Untitled

Funder

Organizational Unit

Publications

Survey of the critically endangered Perrier’s sifaka (Propithecus Perrieri) across most if its distribution range.

Publication . Salmona, J.; Jan, F.; Rasolondraibe, E.; Zaranaina, D.; Ousseni, D.S.; Mohamed-Thani, I.; Rakotonanahary, A.; Ralantoharijaona, T.; Kun-Rodrigues, C.; Carreira, M.; Wohlhauser, S.; Ranirison, P.; Zaonarivelo, J.R.; Rabarivola, C.; Chikhi, L.

Propithecus perrieri (Perrier’s sifaka) is one of the most endangered lemur species due to its small and fragmented distribution range. Despite a Critically Endangered (CR) conservation and flagship species status, there are still many uncertainties regarding its actual distribution and its presence in some forests of its putative distribution range. We report the results of diurnal and nocturnal surveys carried out in 2012 across most forest fragments of its putative distribution range, namely the Ankarana National Park, the Analamerana Special Reserve and Andrafiamena-Andava-koera Protected Area. During our surveys the species was only observed in Andrafiamena and Analamerana protected areas.

2013-12Journal article

Open access

The value of the spineless monkey orange tree (Strychnos madagascariensis) for conservation of northern sportive lemurs (Lepilemur milanoii and L. ankaranensis)

Publication . Salmona, J; Banks, M; Ralantoharijaona, TN; Rasolondraibe, E; Zaranaina, R; Rakotonanahary, A; Wohlhauser, S; Sewall, BJ; Chikhi, L

Tree hollows provide shelters for a large number of forest-dependent vertebrate species worldwide. In Madagascar, where high historical and ongoing rates of deforestation and forest degradation are responsible for a major environmental crisis, reduced availability of tree hollows may lead to declines in hollow-dwelling species such as sportive lemurs, one of the most species-rich groups of lemurs. The identification of native tree species used by hollow-dwelling lemurs may facilitate targeted management interventions to maintain or improve habitat quality for these lemurs. During an extensive survey of sportive lemurs in northern Madagascar, we identified one tree species, Strychnos madagascariensis (Loganiaceae), the spineless monkey orange tree, as a principal sleeping site of two species of northern sportive lemurs, Lepilemur ankaranensis and L. milanoii (Lepilemuridae). This tree species represented 32.5% (n=1 50) of the 458 sleeping sites recorded. This result suggests that S. madagascariensis may be valuable for the conservation of hollow-dwelling lemurs.

2015-09-16Journal article

Open access

Extensive survey of the Endangered Coquerel’s sifaka Propithecus coquereli

Publication . Salmona, J; Jan, F; Rasolondraibe, E; Besolo, A; Ousseni, DS; Beck, A; Zaranaina, R; Rakotoarisoa, H; Rabarivola, CJ; Chikhi, L

Coquerel’s sifaka Propithecus coquereli has a large but highly fragmented distribution. Despite its Endangered (EN) IUCN conservation status, uncertainties persist regarding its actual distribution and its presence in forests that are thought to be part of its distribution range. We provide here the first extensive population surveys of Coquerel’s sifaka across a large number of forest fragments neighboring 27 sites of its known and expected distribution range in northwestern Madagascar, including 12 previously visited sites. During our diurnal surveys carried out in the dry seasons from 2009 to 2011 we observed the species in 26 of the 27 visited sites. Combining our results with previously published data, we propose a refined update of the species’ distribution range and identify areas to be surveyed. We also recorded the support tree species on which sifakas were observed, and note that, surprisingly, P. coquereli was frequently seen around villages and in areas dominated by introduced tree species. Although the species was present at almost all the visited sites of its highly fragmented distribution range, it remains unclear how viable the populations of a significant proportion of these sites actually are. Due to political instability and high rates of deforestation, large-scale conservation actions are urgently needed. We thus (1) discuss the outline of a possible metapopulation conservation action plan for P. coquereli and (2) identify priority sites and actions.

2014-10-08Journal article

Open access

The Confounding Effect of Population Structure on Bayesian Skyline Plot Inferences of Demographic History

Publication . Heller, Rasmus; Chikhi, Lounes; Siegismund, Hans Redlef

Many coalescent-based methods aiming to infer the demographic history of populations assume a single, isolated and panmictic population (i.e. a Wright-Fisher model). While this assumption may be reasonable under many conditions, several recent studies have shown that the results can be misleading when it is violated. Among the most widely applied demographic inference methods are Bayesian skyline plots (BSPs), which are used across a range of biological fields. Violations of the panmixia assumption are to be expected in many biological systems, but the consequences for skyline plot inferences have so far not been addressed and quantified. We simulated DNA sequence data under a variety of scenarios involving structured populations with variable levels of gene flow and analysed them using BSPs as implemented in the software package BEAST. Results revealed that BSPs can show false signals of population decline under biologically plausible combinations of population structure and sampling strategy, suggesting that the interpretation of several previous studies may need to be re-evaluated. We found that a balanced sampling strategy whereby samples are distributed on several populations provides the best scheme for inferring demographic change over a typical time scale. Analyses of data from a structured African buffalo population demonstrate how BSP results can be strengthened by simulations. We recommend that sample selection should be carefully considered in relation to population structure previous to BSP analyses, and that alternative scenarios should be evaluated when interpreting signals of population size change.

2013-05-07Journal article

Open access

A DNA Metabarcoding Study of a Primate Dietary Diversity and Plasticity across Its Entire Fragmented Range

Publication . Quéméré, Erwan; Hibert, Fabrice; Miquel, Christian; Lhuillier, Emeline; Rasolondraibe, Emmanuel; Champeau, Julie; Rabarivola, Clément; Nusbaumer, Louis; Chatelain, Cyrille; Gautier, Laurent; Ranirison, Patrick; Crouau-Roy, Brigitte; Taberlet, Pierre; Chikhi, Lounès

In tropical regions, most primary ecosystems have been replaced by mosaic landscapes in which species must cope with a large shift in the distribution of their habitat and associated food resources. Primates are particularly vulnerable to habitat modifications. Most species persist in small fragments surrounded by complex human-mediated matrices whose structure and connectivity may strongly influence their dispersal and feeding behavior. Behavioral plasticity appears to be a crucial parameter governing the ability of organisms to exploit the resources offered by new matrix habitats and thus to persist in fragmented habitats. In this study, we were interested in the dietary plasticity of the golden-crowned sifaka (Propithecus tattersalli), an endangered species of lemur, found only in the Daraina region in north-eastern Madagascar. We used a DNA-based approach combining the barcoding concept and Illumina next-generation sequencing to (i) describe the species diet across its entire range and (ii) evaluate the influence of landscape heterogeneity on diet diversity and composition. Faeces from 96 individuals were sampled across the entire species range and their contents were analyzed using the trnL metabarcoding approach. In parallel, we built a large DNA reference database based on a checklist of the plant species of the Daraina region. Our results suggest that golden-crowned sifakas exhibit remarkable dietary diversity with at least 130 plant species belonging to 80 genera and 49 different families. We highlighted an influence of both habitat type and openness on diet composition suggesting a high flexibility of foraging strategies. Moreover, we observed the presence of numerous cultivated and naturalized plants in the faeces of groups living in forest edge areas. Overall, our findings support our initial expectation that P. tattersalli is able to cope with the current level of alteration of the landscape and confirm our previous results on the distribution and the dispersal ability of this species.

2013-03-19Journal article

Open access