What is it about?
In this paper we outline future scenarios of what might happen to Madagascar's rainforest. We look at deforestation alone, climate change alone, and both in combination. We then examine how this w2ill affect habitat for lemurs.
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Why is it important?
Madagascar is one of the most biologically unique places on Earth--85-95% or more of the species living in Madagascar are found nowhere else. Among them are 101 lemur species; nearly every one is already endangered. Using the most "optimistic" (lowest) rates of deforestation, we show that the rainforest could effectively disappear before 2980. However, we also demonstrate that strict protection of parks is one way to ensure the perpetuity of the rainforest, although any solutions need to account for the extreme poverty among Malagasy people.
Perspectives
Conservation biologists need to consider what should be done if biologically unique places like Madagascar's rainforest are effectively and entirely lost.
Dr. Adam B. Smith
Missouri Botanical Garden
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The fate of Madagascar’s rainforest habitat, Nature Climate Change, December 2019, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1038/s41558-019-0647-x.
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