Endangered Species, Keystone Species, and Dominant Species
Endangered Species: There are many endangered species found in the Zahamena National Park, because the park works to help protect most animals. However, one of the most critical endangered primates is the Greater Bamboo Lemur. The Greater Bamboo Lemur is the largest bamboo lemur. It can be identified by its white ear tufts and its darker body. They can also have redish coats with no ear tufts. It likes to live in the trees and bamboo of the tropical rainforest. According to the conservation status of this lemur, it is critically endangered. Instead of the mammal being spread all over the Island of Madagascar, it is located in only a few spots on the eastern coast. However, a project called "Saving Prolemur simus" was put in place to help protect it. The reason the Greater Bamboo Lemur became endangered is because of the deforestation of its environment and the continual cutting down of bamboo in Madagascar's tropical rain-forests. There have also been many parasites that have been damaging the lemur's health, causing a decrease in the population. However, people also say that the reason for their extinction is because of their diet. Humans are also becoming an issue, because the natives to Madagascar will hunt these precious animals for their food, not realizing what they are truly doing. Their main food source is bambo, and the bamboo is being cut down therefore limiting food sources for the Greater Bamboo Lemur. As of 2008, there were only 250 Greater Bamboo Lemurs known to be around. However, steps are being taken by the Madagascar Government to help conserve this rare species. (13, 14, 15)
Click here to see a video of the Greater Bamboo Lemur in its natural habitat
Keystone Species: A keystone species is defined as an animal that helps keep the ecosystem "intact". They have a huge affect on the environment around them. There are many kinds of animals in the Zahamena National Park, one kind being lemurs. There are hundreds of different kinds of lemurs in Madagascar's tropical rain-forests. However, many are going extinct and they are considered the keystone species in this ecosystem. More specifically, the giant lemurs are the main keystone species. They feed on the C3 plants and occasionally the C4 plants, then disperse their seeds. Lemurs are the dispersers of about 10% of the trees in Madagascar. Not only do they spread out seeds for plants, they pollinate plants. When feeding, they do not destroy the flowers in plants. If anything, they help the flowers develop. If the giant lemurs were extinct, which they are becoming, then there would be a huge effect on the surround environment. If lemurs were missing, there would be more forest fires because there would be more shrubs and grasses that would be able to catch fire easily. Seeds from plants and trees would not be dispersed as much, because that is one of the main contributions lemurs have. Also, seeds would not be germinated as well. Lemurs have the ability to germinate seeds as they pass through the digestive system. Over all, there would be more build up of leaves and fallen grasses, but there would be a great reduction in trees and other C3 and C4 plants if the giant lemurs were not around the spread their seeds, and maintain the balance. Not only would the absence of the giant lemurs affect the environment, it would affect the food web. If the lemurs were not here then snakes, the fossa, hawks, and other larger animals would not have a food source. That would cause those animals to began to die off. Then bugs that the lemurs eat will increase in population size, and it would give other animals an opprotunity to eat them. Madagascar, and more specifically Zahamena, is able to see these affects of the keystone species taking place now. (16, 17, 18)
Dominant Species: As you can probably tell, the dominant species in this ecosystem is the lemur. There are many different kinds of lemur species in Zahamena National Park, and this is because Madagascar is famous for its large majority of lemurs. If it weren't for the many types of lemurs like the Aye Aye Lemur or the Ring-tailed Lemur, then the ecosystem would fail. Lemurs are endangered and also a keystone species as seen above. As the dominant species, there are more lemurs than competitors. This means the lemur's population is greater than the other competitors for food like some mongoose, bird, and sloth species. (17, 15)
Credit to Profesor Sauther from Colorado State University for helping with this page. For more information contact her at: [email protected]