madagascan palms in peril kmcc - amazon s3 · protégées de madagascar (sapm) in madagascar (see...
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Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre (KMCC)
KMCCKew Madagascar Conservation Centre
KMCC - inspiring and delivering science-based plant conservation in Madagascar, enhancing the quality of life
Contact: Lauren Gardiner [email protected] | Hélène Ralimanana [email protected] | Stuart Cable [email protected]
Madagascan palms in peril
Madagascar is a hotspot of palm diversity, with
approximately 200 species (compared with 65
species for the ent ire Af rican cont inent ), 98% of
which are endemic to the island. Recent KMCC
work has shown that 83% of Madagascar’s
palm species are threatened with extinction
using IUCN Red List criteria. Palms in the highly
f ragmented, unprotected forests of the east are
part icularly highly threatened with ext inct ion.
On the brink of extinction
Kew and KMCC
have over 30 years
of palm systemat ic
expert ise in Madagascar, describing
60% of all species, and producing
def init ive monographic and f ield
guide t reatments of the taxa.
Kew’s rich data on palms helped to
delimit the new Système d'Aires
Protégées de Madagascar (SAPM) in
Madagascar (see Kremen et al. 2008
Science).
Increasingly our research is focused
on the evolut ionary of palm diversity
and how to conserve the remaining
species.
Community engagement
Ima
ge
s: S
tua
rt C
ab
le, M
ijo
ro R
ak
oto
ari
niv
o,
La
ure
n G
ard
ine
r, W
illi
am
Ba
ke
r
1. Part icipatory surveying and monitoring of dist ribut ions,
habitats, pollinators and seed dispersal to understand
pat terns of diversity
2. Review and monitor IUCN Red List species assessments
3. DNA sampling for phylogenet ics, populat ion genet ics,
and EDGE analysis
4. Document uses and model ext inct ion risk to develop
and promote sustainable ut ilisat ion of palms
5. Init iate a Madagascar Palm Conservat ion Network to
share resources and save species f rom ext inct ion
6. Develop effect ive management protocols for species
with small populat ions
Kew-KMCC current and future research priorities for Madagascan Palms
50% of species have fewer than 100
individuals remaining or are only
known f rom a single locality.
12 species have not been seen for
over 50 years.
The threats are shif t ing cult ivat ion
(tavy), mining, logging, palm heart
consumpt ion and f ruit collect ion.
We are priorit ising high risk species
for conservat ion in botanic gardens.
Palm systematic expertise
Palms provide food and construct ion
materials, enhancing livelihoods.
We aim to engage with communit ies
to research sustainable solut ions to
over-harvest ing and to develop
part icipatory monitoring of priority
populat ions.
Most communities, NGOs and SAPM
teams do not know the conservation
significance of their local palms.
Lauren Gardiner, M ijoro Rakotoarinivo, Hélène Ralimanana, Landy Rajaovelona, Stuart Cable