Working with local botanists in Madagascar: fieldwork in a biodiversity hotspot

Flowers in alcohol

Shawn recounts "As well as learning as much as possible from the KMCC botanists and Kew staff on this trip, my specific mission was to keep an opportunistic eye peeled for mimosoid legumes in flower that I might be able to collect for my research project. I am researching the ecological contexts and evolution of pollen structure and pollination systems in the mimosoid legumes in Madagascar.

"There are 127 native Madagascan species scattered throughout this clade, 116 of which occur nowhere else on the planet. A further 18 species have been introduced by people. How many would be in flower in mid-February at the sites we were to visit? Atypical rainfall patterns in recent months made the answer to this question anyone’s guess.

"Along the drive through the Central Plateaux between Antananarivo and Ankarafantsika, I noticed a white-flowered and a pink-flowered Mimosa, as well as what appeared to be two different species of Dichrostachys in flower. However, our collecting permits covered only the National Park and a special community reserve that we were to visit, so these first glimpses remained just that: observations.

"In Ankarafantsika, with the help of several other students who generously adopted my mimosoid mission, we collected in ethanol two species of Mimosa and one species of Albizia that were in flower, as well as an additional Albizia and Entada in fruit. After re-living the tantalising glimpses of the uncollectable mimosoids along the roads between Ankarafanstika, Tana and Analalava, I managed to make several non-fertile collections of what might, upon comparison with type specimens, turn out to be two species of Viguieranthus, in the humid forest site at Analalava.

"Now back at Kew, my task is to extract, collate and analyse relevant data alongside existing information, and continue to cultivate collaborative relationships with the Malagasy experts at KMCC."

Digging for roots

Shannon says "The forests of Madagascar offer a plethora of mycological delights for those willing to rummage around the scenery. The aims of my study, however, were not only to observe and record what was above ground, but to explore the depths below ground as well.

"By collecting mycorrhizal roots from both endemic and non-native tree species, my goal was to gain a better understanding of the plant-fungal relationships within Madagascar. With help from the local guides, we were able to identify tree species known to harbour ectomycorrhizae in their roots

"Once digging down in the dirt, I attempted to uncover and follow roots from said trees while keeping a careful eye out for any potential fruiting bodies. From this study, we‘re attempting to generate baseline diversity data for Madagascan fungi, as many are yet to be described.

"Additionally, our findings may aid in future studies and conservation efforts, providing a better understanding of the specificity of these symbiotic relationships."

In Analalava half of the group was lucky enough to spend the night in the community reserve, eating traditional local food and seeing the community conservation project up close.

Because it had been very dry for a while, there weren't many fungi to collect; however the plant diversity was absolutely stunning. We saw many trees with diverse understories, and stems covered in epiphytic plants. We even went to the roost of a fruit bat colony that retook its niche in the forest reserve.

This trip was an amazing experience and all of the students were very much engaged. I think this is mostly due to the enthusiasm of the KMCC team who are excellent botanists and great company. We saw some disheartening sights of deforestation and the trip was not always comfortable (cramped up in a hot van on a bumpy road for 10 hours) but the thoughts slip your mind when you enter the beautiful natural reserves and meet the wonderful people of Madagascar.