![Sample our Physical Sciences journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/110819/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Physical-Sciences.jpg"})
Abstract
Background: Deforestation processes and species extinction on islands have made them the focus of substantial efforts to create and strengthen local environmental organisations, establish new protected areas and improve natural resource management. In Madagascar, despite promising new policies, the flora and fauna are under serious threat. More than 80% of the island shows a significant loss of natural plant cover. Current levels of diversity reflect natural disturbance regimes, with fire representing one of the more important factors.
Aims: We compared two new protected areas (Ibity and Itremo) with different environmental and management contexts to identify the roles and impacts of the environmental conditions and the different types of management applied by their respective local communities on vegetation. Both areas have extensive stands of tapia (Uapaca bojeri) woodland.
Methods: Herbaceous vegetation surveys were carried out enumerating 16 1-m² quadrats in each of 10 sites on Ibity and seven on Itremo to characterise plant community composition and structure, complemented by tree and shrub surveys within three 40 × 40 m quadrats at each site.
Results: Floristic richness was higher at Ibity. Populations of U. bojeri were better conserved at Itremo.
Conclusions: While the total exclusion of fire is impracticable, careful management should enable the maintenance of natural conditions and at least lead to a reduction in the impacts on the structure of tapia woodland vegetation.
Acknowledgements
We sincerely thank the AXA Research Fund, Société Française d’Écologie (SFE), the CEF (Corporation pour les Études en France (CEF) (Ministère des Affaires Etrangères) scholarship, and the Perdiguier scholarship from the Université d’Avignon et des Pays de Vaucluse, for financial support. We also thank the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Madagascar Research and Conservation Program for logistical support and access to equipment, as well as botanists from MBG and from the herbarium of the Tsimbazaza Botanical and Zoological Park for help in the identification of plants. We would like to give special thank to Maherisoa Ratolojanahary and Bruno Rakotondrina for their assistance during our field work, and to Renaud Jaunatre and Dr Arne Saatkamp for their advice on statistics.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Swanni T. Alvarado
Swanni T. Alvarado is a plant ecologist interested in conservation and restoration ecology and looks at understanding the effects of disturbances on terrestrial ecosystems. She is broadly interested in the responses of terrestrial ecosystems to fire.
Elise Buisson
Elise Buisson studies plant communities, their functioning and vulnerability, and is interested in their organization, their resilience and their restoration; she works mainly on grassland ecosystems.
Harison Rabarison
Harison Rabarison is a research scientist working on various Ecosystems in Madagascar. He works on plant dynamic, conservation and management of vegetation of Madagascar.
Charlotte Rajeriarison
Charlotte Rajeriarison is a specialist of Madagascar flora. As a professor and researcher, she keeps on teaching and leading student research on environmental problems and agroforestry practices.
Chris Birkinshaw
Chris Birkinshaw is a plant ecologist and conservation biologist, serving as Technical Advisor to the Missouri Botanical Garden's program in Madagascar. His work focuses primarily on community-based conservation and on the sustainable management of the Malagasy flora.
Porter P. Lowry II
Porter P Lowry II is a plant systematist, studying the evolution and classification of plants, and he is also conducts research on the flora and vegetation of Madagascar and New Caledonia. He coordinates the Missouri Botanical Garden’s program in Africa and Madagascar.