Traveler's Palm ( Ravenala spp.) Across Habitats and Its Responses to Disturbance in North‐Eastern Madagascar

ABSTRACT The genus Ravenala (Strelitziaceae) comprises six species of arborescent herbs endemic to Madagascar and iconic to this global biodiversity hotspot. We examined how Ravenala density responds to environmental gradients, land‐use type, accessibility and canopy disturbance. The study was conducted in north‐eastern Madagascar, a region heavily affected by deforestation in recent decades. We carried out species‐specific terrestrial sampling in different land‐use types (fallow land, vanilla agroforests and forest fragments) in human‐modified landscapes and in old‐growth forest. Visual detection in high‐resolution satellite imagery extended observations of Ravenala at genus level across human‐modified landscapes. Both, the terrestrial and the satellite‐based approach indicated high but variable Ravenala densities. Ravenala density in human‐modified landscapes increased with distance from settlements. The four encountered Ravenala species differed in response to disturbance and other factors. R. grandis and R. menahirana declined under higher disturbance levels, whereas R. madagascariensis increased in density with greater disturbance and reached highest densities in fallow land. In the old‐growth forest, both R. blancii , which was recorded exclusively in the old‐growth forest, and R. menahirana were less frequent in plots containing thicket‐forming vegetation (bamboo and wild cardamom). Elevation responses diverged, with R. blancii increasing and R. menahirana decreasing in density at higher elevations. Divergent responses of different Ravenala species to habitat and disturbance suggest that reduction of human‐induced canopy disturbance in human‐modified landscapes and protection of old‐growth forests are needed to safeguard all four encountered species.