The impacts of logging on the microhabitats used by two species of couas in the western forest of Madagascar.
Habitat structure is important to consider in all ecological studies considering the relationships between animals and their environment. Habitat structure can be studied at different scales, from landscape to microhabitat. I studied here the response of two endemic terrestrial birds living in the dry forest of Madagascar. These birds belong to the genus Coua. The study is made at the microhabitat scale in a gallery forest, which has been logged selectively in order to limit the degradation of the forest. Selective logging is promoted to be respectful of the environment by allowing us to exploit the forest without destroying it and the wildlife encountered here. At the microhabitat scale, I underline that selective logging does not affect the Coquerel's coua, which can exploit new microhabitats and increase its density. On the other hand, the giant coua was affected by the restriction of optimal microhabitats for foraging. This species could be adapted to the new habitat by modifying its favourite foraging sites, but by decreasing also the population density. This species was affected by forest degradation, even considered as not destroying. At last, I considered how Coquerel's coua could be used as umbrella species for the endangered mesite.
Chouteau
Philippe
P
Laboratoire d'écologie, Ecole normale supérieure, 75230 Paris cedex 05, France. philippechouteau@wanadoo.fr
D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D017753:Ecosystem; D008270:Madagascar; D014197:Trees; D014934:Wood