Biodiversity and ecosystem services in a tropical smallholder landscape in Madagascar

In Madagascar's Atsinanana rainforests, land-use changes driven by smallholder agriculture differentially impact biodiversity and ecosystem services. Research reveals that while endemism among plants and ants declines with increased land-use intensity—particularly on previously burned land—vanilla agroforestry systems can enhance biodiversity compared to fallow lands. Notably, primary forests remain irreplaceable for harboring unique species assemblages of ants, butterflies, and plants, while woody fallows provide critical provisioning services for rural communities. The study also highlights that hand-pollination in vanilla cultivation, necessitated by the scarcity of natural pollinators, offers economic potential but poses risks such as labor exploitation and ecological neglect if not managed sustainably. By integrating biodiversity data with yield metrics, the research demonstrates that increased vanilla production does not inherently deplete biodiversity, provided landscape-level forest cover is maintained. These findings underscore the need for diversified land-use strategies to balance agricultural productivity, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem service delivery in Madagascar's smallholder landscapes.

Wurz, A. Biodiversity and ecosystem services in a tropical smallholder landscape in Madagascar. https://doi.org/10.53846/goediss-9650