Baobabs de Madagascar : un anachronisme de la dispersion ?

La dispersion des semences de baobabs malgaches, Adansonia spp., semble ne jamais avoir été étudiée de manière formelle, à ce jour. Elle relève d'hypothèses que cette synthèse bibliographique a pour objet de réunir. Si l'homme semble jouer un rôle important dans la dispersion d'Adansonia digitata en Afrique, une telle hypothèse reste rarement évoquée à l'é- gard des espèces malgaches. Divers auteurs privilégient l'hypothèse d'une dis- persion anachronique, liée à la disparition de la mégafaune malgache ; mais d'autres évoquent le rôle possible de vertébrés introduits. L'intervention de l'oiseau- éléphant, Aepyornis spp., des tortues géantes, Aldabrachelys spp., et des grands lémuriens disparus, Archaeolemur spp., ou actuels est plus particulièrement évoquée, en vis-à-vis du rôle possible d'animaux introduits, zébus, Bos indicus, pota- mochères, Potamochoerus larvatus. Des expérimentations conduites ex situ sur des animaux indigènes ou introduits, dont cer- tains se rapprochent par leur morphologie ou leur phylogenèse de vertébrés éteints, pourraient éclaircir cette énigme de la dis- persion chez les baobabs de Madagasca

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Primate Research and Conservation

There is evidence to suggest that the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may hamper our achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Here, we use non-human primates as a case study to examine the impacts of COVID-19 on the ability to achieve biodiversity conservation and management sustainability targets. We collected data through a survey of members of the IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group from January to March 2022. Of the 93 experts that responded to our survey, we found that 39% had not been able to visit any of their field sites since March 2020, 54% said they had less funding available for their primate-related work, and only one out of ten said they had managed to achieve at least 76–100% of their planned primate-related work since March 2020. Six out of 10 respondents (61%) felt that primate conservation efforts in protected areas were worse than before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and one-third (33%) felt hunting was happening more frequently than before. This study provides evidence of the impacts of COVID-19 on progress towards achieving the SDGs, and provides practical lessons learned for biodiversity conservation efforts moving forward

