Air photo evidence of historical land cover change in the highlands: Wetlands and grasslands give way to crops and woodlots

摘要: Madagascar’s high plateau – where people farm, graze cattle, and set periodic fire in a grass dominated landscape receives disproportionately little conservation attention. An aerial photograph-based analysis of land - cover change the latter half 20th century, based on stratified random sample twenty eight sites, reveals dramatic trends associated with an increasing human population that is building cultural villages agro-ecosystems to assure its livelihoods. On average across about 23 % grassland areas present 1949–1950 were converted crops fields, farm trees built up by 1990s. Of all transitions, most changes included loss approximately 60 wetlands 37 riparian forests. These covers, which are dispersed along fine grained dendritic stream network, habitat for crayfish, frogs, other fauna, yet also prized locations rice Malagasy agricultural system. The results this study suggest attention be given highland grassland, wetland forest ecosystem restoration conservation; however, any ground initiatives should incorporate respect local needs allow sustainable use these ecosystems, their subsistence importance.