Spiny Forest And Alluaudia Procera
By: Emmye H
Age: 16
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
By: Emmye H
Age: 16
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Madagascar holds on to some of the world's most spectacular biodiversity. This unique biodiversity is a result of Madagascar's location being completely separate from the rest of the world. For centuries, the flora and fauna have been left alone from the rest of the world. Join me on a virtual trip as we travel to a country called Madagascar right off the coast from southern Africa in the Indian Ocean. The southern peninsula is home to the "Spiny Desert." This desert is a deciduous thicket and is a globally distinct ecoregion. Trees belonging to the Didiereaceae family makeup 95% of the thicket and give it the characteristic spiny forest name. Trees from the Didiereaceae family are actually succulents and are often called the octopus trees due to their characteristic long slender trunks. Twenty species of this family are found in Madagascar, the most prominent being Alluaudia procera.
Alluaudia procera is the most octopus-like of the Didereace family. The trunks all sprout from the same place causing the tree to look like a bunch of worms breaching the ground. Though, my favorite part of Alluaudia procera is that its spines lining the tree collect condensation through the night and drip the water to the roots. This is an incredible adaptation, and I find it incredibly fascinating.
There are many animals that rely on the spiny forest to live. The lemurs being especially adapted to the forest. With thick padding on their hands and feet, they are able to jump and land on spiny trees as well as being able to navigate through the spines to get to the succulent leaves. The leaves are a major food source for the lemur but they don't only rely on Alluaudia procera.
Though the spiny forest is an incredible thicket home to many plants and creatures, it is threatened with slash and burn agriculture. The trees get turned into charcoal and sold off for profit. Slash and burn was not always a problem. The locals and organizations that used to profit off of fishing and other things are no longer able to get profit and have turned to the spiny forest as a last resort. Not all hope is lost though, organizations like the World Wildlife Fund are helping with conservation.
Bibliography
Burgess, Neil, et al. Terrestrial Ecoregions of Africa and Madagascar. Washington DC, World Wildlife Fund, 2004, file:///Users/emmyeharris/Downloads/Ecoregions_Book.pdf. Accessed 13 6 2021.
Henrich, James E. “The Madagascar Spiny Forest at Los Angeles County Arboretum.” Pacific Horticulture, Pacific Horticulture, https://www.pacifichorticulture.org/articles/the-madagascar-spiny-forestat-los-angeles-county-arboretum/. Accessed 24 6 2021.
Crowley, Helen. “Madagascar spiny thickets.” Madagascar spiny thickets, World Wildlife Fund, https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/at1311. Accessed 10 June 2021.
Freund, Kristi. “Propithecus Verreauxi (Verreaux's Sifaka).” Animal Diversity Web, Animal Diversity Web, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Propithecus_verreauxi/.
“SPINY FOREST.” Reef Doctor, Reef Doctor, https://www.reefdoctor.org/projects/conservation/spiny-forest/. Accessed 15 6 2021.
Alluaudia procera is the most octopus-like of the Didereace family. The trunks all sprout from the same place causing the tree to look like a bunch of worms breaching the ground. Though, my favorite part of Alluaudia procera is that its spines lining the tree collect condensation through the night and drip the water to the roots. This is an incredible adaptation, and I find it incredibly fascinating.
There are many animals that rely on the spiny forest to live. The lemurs being especially adapted to the forest. With thick padding on their hands and feet, they are able to jump and land on spiny trees as well as being able to navigate through the spines to get to the succulent leaves. The leaves are a major food source for the lemur but they don't only rely on Alluaudia procera.
Though the spiny forest is an incredible thicket home to many plants and creatures, it is threatened with slash and burn agriculture. The trees get turned into charcoal and sold off for profit. Slash and burn was not always a problem. The locals and organizations that used to profit off of fishing and other things are no longer able to get profit and have turned to the spiny forest as a last resort. Not all hope is lost though, organizations like the World Wildlife Fund are helping with conservation.
Bibliography
Burgess, Neil, et al. Terrestrial Ecoregions of Africa and Madagascar. Washington DC, World Wildlife Fund, 2004, file:///Users/emmyeharris/Downloads/Ecoregions_Book.pdf. Accessed 13 6 2021.
Henrich, James E. “The Madagascar Spiny Forest at Los Angeles County Arboretum.” Pacific Horticulture, Pacific Horticulture, https://www.pacifichorticulture.org/articles/the-madagascar-spiny-forestat-los-angeles-county-arboretum/. Accessed 24 6 2021.
Crowley, Helen. “Madagascar spiny thickets.” Madagascar spiny thickets, World Wildlife Fund, https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/at1311. Accessed 10 June 2021.
Freund, Kristi. “Propithecus Verreauxi (Verreaux's Sifaka).” Animal Diversity Web, Animal Diversity Web, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Propithecus_verreauxi/.
“SPINY FOREST.” Reef Doctor, Reef Doctor, https://www.reefdoctor.org/projects/conservation/spiny-forest/. Accessed 15 6 2021.
Editor's note
Wildlife In Spotlight collaborated with six students who attended the Summer High School Leadership Summit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. As part of Emmye's two-week program, she had to research, write, and present on a plant of her choice. She met with horticulturists, conservationists and other experts to explore the Garden's collections and gather information to write her article. Students were encouraged to select plants that not only interested them, but also had ecological, ethnobotanical, or economic value.
Many thanks to Lorin Boren, School Program Assistant Manager, Atlanta Botanical Garden, for coordinating and facilitating this partnership!
Wildlife In Spotlight collaborated with six students who attended the Summer High School Leadership Summit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. As part of Emmye's two-week program, she had to research, write, and present on a plant of her choice. She met with horticulturists, conservationists and other experts to explore the Garden's collections and gather information to write her article. Students were encouraged to select plants that not only interested them, but also had ecological, ethnobotanical, or economic value.
Many thanks to Lorin Boren, School Program Assistant Manager, Atlanta Botanical Garden, for coordinating and facilitating this partnership!