Rakotomalala, & Cotton, ; Hending et al, ). Such species are known to be seed dispersers (e.g., Lahann, ), and so may increase local floral species richness through their endozoochorous behaviour (Cordeiro & Howe, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Forest eco‐plantations may therefore represent a valuable haven for endemic and forest‐specialising species, and these human‐modified habitats may in fact function as viable matrices of habitat extension between forest fragments. Seed‐dispersing animals that have been observed in vanilla plantations would then be able to use these travel matrices and provide a means of habitat regeneration (Bollen et al, ; Hending et al, ; Wright et al, ). These results are both important and encouraging for environmental management and for the coordination of responsible and sustainable cultivation of the vanilla crop within the Sava region.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As in Hending et al (), we identified four different habitat types and classified them using geographical and observational data to permit consistent comparisons: Natural forest—a forest which has generated itself at the location and which consists of 75% naturally immigrant tree species (Kirby, Petersen, Spencer, & Walker, ). Forest vanilla eco‐plantation—an area of land used for vanilla production, where the pre‐existing vegetation has not been significantly removed, modified or managed (Goldthorpe, ); vanilla is grown upon pre‐existing vegetation. Sites are deemed to be connected or within very close proximity to the nearest forest fragment if they were <100 m away.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, these species are absent from Madagascar, so pollination of vanilla orchids is done manually by plantation workers, making it a labour‐intensive crop. Vanilla plants are grown upon other types of vegetation for support (“tutor” plants), and the crop is grown using a variety of cultivation methods and management regimes ranging from “traditional” small‐scale plantations to large intensively farmed plantations (Hending, Andrianiaina, Rakotomalala, & Cotton, ; S. Cotton, D. Hending, & A. Andrianiaina, Unpublished Report). Vanilla plantations are widespread in northern Madagascar and are the main source of income for many farmers in the region (AFB, ; Bomgardner, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Floral species richness, structural diversity and conservation value of vanilla agroecosystems in Madagascar

et al. 2019

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Agricultural landscapes provide financial livelihoods for farming communities in rural areas. However, such agroenvironments can significantly impact the local floral biodiversity and introduce harmful invasive species to the ecosystem. Despite the prominence of plantations throughout the tropics, their effects on local flora are limited to only a few specific cash crops and geographical regions. Here, we compared the species richness and structural diversity of vegetation in natural forest fragments and three types of vanilla plantation within the Sava region of north‐east Madagascar ranging from those within or adjacent to existing forests, to intensively cultivated plantations. We recorded data on plant species abundance, diameter at breast height and canopy cover within multiple sites of each habitat. We used abundance data to calculate species richness indices, and we compared these metrics between habitats. Forested habitats contained a significantly higher floral species richness, structural diversity and more endemic and regionally native species than nonforested, anthropogenic vanilla plantations. However, our results suggest that the high floral species richness and structural diversity of natural forests can be partially achieved in vanilla plantations, depending on the site's management regime; traditionally managed vanilla plantations located close to natural forests can support diverse floral communities. These encouraging findings for plant conservation and sustainable agroforestry in Madagascar suggest that that newly created vanilla plantations and already existing nonforested plantations should endeavour to follow the more traditional forested approach to enhance the future sustainability and promote floristic diversity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Floral species richness, structural diversity and conservation value of vanilla agroecosystems in Madagascar

et al. 2019

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Trends in forest fragment research in Madagascar: Documented responses by lemurs and other taxa

Kling

Yaeger

Wright

2020

American J Primatol

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The rise in research investigating fragmentation and its impact on primates and other taxa reflects the growing presence of fragmented landscapes themselves. Although numerous studies report the negative effects of fragmentation on biodiversity, it is difficult to generalize responses to fragmentation for specific taxonomic groups, such as non-human primates, when studies have not employed a definitive concept of fragmentation or fragments themselves. Madagascar's high degree of fragmentation, wealth of endemic taxa, and extensive history of ecological research provide the opportunity to compare fragmentation studies across similar contexts. We conducted a literature search of peer-reviewed articles on fragmentation in Madagascar to characterize its trends. A total of 70 articles, 46 of which concentrated on lemurs, tested the impacts of fragmentation on Malagasy taxa, while additional sources conducted research in one or more fragments without testing its effects (n = 112 total, 79 on lemurs). Studies on lemurs most frequently tested fragmentation's impacts on genetics and biodiversity metrics (n = 16 and 15 studies, respectively), although health, modeling, behavioral, and cross-disciplinary techniques were also reported. Responses to fragmentation were reported for 49 lemur species, with most studies concentrated in eastern Madagascar (87%). Although there was variation in the metrics reported in studies testing the effects of fragmentation on Malagasy species, the most common measures were fragment area, isolation, or comparison to a control site. Landscape-scale approaches and examination of fragmentation per se were rarely employed. Characterizing trends of fragmentation research in Madagascar emphasizes the challenges of documenting fragmentation's effects while highlighting the benefits of research within fragmented landscapes, particularly when combined with consideration for how the matrix within human-modified landscapes may impact primate populations. K E Y W O R D S forest fragments, fragmentation, lemurs, literature search, Madagascar

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Habitat and ecological niche characteristics of the elusive Hairy‐eared Dwarf Lemur (Allocebus trichotis) with updated occurrence and geographic range data

Schüßler

Rabemananjara

Radriarimanga

et al. 2023

American J Primatol

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Ecological niche modeling (ENM) is particularly useful in the study of cryptic and elusive species that are only rarely seen, difficult to study in the wild, and simultaneously threatened by a multitude of anthropogenic factors. We collected presence records one such example, the understudied Hairy-eared Dwarf Lemur (Allocebus trichotis), from the literature and supplemented these with observations from surveys in previously unstudied areas to model its fundamental and realized niche throughout Madagascar.We further evaluated habitat characteristics at each sighting location to judge its conservation status and its adaptability toward habitat degradation. We found 31 presence localities in the literature and directly observed A. trichotis a further 23 times.According to the ENMs, precipitation of the driest quarter and maximum temperature of the warmest month mostly influenced its distribution, restricting it to the higher altitudes of the northeastern humid forests of Madagascar. Its fundamental niche, extent of occurrence, and area of occupancy were estimated as 65,819, 53,054, and 16,967 km² respectively. The latter, however, declined by 29.2% since 1990. On a habitat level, it was most often observed in primary forest habitats of different degradation stages (85.7%, n = 21). The fundamental niche of A. trichotis is most likely restricted by climatic factors. Although it can be found in moderately degraded forests, it is known to depend on the availability of tree holes and therefore old-growth forest structures. Ongoing deforestation and habitat fragmentation are likely to be the major threats to the survival of this species. Our ENMs provide evidence on where to intensify survey efforts on the elusive Hairy-eared Dwarf Lemurs of Madagascar.

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The Use of Vanilla Plantations by Lemurs: Encouraging Findings for both Lemur Conservation and Sustainable Agroforestry in the Sava Region, Northeast Madagascar

Cited by 78 publications

References 41 publications

Floral species richness, structural diversity and conservation value of vanilla agroecosystems in Madagascar

Floral species richness, structural diversity and conservation value of vanilla agroecosystems in Madagascar

Trends in forest fragment research in Madagascar: Documented responses by lemurs and other taxa

Habitat and ecological niche characteristics of the elusive Hairy‐eared Dwarf Lemur (Allocebus trichotis) with updated occurrence and geographic range data

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