Tropical field stations yield high conservation return on investment

Conservation funding is currently limited; cost-effective conservation solutions are essential. We suggest that the thousands of field stations worldwide can play key roles at the frontline of biodiversity conservation and have high intrinsic value. We assessed field stations’ conservation return on investment and explored the impact of COVID-19. We surveyed leaders of field stations across tropical regions that host primate research; 157 field stations in 56 countries responded. Respondents reported improved habitat quality and reduced hunting rates at over 80% of field stations and lower operational costs per km2 than protected areas, yet half of those surveyed have less funding now than in 2019. Spatial analyses support field station presence as reducing deforestation. These “earth observatories” provide a high return on investment; we advocate for increased support of field station programs and for governments to support their vital conservation efforts by investing accordingly.Additional co-authors: Ekwoge Abwe, Tanvir Ahmed, Marc Ancrenaz, Raphali R. Andriantsimanarilafy, Andie Ang, Filippo Aureli, Louise Barrett, Jacinta C. Beehner, Marcela E. Benítez, Bruna M. Bezerra, Júlio César Bicca-Marques, Dominique Bikaba, Robert Bitariho, Christophe Boesch, Laura M. Bolt, Ramesh Boonratana, Thomas M. Butynski, Gustavo R. Canale, Susana Carvalho, Colin A. Chapman, Dilip Chetry, Susan M. Cheyne, Marina Cords, Fanny M. Cornejo, Liliana Cortés-Ortiz, Camille N. Z. Coudrat, Margaret C. Crofoot, Drew T. Cronin, Alvine Dadjo, S. Chrystelle Dakpogan, Emmanuel Danquah, Tim R. B. Davenport, Yvonne A. de Jong, Stella de la Torre, Andrea Dempsey, Judeline C. Dimalibot, Rainer Dolch, Giuseppe Donati, Alejandro Estrada, Rassina A. Farassi, Peter J. Fashing, Eduardo Fernandez-Duque, Maria J. Ferreira da Silva, Julia Fischer, César F. Flores-Negrón, Barbara Fruth, Terence Fuh Neba, Lief Erikson Gamalo, Jörg U. Ganzhorn, Paul A. Garber, Smitha D. Gnanaolivu, Mary Katherine Gonder, Sery Ernest Gonedelé Bi, Benoit Goossens, Marcelo Gordo, Juan M. Guayasamin, Diana C. Guzmán-Caro, Andrew R. Halloran, Jessica A. Hartel, Eckhard W. Heymann, Russell A. Hill, Kimberley J. Hockings, Gottfried Hohmann, Naven Hon, Mariano G. Houngbédji, Michael A. Huffman, Rachel A. Ikemeh, Inaoyom Imong, Mitchell T. Irwin, Patrícia Izar, Leandro Jerusalinsky, Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Beth A. Kaplin, Peter M. Kappeler, Stanislaus M. Kivai, Cheryl D. Knott, Intanon Kolasartsanee, Kathelijne Koops, Martin M. Kowalewski, Deo Kujirakwinja, Ajith Kumar, Quyet K. Le, Rebecca J. Lewis, Aung Ko Lin, Andrés Link, Luz I. Loría, Menladi M. Lormie, Edward E. Louis Jr., Ngwe Lwin, Suchinda Malaivijitnond, Lesley Marisa, Gráinne M. McCabe, W. Scott McGraw, Addisu Mekonnen, Pedro G. Méndez-Carvajal, Tânia Minhós, David M. Montgomery, Citlalli Morelos-Juárez, David Morgan, Amancio Motove Etingüe, Papa Ibnou Ndiaye, K. Anne-Isola Nekaris, Nga Nguyen, Vincent Nijman, Radar Nishuli, Marilyn A. Norconk, Luciana I. Oklander, Rahayu Oktaviani, Julia Ostner, Emily Otali, Susan E. Perry, Eduardo J. Pinel Ramos, Leila M. Porter, Jill D. Pruetz, Anne E. Pusey, Helder L. Queiroz, Mónica A. Ramírez, Guy Hermas Randriatahina, Hoby Rasoanaivo, Jonah Ratsimbazafy, Joelisoa Ratsirarson, Josia Razafindramanana, Onja H. Razafindratsima, Vernon Reynolds, Rizaldi Rizaldi, Martha M. Robbins, Melissa E. Rodríguez, Marleny Rosales-Meda, Crickette M. Sanz, Dipto Sarkar, Anne Savage, Amy L. Schreier, Oliver Schülke, Gabriel H. Segniagbeto, Juan Carlos Serio-Silva, Arif Setiawan, John Seyjagat, Felipe E. Silva, Elizabeth M. Sinclair, Rebecca L. Smith, Denise Spaan, Fiona A. Stewart, Shirley C. Strum, Martin Surbeck, Magdalena S. Svensson, Mauricio Talebi, Luc Roscelin Tédonzong, Bernardo Urbani, João Valsecchi, Natalie Vasey, Erin R. Vogel, Robert B. Wallace, Janette Wallis, Siân Waters, Roman M. Wittig, Richard W. Wrangham, Patricia C. Wright, Russell A. Mittermeie

Tropical field stations yield high conservation return on investment

Conservation funding is currently limited; cost‐effective conservation solutions are essential. We suggest that the thousands of field stations worldwide can play key roles at the frontline of biodiversity conservation and have high intrinsic value. We assessed field stations’ conservation return on investment and explored the impact of COVID‐19. We surveyed leaders of field stations across tropical regions that host primate research; 157 field stations in 56 countries responded. Respondents reported improved habitat quality and reduced hunting rates at over 80% of field stations and lower operational costs per km2 than protected areas, yet half of those surveyed have less funding now than in 2019. Spatial analyses support field station presence as reducing deforestation. These “earth observatories” provide a high return on investment; we advocate for increased support of field station programs and for governments to support their vital conservation efforts by investing accordingly

Tropical field stations yield high conservation return on investment

Conservation funding is currently limited; cost-effective conservation solutions are essential. We suggest that the thousands of field stations worldwide can play key roles at the frontline of biodiversity conservation and have high intrinsic value. We assessed field stations’ conservation return on investment and explored the impact of COVID-19. We surveyed leaders of field stations across tropical regions that host primate research; 157 field stations in 56 countries responded. Respondents reported improved habitat quality and reduced hunting rates at over 80% of field stations and lower operational costs per km2 than protected areas, yet half of those surveyed have less funding now than in 2019. Spatial analyses support field station presence as reducing deforestation. These ‘earth observatories’ provide a high return on investment; we advocate for increased support of field station programs and for governments to support their vital conservation efforts by investing accordingly