Interpreting some outstanding features of the flora and vegetation of Madagascar

Six features are covered. (1) The high endemism, which is not discussed in detail, is all-pervasive, and has resulted from the isolation of Madagascar from Africa some 125 million years ago and their present separation by 430 km. (2) The great richness in plant species (especially relative to Africa), seen particularly in the families of woody species in the wetter vegetation-types, involves both sympatry and allopatry within genera, and is explicable in terms of much less extreme drying out than in Africa during the Pleistocene and effective ‘species-pumping’ rather than mass extinctions during that period. (3) The abundance and species-richness of palms, pandans, tree-ferns, bamboos, and certain families of dicot trees (notably Lauraceae, Monimiaceae, Myrsinaceae and Myristicaceae) in the lowland rain forests also appears to be a result of both past and present wetness of the climate, while it is hypothesized that the low stature of most lowland rain forests, paucity of large-girth trees, and small size and sparsity of broad-leaved herbs, are a result of most rain forest soils being old and relatively nutrient-poor. (4) Within the dry evergreen forest region where rainfall is moderate (900–1600 mm yr⁻¹) a sub-set of trees with fire-resistant bark seems to have evolved at sites prone to frequent ground fires, some perhaps spreading out of adjacent palm savanna on seasonally flooded sites. (5) Both the evolution of thicket rather than grassy woodland in the driest areas (300–600 mm yr⁻¹), and the abundance of evergreen trees and shrubs on ordinary soils – not confined to run-on sites – are explicable in terms of there being a finite chance of rain throughout the year rather than one short wet season, coupled with relatively high values for air humidity throughout the year. The same factors probably explain the abundance and variety of succulents in the thicket; they are found throughout and not just on rocks. (6) Concerning physical defence against herbivores, the rain forests, dry evergreen forests and deciduous forests all show a complete lack of plants with physiognomic features plausibly related to browsing by extinct giant birds (a strong contrast with New Zealand), but in the semi-deciduous thicket there are many tiny-leaved, mostly non-spiny shrubs and small trees, whose dense branching and impenetrability have plausibly evolved as a defence against browsing by elephant birds. The Didiereaceae of the thicket are spiny (unlike members of the same family in Africa), and are giant analogues of the ‘ocotillo’ (Fouquieria splendens) in western North America rather than of Cactaceae; their spines appear to be protecting the leaves more than the stems against arboreal primates, spine length paralleling leaf length.     

Interruption of aggregation pheromone in Ips typographus (L.) (Col. Scolytidae) by non-host bark volatiles

Abstract 1 The antennally active nonhost bark volatiles (NHVs): trans‐conophthorin (tC), C₆‐alcohols (green leaf volatiles; GLVs) and C₈‐alcohols, were tested for their ability to reduce attraction of the spruce bark beetle Ips typographus (L) (Col. Scolytidae) to its pheromone sources in both laboratory walking bioassy and field trapping experiments. 2 In the walking bioassay with I. typographus females, individual NHVs such as tC, 3‐octanol and 1‐octen‐3‐ol, and the unsuitable host signal, verbenone (Vn), were inactive at the doses tested. However, the blend of C₆‐alcohols (3GLVs) and all the binary, ternary, or quarternary blends significantly reduced the female attraction to the pheromone sources. 3 In the field trapping experiments, individual NHV signals (tC, C6‐alcohols and C₈‐alcohols) all reduced catch of I. typographus in pheromone‐baited traps, with their inhibitory effects similar to that of the known inhibitor, Vn. The binary, ternary or quarternary combinations of these NHV signals or Vn, all caused significantly stronger reductions in trap catches than the individual signals. The blends showed similar levels of interruption, except the binary blend of C₈‐alcohols (2C8OH) and Vn. 4 Difference in trapping mechanism between pipe traps (attraction and landing) and Lindgren funnel traps (attraction) did not affect the pattern of inhibition of these active NHV signals and Vn. 5 These behaviourally active nonhost volatiles and Vn might be used effectively to protect spruce trees or stands against attacks by I. typographus.     

Above-ground biomass estimation in closed canopy Neotropical forests using lidar remote sensing: factors affecting the generality of relationships

Aim Previous studies have developed strong, site‐specific relationships between canopy metrics from lidar (light detecting and ranging) remote sensing data and forest structural characteristics such as above‐ground biomass (AGBM), but the generality of these relationships is unknown. In this study, we examine the generality of relationships between lidar metrics and forest structural characteristics, including AGBM, from two study areas in Central America with different precipitation patterns. Location A series of tropical moist forest sites in Panama and a tropical wet forest in Costa Rica. Methods Canopy metrics (e.g. canopy height) were calculated from airborne lidar data. Basal area, mean stem diameter and AGBM were calculated from measurements taken as a part of ongoing forest dynamics studies in both areas. We examined the generality of relationship between lidar metrics and forest structure, and possible environmental effects (e.g. leaf phenology). Results We found that lidar metrics were strongly correlated (R²: 0.65–0.92) with mean stem diameter, basal area and AGBM in both regions. We also show that the relationships differed between these regions. Deciduousness of canopy trees in the tropical moist forest area accounted for the differences in predictive equations for stem diameter and basal area. The relationships between lidar metrics and AGBM, however, remained significantly different between the two study areas even after adjusting for leaf drop. We attribute this to significant differences in the underlying allometric relationships between stem diameter and AGBM in tropical wet and moist forests. Conclusions Important forest structural characteristics can be estimated reliably across a variety of conditions sampled in these closed‐canopy tropical forests. Environmental factors such as drought deciduousness have an important influence on these relationships. Future efforts should continue to examine climatic factors that may influence the generality of the relationships between lidar metrics and forest structural characteristics and assess more rigorously the generality of field‐derived allometric relationships.     

