Facilitated Forest Restoration Using Pioneer Seed Dispersers in Madagascar: The Example of Microcebus spp.
The concept of “facilitated restoration” aims at native biodiversity reinstatement with the help of animal seed dispersers attracted by fruiting trees. Yet, large-crowned trees will have to develop in the early stages of restoration; therefore, seed dispersal provided by small generalist mammals and birds that use rapidly growing herbs, shrubs, and small trees at early stages of forest succession would accelerate biodiversity restoration. Due to the elusive lifestyle of these small animals, it is unclear what species can contribute to the early stages of this process. Using the primate genus Microcebus (adult body mass about 60 g) as an example, we illustrate that these small generalists are possible seed dispersers in the early stages of forest restoration, not yet used by larger frugivores. We show that Microcebus spp. dispersed more seeds from herbs, shrubs, and small trees than large frugivorous primate species. These plants tend to have smaller seeds than large tree species and are often pioneer species not considered in forest restoration projects. Facilitating the colonization of restoration plots by generalist small seed dispersers that use shrubby habitats may improve plant diversity by adding a more natural sequence of successional stages towards mature forests in Madagascar and elsewhere in the tropics.
Authors
- Giuseppe Donati (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4803-0642)
- Lounès Chikhi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1140-0718)
- Petra Lahann
- Lis Behrendt
- Timothy M. Eppley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1456-6948)
- Peggy Giertz
- Onja H. Razafindratsima (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1655-6647)
- Edward E. Louis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3634-4943)
- Steven Michael Goodman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9318-0570)
- Dorothea Schwab
- Jordi Salmona (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1950-5805)
- Sylvia Atsalis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4247-8144)
- S. Jacques Rakotondranary
- Cedric Tsagnangara
- Ute Radespiel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0814-2404)
- Refaly Ernest
- Jörg U. Ganzhorn (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1395-9758)
- Faly Randriatafika
- Sam Hyde Roberts (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9757-9121)
- Jean-Basile Andriambeloson
- Mitchell T. Irwin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2088-0028)
- An Bollen
- Jean‐Baptiste Ramanamanjato
- Melanie Dammhahn (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0557-740X)
- Veronarindra Ramananjato (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2398-3671)
- Yedidya R. Ratovonamana
- Stéphanie M. Carrière (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5482-4353)
- Marina B. Blanco (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8779-1700)
- Daniel Hending (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0609-4354)
- Friederike Holst
Institutions
- Northern Illinois University (US)
- Oxford Brookes University (GB)
- Portland State University (US)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (FR)
- Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (FR)
- University of Antananarivo (MG)
- Universität Hamburg (DE)
- Duke University (US)
- Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées (FR)
- University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation (DE)
- Université de Montpellier (FR)
- Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier (FR)
- University of Münster (DE)
- Field Museum of Natural History (US)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership (MG)
- Evolution et Diversité Biologique (FR)
- Association Vahatra (MG)
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR)
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (PT)
- University of California, Berkeley (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Land
- Published
- 2024-11-21
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/land13121971
- Citations
- 5
- Primary Topic
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 3.22
Funders
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Volkswagen Foundation
- Universität Hamburg