Ecological Niche Modeling of Nuxia capitata and Phyllarthron madagascariensis: Delineating Bioclimatic Envelopes for Sustainable Forest Management in Madagascar

Ecological niche modeling reveals critical insights for the conservation of two endemic Malagasy forest resources, Nuxia capitata and Phyllarthron madagascariensis. The study identifies their bioclimatic envelopes with high predictive accuracy (AUC: 0.951 and 0.919, respectively), showing that N. capitata thrives in cooler highland ecosystems, primarily driven by annual temperature (75.6% contribution), while P. madagascariensis is shaped by precipitation seasonality (43.4%), dominating the eastern humid forest biome. Spatial analyses indicate that 31.81% of N. capitata's niche and 36.36% of P. madagascariensis's range overlap with protected areas, but significant gaps persist in central highlands like Analamanga. The research underscores the urgency of strengthening community-based forest management to safeguard fragmented genetic reservoirs and preserve indigenous ethnobotanical knowledge, amid accelerating anthropogenic pressures.

Mihaja Henintsoa Toejanahary, R., Rokiman, L., Vololonome Bodomalala, R., RAHELIVOLOLONIAINA Baholy, R., & Dieudonné, R. (2026). Ecological Niche Modeling of Nuxia capitata and Phyllarthron madagascariensis: Delineating Bioclimatic Envelopes for Sustainable Forest Management in Madagascar. Revue Africaine d’Ethnobiologie & Ethnomédecine, 4(1), 131–149. https://doi.org/10.65857/raee.026.v4.i1.44