Are rare species useful species? Obstacles to the conservation of tree diversity in the dry forest zone agro‐ecosystems of Mesoamerica

Aim To test the potential to conserve rare dry forest tree and shrub species circa situm. Location Oaxaca, Mexico and Southern Honduras. Methods Local uses (timber, posts and firewood) of species were determined principally through semistructured interviews with 20 rural householders in each of four communities in Honduras and four in Oaxaca. Tree and shrub diversity inventories were carried out in a total of 227 forest patches and parcels of farmland in those eight communities. Species’ conservation priorities were determined using the star system of Hawthorne (1996) and IUCN listings. Results Despite a large number of useful species, remarkably few were also conservation priorities. Useful species were found to be substitutable as is illustrated by Bombacopsis quinata, Cordia alliodora, Guaiacum sanctum and G. coulteri. Conclusions In these areas, circa situm conservation is inhibited by the lack of species that are both rare and useful. Usefulness must be interpreted as a function of substitutability. Natural regeneration provides an abundance of diversity, farmers are unlikely to invest in the management of a species when suitable substitutes are freely available. The key to conserving rare species may be in maintaining or enhancing the value of the landscape elements in which they are found.     

Food Web Structure and Basal Resource Utilization along a Tropical Island Stream Continuum, Puerto Rico

Tropical stream food webs are thought to be based primarily on terrestrial resources (leaf litter) in small forested headwater streams and algal resources in larger, wider streams. In tropical island streams, the dominant consumers are often omnivorous freshwater shrimps that consume algae, leaf litter, insects, and other shrimps. We used stable isotope analysis to examine (1) the relative importance of terrestrial and algal‐based food resources to shrimps and other consumers and determine (2) if the relative importance of these food resources changed along the stream continuum. We examined δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C signatures of leaves, algae, macrophytes, biofilm, insects, snails, fishes, and shrimps at three sites (300, 90, and 10 m elev.) along the Río Espíritu Santo, which drains the Caribbean National Forest, Puerto Rico. Isotope signatures of basal resources were distinct at all sites. Results of two‐source δ¹³C mixing models suggest that shrimps relied more on algal‐based carbon resources than terrestrially derived resources at all three sites along the continuum. This study supports other recent findings in tropical streams, demonstrating that algal‐based resources are very important to stream consumers, even in small forested headwater streams. This study also demonstrates the importance of doing assimilation‐based analysis (i.e., stable isotope or trophic basis of production) when studying food webs.     

Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of dinosaur nesting sites based on a geochemical approach to eggshells and associated palaeosols (Maastrichtian, Provence Basin, France)

Variability of the stable isotopic (δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O) and trace element (Mg, Sr, Fe, and Mn) content from dinosaur eggshells from the Provence Basin has been addressed by considering the stratigraphic distribution of the eggshells, the palaeoenvironments, and the chemical content of associated sediments. Preferentially, in situ eggshells were analysed. Samples were collected from two sections, one belonging to the floodplain (Roques Hautes) and the other to the channel belt (Rousset-Bréguières), as determined from sedimentological criteria. On a regional scale, this combined analysis provided new insights into palaeohydrology, vegetation cover and dinosaur behaviour. Different sources of drinking water were identified: (1) the main stream waters with significant salinity levels, (2) lateral feeders with water composition close to that of precipitation. Water composition is reflected in the eggshell trace element contents: a high Sr content for the eggshells from the channel belt (mean 1200 ppm) contrasting with the very low values for the floodplain (mean 250 ppm). During the first part of the Maastrichtian, evaporation rates were quite significant, as seen from the 1.5‰ difference between the eggshell δ¹⁸O (drinking water) and the palaeosol carbonate nodules (precipitation). This contrast diminished and became nearly insignificant in the second half of the Maastrichtian. Vegetation was composed of C₃ plants and two ecosystems are reconstructed: a riparian forest extending along the channel belt and open vegetation in the floodplain. The contrasted isotopic and trace element content of the eggshells was a crucial factor in identifying animal migration from one site to another. Migration was quite limited, suggesting that the animals settled for some time at the places where they laid their eggs. Intraspecific variations among modern birds are well correlated with the environment and may be greater than interspecies variations, which limits the potential of geochemical analysis to characterise dinosaur species.