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Antonelli A, Smith RJ, Perrigo AL, Crottini A, Hackel J, Testo W, Farooq H, Torres Jiménez MF, Andela N, Andermann T, Andriamanohera AM, Andriambololonera S, Bachman SP, Bacon CD, Baker WJ, Belluardo F, Birkinshaw C, Borrell JS, Cable S, Canales NA, Carrillo JD, Clegg R, Clubbe C, Cooke RSC, Damasco G, Dhanda S, Edler D, Faurby S, de Lima Ferreira P, Fisher BL, Forest F, Gardiner LM, Goodman SM, Grace OM, Guedes TB, Henniges MC, Hill R, Lehmann CER, Lowry PP, Marline L, Matos-Maraví P, Moat J, Neves B, Nogueira MGC, Onstein RE, Papadopulos AST, Perez-Escobar OA, Phelps LN, Phillipson PB, Pironon S, Przelomska NAS, Rabarimanarivo M, Rabehevitra D, Raharimampionona J, Rajaonah MT, Rajaonary F, Rajaovelona LR, Rakotoarinivo M, Rakotoarisoa AA, Rakotoarisoa SE, Rakotomalala HN, Rakotonasolo F, Ralaiveloarisoa BA, Ramirez-Herranz M, Randriamamonjy JEN, Randriamboavonjy T, Randrianasolo V, Rasolohery A, Ratsifandrihamanana AN, Ravololomanana N, Razafiniary V, Razanajatovo H, Razanatsoa E, Rivers M, Sayol F, Silvestro D, Vorontsova MS, Walker K, Walker BE, Wilkin P, Williams J, Ziegler T, Zizka A, Ralimanana H. Madagascar’s extraordinary biodiversity: Evolution, distribution, and use. Science 2022; 378:eabf0869. [DOI: 10.1126/science.abf0869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Madagascar’s biota is hyperdiverse and includes exceptional levels of endemicity. We review the current state of knowledge on Madagascar’s past and current terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity by compiling and presenting comprehensive data on species diversity, endemism, and rates of species description and human uses, in addition to presenting an updated and simplified map of vegetation types. We report a substantial increase of records and species new to science in recent years; however, the diversity and evolution of many groups remain practically unknown (e.g., fungi and most invertebrates). Digitization efforts are increasing the resolution of species richness patterns and we highlight the crucial role of field- and collections-based research for advancing biodiversity knowledge and identifying gaps in our understanding, particularly as species richness corresponds closely to collection effort. Phylogenetic diversity patterns mirror that of species richness and endemism in most of the analyzed groups. We highlight humid forests as centers of diversity and endemism because of their role as refugia and centers of recent and rapid radiations. However, the distinct endemism of other areas, such as the grassland-woodland mosaic of the Central Highlands and the spiny forest of the southwest, is also biologically important despite lower species richness. The documented uses of Malagasy biodiversity are manifold, with much potential for the uncovering of new useful traits for food, medicine, and climate mitigation. The data presented here showcase Madagascar as a unique “living laboratory” for our understanding of evolution and the complex interactions between people and nature. The gathering and analysis of biodiversity data must continue and accelerate if we are to fully understand and safeguard this unique subset of Earth’s biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Antonelli
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Rhian J. Smith
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Allison L. Perrigo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Angelica Crottini
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Jan Hackel
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
| | - Weston Testo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Harith Farooq
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Lúrio University, Pemba, Cabo Delgado Province, Mozambique
| | - Maria F. Torres Jiménez
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Institute of Biosciences, Life Sciences Centre, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Niels Andela
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Tobias Andermann
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Organismal Biology, SciLifeLab, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | - Christine D. Bacon
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Francesco Belluardo
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Chris Birkinshaw
- Missouri Botanical Garden, Madagascar Program, Antananarivo, Madagascar
- Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | | | - Stuart Cable
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
| | - Nataly A. Canales
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Juan D. Carrillo
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- CR2P, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Rosie Clegg
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
- Department of Geography, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, UK
| | - Colin Clubbe
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
| | - Robert S. C. Cooke
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, UK
| | - Gabriel Damasco
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Departamento de Botânica e Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
| | - Sonia Dhanda
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
| | - Daniel Edler
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Integrated Science Lab, Department of Physics, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Søren Faurby
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Paola de Lima Ferreira
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Entomology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Brian L. Fisher
- California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Félix Forest
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
| | - Lauren M. Gardiner
- Cambridge University Herbarium, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Steven M. Goodman
- Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Association Vahatra, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | | | - Thaís B. Guedes
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Unicamp, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marie C. Henniges
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Rowena Hill
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Caroline E. R. Lehmann
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Porter P. Lowry
- Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, et Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Lovanomenjanahary Marline
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre, Antananarivo, Madagascar
- Association Vahatra, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Pável Matos-Maraví
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Entomology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Justin Moat
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
| | - Beatriz Neves
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Matheus G. C. Nogueira
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Renske E. Onstein
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333CR Leiden, the Netherlands
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | | | - Leanne N. Phelps
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Peter B. Phillipson
- Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, et Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Samuel Pironon
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
- UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), Cambridge, UK
| | - Natalia A. S. Przelomska
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
- Department of Anthropology, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - David Rabehevitra
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | | | - Mamy Tiana Rajaonah
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Fano Rajaonary
- Missouri Botanical Garden, Madagascar Program, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Landy R. Rajaovelona
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Mijoro Rakotoarinivo
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Amédée A. Rakotoarisoa
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Solofo E. Rakotoarisoa
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Herizo N. Rakotomalala
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Franck Rakotonasolo
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | | | - Myriam Ramirez-Herranz
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, University of La Serena, La Serena, Chile
- Programa de Doctorado en Biología y Ecología Aplicada, Universidad Católica del Norte, Universidad de La Serena, La Serena, Chile
| | | | | | - Vonona Randrianasolo
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | | | | | | | - Velosoa Razafiniary
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Henintsoa Razanajatovo
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Estelle Razanatsoa
- Plant Conservation Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Malin Rivers
- Botanic Gardens Conservation International, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
| | - Ferran Sayol
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Daniele Silvestro
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | | | - Kim Walker
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
- Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey, UK
| | | | - Paul Wilkin
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
| | | | - Thomas Ziegler
- Cologne Zoo, Cologne, Germany
- Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Alexander Zizka
- Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Hélène Ralimanana
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre, Antananarivo, Madagascar
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