Anthropogenic disturbance effects remain visible in forest structure, but not in lemur abundances

The persistence of tropical rainforests, together with their flora and fauna, is highly threatened by anthropogenic disturbances. In this study, we investigate to what extent selective logging influences the structure and composition of a tropical rainforest in Madagascar and subsequently lemur encounter rates and cluster sizes. We quantified forest structure variables and conducted transect surveys of seven sympatric diurnal lemur species in five protected forest sites with different logging histories. We found that DBH, tree height, the interquartile ranges of DBH and tree height (measure of forest heterogeneity), tree species and family richness were relatively high and tree density was relatively low in less disturbed compared to disturbed sites. Although the disturbed forests have not fully recovered to previous conditions, they seem to have recovered from a functional perspective into suitable lemur habitat, as lemur encounter rates and cluster sizes were similar in disturbed and less disturbed sites. We only found slightly higher encounter rates for Varecia variegata (P = 0.078) and lower encounter rates for Eulemur rufifrons (P = 0.059) in less disturbed forests. This is one of the first studies that report the presence of V. variegata, a species characterised by its drastic decline, in previously logged sites. Lemurs travelling between disturbed and less disturbed sites disperse seeds and hereby facilitate forest regeneration. Therefore, we promote the need for better attention to the value of logged forests for biodiversity conservation in Madagascar and suggest that there is considerable potential for regenerating logged forests to support lemur communities.</p

Anthropogenic disturbance effects remain visible in forest structure, but not in lemur abundances

The persistence of tropical rainforests, together with their flora and fauna, is highly threatened by anthropogenic disturbances. In this study, we investigate to what extent selective logging influences the structure and composition of a tropical rainforest in Madagascar and subsequently lemur encounter rates and cluster sizes. We quantified forest structure variables and conducted transect surveys of seven sympatric diurnal lemur species in five protected forest sites with different logging histories. We found that DBH, tree height, the interquartile ranges of DBH and tree height (measure of forest heterogeneity), tree species and family richness were relatively high and tree density was relatively low in less disturbed compared to disturbed sites. Although the disturbed forests have not fully recovered to previous conditions, they seem to have recovered from a functional perspective into suitable lemur habitat, as lemur encounter rates and cluster sizes were similar in disturbed and less disturbed sites. We only found slightly higher encounter rates for Varecia variegata (P = 0.078) and lower encounter rates for Eulemur rufifrons (P = 0.059) in less disturbed forests. This is one of the first studies that report the presence of V. variegata, a species characterised by its drastic decline, in previously logged sites. Lemurs travelling between disturbed and less disturbed sites disperse seeds and hereby facilitate forest regeneration. Therefore, we promote the need for better attention to the value of logged forests for biodiversity conservation in Madagascar and suggest that there is considerable potential for regenerating logged forests to support lemur communities.</p

Daphnid Life Cycle Responses to New Generation Flame Retardants

Relatively hazardous brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are currently substituted with halogen-free flame retardants (HFFRs). Consequently, information on their persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity (PBT) is urgently needed. Therefore, we investigated the chronic toxicity to the water flea Daphnia magna of two HFFRs, aluminum diethylphosphinate (ALPI) and 9,10-dihyro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-oxide (DOPO). The toxicity of ALPI increased from a 48 h LC50 of 18 mg L-1 to a 21 day LC50 value of 3.2 mg L-1, resulting in an acute-to-chronic ratio of 5.6. This may imply a change in classification from low to moderate toxicity. ALPI also affected sublethal life cycle parameters, with an EC50 of 2.8 mg L-1 for cumulative reproductive output and of 3.4 mg L-1 for population growth rate, revealing a nonspecific mode of action. DOPO showed only sublethal effects with an EC50 value of 48 mg L-1 for cumulative reproductive output and an EC50 value of 73 mg L-1 for population growth rate. The toxicity of DOPO to D. magna was classified as low and likely occurred above environmentally relevant concentrations, but we identified specific effects on reproduction. Given the low chronic toxicity of DOPO and the moderate toxicity of ALPI, based on this study only, DOPO seems to be more suitable than ALPI for BFR replacement in polymers