Madagascar Biodiversity Madagascar Biodiversity PresentationPresentation

By: Eugene LingBy: Eugene Ling

BiodiversityBiodiversity

Biodiversity is the variation of life Biodiversity is the variation of life forms within a given ecosystemforms within a given ecosystem

Introduction to Madagascar’s Introduction to Madagascar’s RainforestsRainforests

LocationLocation: Southern Africa, 4: Southern Africa, 4thth largest island in the world. largest island in the world. Rainforests are mainly located on the coats of the islandRainforests are mainly located on the coats of the island

Economy: Economy: 1111thth Poorest Country in the world Poorest Country in the world

Environment: Environment: The majority of the 200,000 species of plants The majority of the 200,000 species of plants and animals are only found exclusively in Madagascarand animals are only found exclusively in Madagascar

Only 17% of the original forest is left.Only 17% of the original forest is left.Biodiversity declined by more than 25% in the last 35 yearsBiodiversity declined by more than 25% in the last 35 years

Natural CauseNatural CauseInvasive SpeciesInvasive Species

Introduction of invasive alien Introduction of invasive alien speciesspecies

Causes a reduction of Causes a reduction of biodiversity in freshwater biodiversity in freshwater ecosystems by killing other ecosystems by killing other organisms.organisms.

Increases SiltationIncreases Siltation– Affects drinking waterAffects drinking water– Reduces light penetration Reduces light penetration

and thus kills organisms and thus kills organisms living in water, and their living in water, and their rotting corpse depletes the rotting corpse depletes the water of oxygen.water of oxygen.

Water Hyacinth

Human CauseHuman Cause Overpopulation Overpopulation

Population growth: 3%Population growth: 3%– Expected to double by the year 2025.Expected to double by the year 2025.– Puts enormous strain on the natural environment.Puts enormous strain on the natural environment.– Rapid growth in the 1940, as vaccines were introduced to Rapid growth in the 1940, as vaccines were introduced to

lower the death rate. During the next 40 years, the population lower the death rate. During the next 40 years, the population grew from 4.2 million to 9.2 million grew from 4.2 million to 9.2 million –– 4 million hectares of 4 million hectares of forest clearedforest cleared

Human CauseHuman CauseSoil ErosionSoil Erosion

One of Madagascar's One of Madagascar's greatest environmental greatest environmental problemsproblems——soil erosionsoil erosion

Annual Soil Loss: 112 tons Annual Soil Loss: 112 tons per acre, the largest amount per acre, the largest amount recorded anywhere in the recorded anywhere in the world.world.

Exacerbated by Exacerbated by deforestation, soil erosion deforestation, soil erosion decreases the quality of soil decreases the quality of soil thus reduces plant thus reduces plant biodiversity, but it also biodiversity, but it also increases sedimentation increases sedimentation which leads to a decrease in which leads to a decrease in biodiversity of aquatic biodiversity of aquatic organisms.organisms.

Economic Cause:Economic Cause: MiningMining

Due to MadagascarDue to Madagascar’’s vast s vast mineral wealth, many mineral wealth, many companies have established companies have established mines to exploit the mines to exploit the resources. resources.

An example of such a An example of such a company would be a company would be a Canadian based Canadian based ““SherrittSherritt””

Will tear up 1,300 to 1,700 Will tear up 1,300 to 1,700 hectares of landhectares of land

These lands contain These lands contain thousands of species of thousands of species of plants and animals including plants and animals including the highly endangered the highly endangered Greater Bamboo Lemur.Greater Bamboo Lemur.

Sedimentation will also Sedimentation will also affect fishing.affect fishing.

Political/ Socioeconomic (All the Above) Political/ Socioeconomic (All the Above) CauseCause

March 2009 CoupMarch 2009 Coup During the coup, illegal During the coup, illegal

loggers ransacked loggers ransacked MadagascarMadagascar

Logging affected 27,000 Logging affected 27,000 –– 40,000 acres of protected 40,000 acres of protected rainforestrainforest

More than $200 million More than $200 million worth of timber was cutworth of timber was cut

At the same time, the sale At the same time, the sale of commercial bush meat of commercial bush meat of LEMURS also started.of LEMURS also started.

Even more disturbing, Even more disturbing, France, the Netherlands, France, the Netherlands, Morocco, and the World Morocco, and the World Bank supported it. Bank supported it.

Even Gibson Guitars was Even Gibson Guitars was accused of using illegal accused of using illegal rosewood.rosewood.

Socioeconomic Consequences of Socioeconomic Consequences of Loss in BiodiversityLoss in Biodiversity

Loss of tourism. In 2009 Loss of tourism. In 2009 tourist arrivals dropped by tourist arrivals dropped by 50-60%50-60%

Decrease in the businesses Decrease in the businesses that are indirectly linked to that are indirectly linked to tourismtourism

Half of tourism profits goes Half of tourism profits goes to village conservation and to village conservation and development projects, so development projects, so decreased tourism equals decreased tourism equals underdevelopment.underdevelopment.

Decreased potential in new Decreased potential in new vaccinesvaccines

Health Consequences of Loss in Health Consequences of Loss in Biodiversity Biodiversity

HealthHealth– Biodiversity improves crop Biodiversity improves crop

performanceperformance– Controls certain pestsControls certain pests– Monoculture = DISASTERMonoculture = DISASTER

MedicineMedicine– 50% of pharmaceutical compounds 50% of pharmaceutical compounds

in the US are from natural in the US are from natural compoundscompounds

– ¼¼ of them are from the rainforest of them are from the rainforest– MadagascarMadagascar’’s periwinkle is a cure s periwinkle is a cure

for leukemia and Hodgkin's diseasefor leukemia and Hodgkin's disease

Ecological Consequences of Loss Ecological Consequences of Loss in Biodiversityin Biodiversity

Biodiversity can lead to an Biodiversity can lead to an increase in increase in productivity productivity

and stability of an and stability of an ecosystem.ecosystem.

ProductivityProductivity– Complementarity EffectComplementarity Effect

– Sampling EffectSampling Effect

StabilityStability– Averaging EffectAveraging Effect– Portfolio EffectPortfolio Effect

BibliographyBibliography http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0107-madagascar.htmlhtt

p://news.mongabay.com/2009/1217-rosewood.html http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0319-madagascar.html http://www.gisp.org/casestudies/showcasestudy.asp?http://www.gisp.org/casestudies/showcasestudy.asp?

id=67&MyMenuItem=casestudies&worldmap=&country=id=67&MyMenuItem=casestudies&worldmap=&country= http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0122-http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0122-

madagascar_mine.htmlmadagascar_mine.html http://www.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/def-mad.htmlhttp://www.colby.edu/personal/t/thtieten/def-mad.html http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0127-madagascar.htmlhttp://news.mongabay.com/2010/0127-madagascar.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Ecological_effects_of_biodiversity#cite_note-Doak_1998-1Ecological_effects_of_biodiversity#cite_note-Doak_1998-1