Island Time

                I have been reading "The Song Of The Dodo: Island Biogeography In An Age of Extinctions" by David Quammen. The primary focus of this book is extinction on Islands, especially in regards to Madagascar. It begins by outlining the means by which islands are populated. Some of the methods of colonization include wind dispersal, floating, past land bridges, and flying. Once on the island the species must find a way to establish itself and breed. This can be an incredibly difficult task, especially for large mammals. Typically the larger and older islands have higher biodiversity. Madagascar is both relatively large and old. It exhibits incredibly high diversity and the species differ significantly from mainland Africa. The classic savannah animals, such as lions, giraffes, and antelope are all absent from Madagascar. On the other hand they have an incredibly high diversity of Lemurs, a species only found on Madagascar. This high diversity is under a variety of threats both from human and non-human sources. Islands typically face much higher extinction pressure, which is drastically elevated by climate change. Madagascar has a variety of unique habitat types that are separated by natural boundaries. These divides combined with deforestation have led to isolated and diverse populations. Many of the species are highly specialized, unable to survive anywhere else in the world. The smaller the niche a species occupies the greater chance that it will go extinct. In Madagascar even a small amount of warming can lead to devastating changes in the ecology. When one species passes it can lead to a series of trophic cascades, with unforeseen consequences. (Quammen)

                In an article entitled “Climate Change Adaptation Capacity” it states that Madagascar is one of the lowest carbon emitting countries on the planet. Regrettably this country faces disproportional consequences from climate change. Seventy five percent of their economy is based on natural resources. Most of the population is poor and as sea levels rise and resources decline it will be difficult to survive. Few of the residents are equipped with scientific knowledge or skills to mitigate climate change. In 2005 warm water bleaching occurred damaging eighty percent of the coral on the northeast coast. This country is in dire need of help from the outside world. In attempting to help this country it will be important to consider the culture and livelihoods of the inhabitants. Working in conjunction with residents will be essential to the success of climate adaptation. (Climate Change Adaptation Capacity)

Works Cited

"Climate Change Adaptation Capacity." WWF. World Wildlife Fund, n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2013.

Quammen, David. The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinctions. New York: Scribner, 1996. Print.