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Bryophyte and Climate Change Research at Marojejy
Continued
P A G E 1 3
V O L . 3 , N O . 1
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4
altitudinal and latitudinal gradients of bryophyte
communities in the western Indian Ocean. In 2009,
during the first phase of the study, bryophyte sam-
ples were collected from lower altitudes to the sum-
mits of Marojejy.
This past December, accompanied and assisted by
Lanto and two guides, Lova installed five climatic data
sensors in Marojejy, at every 400 meters, from 450m
to 2050m elevation. The devices collect temperature
and humidity data, which will be downloaded every
three to six months. Her work will provide some of
the first climate data from Marojejy in recent years
and examine four major questions: (1) How are bryo-
phytes communities structured along an altitudinal
gradient? (2) How will climate change affect species
distributions and species assemblages of bryophytes
on a mountain (lowland attrition and mountain top
extinctions)? (3) What are the historical factors af-
fecting bryophyte diversity? (4) Recommendations
for conservation planning of tropical forest systems.
References
Barrett MA, Brown JL, Junge RE, and Yoder AD (2013). Climate change, predictive modeling and lemur health: assess-
ing impacts of changing climate on health and conservation in Madagascar.
Biological Conservation
157: 409-422.
Dunham AE, Erhart EM, and Wright PC (2010). Global climate cycles and cyclones; consequences for rainfall patterns
and lemur reproduction in south-
eastern
Madagascar.
Global
Change Biology
17: 219-227.
Hannah L, Dave R, Lowry II PP, et al.
(2008). Climate change adaptation
for conservation in Madagascar.
Biology Letters
4: 590–594.
Raxworthy CJ, Pearson RG, Rabibi-
soa N, et al. (2008). Extinction vul-
nerability of tropical montane en-
demism from warming and upslope
displacement: a preliminary ap-
praisal for the highest massif in
Madagascar.
Global Change Biology
14: 1703-1720.
Tadross M, Randriamarolaza L, Ra-
befitia Z, et al. (2008).
World Bank, Washing-
ton DC. 18pp.
L to R: Lova Marline, Dez Kely (Marojejy Guide), Estelle Raveloaritiana
(assistant to Ms. Marline from University of Antananarivo), Lanto Andrian-
andrasana (DLC-SC Project Manager).
Bryophytes include mosses, liverworts and hornworts.
Photo by Éric Mathieu,