Work

Post-fire recolonization of dry deciduous forests by lemurs in northwestern Madagascar

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Wildfires significantly threaten biodiversity, especially in tropical regions like Madagascar, where unique ecosystems face ongoing habitat loss and degradation. This study investigated the effects of forest fires on lemur abundance, species richness, and their ability to recolonize burnt vegetation in Ankarafantsika National Park (ANP), the largest protected dry deciduous forest in northwestern Madagascar. ANP hosts eight lemur species with one diurnal (Propithecus coquereli), two cathemeral (Eulemur mongoz, E. fulvus), and five nocturnal species (Avahi occidentalis, Lepilemur edwardsi, Cheirogaleus medius, Microcebus murinus, and M. ravelobensis). Eighteen sites with varying fire histories (1 to > 35 years post-fire) and adjacent unburnt forest parts were surveyed using diurnal and nocturnal distance sampling. Transects included burnt (700 m) and unburnt (500 m) sections. Generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) assessed the effect of fire variables such as time since the last fire, number of fires, intervals between fires, and fire severity on lemur abundance and species richness. A full lemur community was observed only in unburnt forests and areas with extended post-fire recovery (≥ 23 years). Fires negatively impacted E. fulvus and L. edwardsi, while they did not significantly affect the abundance of small nocturnal species (C. medius, Microcebus spp.). Lemur species richness was higher in unburnt zones and decreased with an increasing number of fires. These findings reveal the need for long recovery periods for lemur communities post-fire, suggest species-specific fire vulnerabilities, and demonstrate significant faunal impacts of this destructive driver of landscape transformation.

Source: Biodiversity and Conservation

DOI: 10.1007/s10531-025-03167-x