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

• Published in: Biotropica 2022-07, Vol.54 (4), p.1081-1102
• Main Authors: Culbertson, Katherine A., Treuer, Timothy L. H., Mondragon‐Botero, Ariadna, Ramiadantsoa, Tanjona, Reid, J. Leighton
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biodiversity; biodiversity conservation; Biodiversity hot spots; Biological evolution; biomass resilience; Conservation; Deforestation; Dispersion; Dry forests; Endangered plants; Endemic species; Endemism; Environmental restoration; Evolution; Forests; Introduced species; Invasive plants; Invasive species; Momentum; natural regeneration; Nutrients; Rainforests; Reforestation; Resilience; Restoration; Seed dispersal; Shifting cultivation; soil degradation; Trees; Tropical climate; Tropical forests; Vulnerability; Wildlife conservation
• ISSN: 0006-3606; 1744-7429
• DOI: 10.1111/btp.13124

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. in Malagasy is available with online material RESUMO Ny fananan’i Madagasikara zavaboary maro sy miavaka, etsy andaniny, sy ny ahavoan’ny tahan’ny fandripaha’ala, etsy ankilany, no naha voasokajy an’i Madagasikara ho toerana mena indrindra eto an‐tany ara‐javaboary. Miha mahazo vahana ny fanarenana ny ala faobe (anisan’izany ny fambolen‐kazo) eran’izao tontolo izao ary koa manerana an’i Madagasikara. Izany dia fanoitra lehibe hamerenana ny rakotr’ala sy hanamafisana ny fiarovana ny tontolo iainana manerana ny nosy. Mety manana sakana tsy itovizana amin’ny rehetra anefa i Madagasikara noho ny fitokanany monina izay nitarika fivoarana manokan