Continued Deforestation Could Wipe out Key Ecological Functions of Parrots Before They Are Documented in Madagascar

Madagascar is a global biodiversity hotspot, with approximately 90% of all its plant and animal species being endemic, most of them associated with forest ecosystems. This rich biodiversity is threatened by relentless deforestation; in 2014 only about 15% of the national territory retained highly fragmented native forests, and deforestation continues with worrying forecasts for the coming decades. This rapid loss of habitat is not only causing species losses, but also the loss of important ecological functions that may disappear well before the extinction of the species involved. Here we want to draw attention to the three species of parrots endemic to Madagascar, for which there is a lack of systematically collected data on their distribution and population trends. We compiled available evidence, including data derived from citizen science, suggesting that the distribution and abundance of at least two of the three parrot species have declined in recent decades. These declines are likely driven not only by forest loss but also by persecution for the pet trade, crop protection, and hunting for food. There is also evidence, although still scarce, showing that these parrot species not only act as plant antagonists, but also fulfill mutualistic functions such as seed dispersal by different mechanisms, pollination, and maintenance of plant health. We urge researchers to study the current distribution and population size of the Malagasy parrots, as well as the full antagonism–mutualism spectrum of relationships with their food plants. This is needed for assessing their current conservation status, which may be significantly worse than that reflected by the IUCN Red List, and for identifying important ecological functions that may be lost before the disappearance of the species involved, which can be key to the maintenance and regeneration of the forests they inhabit.