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Fourteen years of anthropization dynamics in the Uapaca bojeri Baill. forest of Madagascar

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Abstract

Anthropization of forest landscapes is a major threat to ecosystems and biodiversity. To gather comprehensive information on anthropization dynamics in forest landscapes, fine-scale surveys of deforestation are required, coupled with detailed analysis of both spatial transformation processes and forest patch geometry. We conducted such a comprehensive study in a monospecific Uapaca bojeri (Baill.) forest of Madagascar, between 1999 and 2013. A diachronic set of four maps was produced and deforestation rates were calculated. Spatial transformation processes were described using Bogaert et al. (2004) typology. Forest patch geometry was monitored using largest patch index, mean patch size, and squared mean patch size to describe patch size dynamics, mean shape index and area weighted mean shape index to describe patch compactness, and fractal dimension analysis to describe patch outline complexity. For fractal dimension analysis, an innovative segmented regression model (Muggeo 2008) was used to separately quantify fractal dimensions for multiple ranges of patch sizes. Our results showed a growing anthropization of the U. bojeri forest landscape in the area, through a strong yet decelerating deforestation (from − 59.5% year−1 between 1999 and 2005 to − 2.84% year−1 between 2009 and 2013), clear forest fragmentation, and a subtle yet growing-in-scale simplification of patch geometry for small forest patches. Deforestation was artisanal in nature and, in 2013, large patches were withdrawing to less accessible topographic features. Our results forecast a medium-term loss of resilience of the U. bojeri forest in the area, if no direct forest conservation measures are taken.

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Fig. 1

Maps produced with QGIS (QGIS Development Team 2015a)

Fig. 2

Maps produced with QGIS (QGIS Development Team 2015a)

Fig. 3

Maps produced with QGIS (QGIS Development Team 2015a), graph produced with R (R Development Core Team 2015b)

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the GeVaBo project and its funding body, the Belgian University Commission for Development (CUD). The experiments used in this paper comply with the current laws of the country in which they were performed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biodiversity and Landscape Unit, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage des déportés, 2, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium

    Thalès de Haulleville, Jean-François Bastin, François Malaisse & Jan Bogaert

  2. Laboratory for Wood Biology and Xylarium, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvense steenweg 13, 3080, Tervuren, Belgium

    Thalès de Haulleville & Hans Beeckman

  3. Department of Water and Forestry, University of Antananarivo, BP 175, Antananarivo, Madagascar

    Olivia L. Rakotondrasoa, Harifidy Rakoto Ratsimba & Gabrielle L. Rajoelison

  4. Landscape Ecology and Plant Production Systems Unit, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050, Brussels, Belgium

    Jean-François Bastin

  5. Statistics, Computer Science and Applied Modeling Unit (Sima), Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Liège University, Avenue de la Faculté, 8, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium

    Yves Brostaux

  6. Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Liège University, Passage des Déportés, 2, 5030, Gembloux, Belgium

    François J. Verheggen & Éric Haubruge

  7. Institute of Human and Social Sciences, University of Liège, Place du 20 Août, 7, 4000, Liège, Belgium

    Marc Poncelet

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  1. Thalès de Haulleville
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  2. Olivia L. Rakotondrasoa
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  3. Harifidy Rakoto Ratsimba
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  4. Jean-François Bastin
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  12. Jan Bogaert
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Correspondence to Thalès de Haulleville.

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de Haulleville, T., Rakotondrasoa, O.L., Rakoto Ratsimba, H. et al. Fourteen years of anthropization dynamics in the Uapaca bojeri Baill. forest of Madagascar. Landscape Ecol Eng 14, 135–146 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11355-017-0340-z

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