Camille DeSisto is a PhD student in Ecology at the Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment, in the Nunn Lab. She works in collaborative teams to research plant-animal interaction networks, human-nature relationships, and forest ecology in a changing world. Camille’s field research focuses on understanding lemur-plant relationships in Madagascar’s rainforests. She graduated from Harvard University in 2019 with a degree in Integrative Biology, secondary in Environmental Science and Public Policy, and citation in Spanish. Before beginning her PhD at Duke, Camille studied mangrove ecology in Ecuador as a Fulbright Student Researcher. When she is not measuring trees or working on statistical analysis, Camille can be found swimming laps, riding her bike, or enjoying a novel.
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Land use drives structure and function of lemur-tree ecological networks
Camille DeSisto, Roméo Bezaralahy, Candidier Dimbiarijaonina, Emerancine, Telesy Feno, Edouard Mahazandry, Jeantauné Njakandrina, Charles Nunn, Edgar Rabevao, Mamy Omega Raharizafinirina, Sidonie Rakotoarisoa, William Ramalanjaona, Dominique Randrianasolo, Jean Ranohianasy, Jean Randrianasy, Rasolofo, George Raveloson, Marie Rolande Soazafy, Jean Tiamanana, Eric Tsilanizara, Zerimanana, Zico Zandry, James Herrera & John R. Poulsen
Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University
Land use change alters animal-tree interactions, threatening essential ecological processes such as tree recruitment. Here, we assess the effects of land use type on ecological networks representing lemur seed dispersal, seed predation, and folivory in northeast Madagascar. We integrate ethnobiological data with conventional scientific data to examine differences between secondary and primary forest network structure, network stability to lemur and tree extirpation, and how the structural importance of trees relates to social and ecological traits. Compared to primary forests, secondary forests exhibited lower taxonomic and interaction abundance, richness, diversity, and stability to lemur loss. Trees central to secondary forest networks were more used by humans, had smaller diameters, and lower wood density values. Trees central to primary forest dispersal networks tended to not be endemic, and those central to the primary forest folivory network had lower wood densities. We also identified connections between land use types; nocturnal lemurs and non-endemic trees with low wood densities tended to be most important in connecting secondary with primary forest. Strong ecological interactions within and between land use types influenced the functional landscape of lemur-tree interactions, highlighting the importance of conserving interactions in both secondary and primary forests for advancing rainforest restoration.