October 4, 2012 — Conservationists have successfully propagated around 200 rare seedlings from one of Madagascar’s critically endangered trees. Pentachlaena betamponensis is only known to exist in one location, Betampona Nature Reserve, an oasis of biodiverse tropical forest amidst agricultural land in eastern Madagasacar.
The known global population only numbers twelve individuals, again, all found in Betampona. Conservation researchers Justin and Lala with the Madagascar Fauna Group (MFG) collected the seeds in January of this year as part of a project to document the reserve’s distinct flora. This was the first time they had observed any of the twelve individuals flowering and producing fruit since 2004 when they began the project. Interestingly, Justin noted that most of the twelve trees flowered and fruited at the same time. In addition, the team prepared several herbarium specimens, including the only specimen with mature fruit known to scientists. Prior to this, only one flowering specimen had been preserved.
With deforestation and fragmentation threatening the island’s forests, conservationists and researchers are working to discover, understand and preserve the incredible diversity of life found in Madagascar. The Madagascar Fauna Group (MFG) and Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG) collaborated on locating and propagating Betampona’s endemic plants in an effort to document the reserve’s extraordinary diversity. The project received initial support from the Field Research for Conservation Program at St. Louis Zoo. This particular discovery actually came after the completion of the project.
“Betampona is a completely isolated forest fragment, surrounded by a degraded agricultural landscape,” according to Charlie Welch, Conservation Coordinator at the Duke Lemur Center (which is a managing partner of the MFG). “It is one of the last remaining intact forested areas of Madagascar’s once vast lowland rainforests, and is home to a variety of both plant and animal species found nowhere else on the island.”
Betampona Nature Reserve has been central in the MFG’s research and conservation programs for many years. Betampona was the site of the first and only lemur restocking program in the late 1990’s, when thirteen captive black-and-white ruffed lemurs from Durham were introduced to the reserve. Monitoring and research of the lemurs led to more studies on the flora and fauna of the reserve, including the project to document the plant diversity.
The Madagascar Fauna Group is an international consortium of zoos, research centers, botanical gardens and related institutions that all work together to combine resources and focus conservation efforts in Madagascar. The MFG’s efforts include conservation action, environmental education, capacity building, and research. The organization has been involved in Madagascar since 1988.
