Abstract
The Berenty Reserve is part of a 400-ha forest fragment bordered by the Mandrare River, sisal plantations and pasture lands. It was founded in 1936 by the de Heaulme family in negotiation with local Tandroy clans, and the forest has been preserved through political changes for over 75 years. Exotic trees have been planted on the western side, and the forest is infiltrated by trails which facilitate assault by invasive plants, particularly sisal and Cissus quadrangularis. Pressure is aggravated by high lemur density, especially introduced hybrid brown lemurs Eulemur rufifrons × E. collaris, which are displacing native Lemur catta. Alopecia of Lemur catta is directly linked to ingestion of the exotic plant Leucaena leucocephala. Successive forest managers have attempted to resolve these problems. Predicted scenarios of global warming and a lower water table will exacerbate both biological and social stress.
Resume
La Réserve de Berenty fait partie d’un fragment de forêt de 400 ha bordé par le fleuve Mandrare, des plantations de sisals et des prés. Elle fut fondée en 1936 par la famille de Heaulme, en négociation avec les clans Tandroy, et a été préservée, malgré les changements politiques successifs, pendant plus de 75 ans. Des arbres exotiques sont plantés sur la partie ouest, et la forêt est parcourue par des sentiers qui facilitent l’invasion de plantes introduites, en particulier le sisal et Cissus quadrangularis. La pression est aggravée par la densité élevée de lémuriens, surtout de Eulemur rufifrons x E. collaris, hybrides introduits qui déplacent les Lemur catta indigènes. L’alopécie de Lemur catta est directement liée à l’ingestion d’une autre plante introduite, Leucaena leucocephala. Les gérants de la réserve qui se sont succédés ont tenté de résoudre ces problèmes. On peut prédire que le réchauffement climatique et l’abaissement de la nappe phréatique aggraveront le stress biologique et social.
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Rambeloarivony, H., Jolly, A. (2012). Berenty Reserve: Past, Present, and Future. In: Masters, J., Gamba, M., Génin, F. (eds) Leaping Ahead. Developments in Primatology: Progress and Prospects. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4511-1_39
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4511-1_39
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