This summer I spent 12 weeks conducting conservation work in Madagascar. As I journeyed through winding roads and lush forest on my way to my research site in Madagascar, my mind was full of expectations and my heart fluttered with excitement. I expected to gain hands-on research experience, learn about Malagasy culture, and increase my understanding of the complexities of conservation biology. All of those aforementioned anticipations were met and then quickly exceeded.
Throughout Spring semester last year, I worked with Dr. Chris Golden and a team of other undergraduate students to learn about planetary health and Malagasy culture through the Planetary Health Alliance Undergraduate Fellowship. We worked together to develop various planetary health projects. I was responsible for co-leading the development of a storytelling project. This included the development of storyboards for a mini-documentary series on planetary health topics in Madagascar (sustainable fisheries, poultry intervention in the bush meat crisis, and cyclone Enawo). This summer we spent 6 weeks working together for the field season, in which we worked to help execute planetary health projects and document the importance of the intersection of environmental and human health in Madagascar. Throughout the summer, I again focused my efforts on storytelling, particularly through photography. We worked on projects on fisheries, malaria research, and other planetary health topics. The work took us to various places across the country; it was incredible to experience and learn from such a wide variety of ecosystems.
For the remainder of the summer, I worked in Ranomafana, Madagascar, on a research project. My project is a multidimensional analysis of strawberry guava, Psidium cattleyanum, in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. Strawberry guava is a nonnative species in Madagascar that has invaded a variety of areas throughout the Madagascar. The principal goals of my research are to determine the mechanisms of seed dispersal (with a particular emphasis on animal-mediated seed dispersal) of this species and to assess the impact that Psidium cattleyanum has on the diversity and structure of both floral and faunal communities. I worked with my advisors, Drs Onja Razafindratsima and Daniel Park to develop and execute the project. I also collaborated with Vero Narindra Ramananjato, a Masters student and the University of Antananarivo, and worked with trained local villagers who are familiar with the local flora and fauna.
In order to determine the seed dispersal mechanisms, I conducted tree watches on 41 fruiting Psidium cattleyanum trees. When lemurs and birds visited the fruiting guava trees, I collected observational data of the fugivory, measured the feeding tree, and collected the geographic coordinated of the tree location and time of feeding. I then followed the lemurs until they defecated, characterized the microhabitat, recorded the time of the defecation and the geographic coordinate of the microhabitat, and collected the feces sample. The guava seeds collected from the fecal samples were incorporated into a germination experiment. I also collected data on fugivory through camera traps that were deployed in various invaded areas. We also gathered guava leaf samples from 123 trees throughout Ranomafana National Park for genetic analyses. To assess the impact of P. cattlenianum on the forest community diversity and structure, we established a 1-hectare plot and conducted a botanical survey of the entire area. Every tree with a diameter greater than 1cm was included in the plot, a feature of the project that allowed for detailed and abundant data. Each tree was identified, measured for its height and diameter, and mapped. We also collected data on 24 invaded plots (5m by 5m) in various other areas throughout the forest; these plots were set in the areas where I did the tree watch described above. Conducting field research from a campsite in the forest was empowering and made me certain that I want to conduct more fieldwork in the future. The challenging and rewarding nature of conservation biology motivates me to want to further pursue tropical ecology.
My entire research experience was inundated with cultural experiences, which was incredibly valuable. It was rewarding to work with people from different backgrounds than myself. The language barrier was challenging at times, but I was able to learn some Malagasy. Vero, my research partner, along with a few of the research technicians, were helpful in increasing my Malagasy vocabulary. Every conversation I engaged in contributed to transforming my worldview. I learned about the forest from a local perspective and was pushed to grapple with the complex relationship that people have with conservation. The people who I met and worked with inspire me to consider human dimensions of conservation, with a particular emphasis on environmental justice. I learned an incredible amount from all of the amazing people I met, and I am eager to learn more.
Throughout Spring semester last year, I worked with Dr. Chris Golden and a team of other undergraduate students to learn about planetary health and Malagasy culture through the Planetary Health Alliance Undergraduate Fellowship. We worked together to develop various planetary health projects. I was responsible for co-leading the development of a storytelling project. This included the development of storyboards for a mini-documentary series on planetary health topics in Madagascar (sustainable fisheries, poultry intervention in the bush meat crisis, and cyclone Enawo). This summer we spent 6 weeks working together for the field season, in which we worked to help execute planetary health projects and document the importance of the intersection of environmental and human health in Madagascar. Throughout the summer, I again focused my efforts on storytelling, particularly through photography. We worked on projects on fisheries, malaria research, and other planetary health topics. The work took us to various places across the country; it was incredible to experience and learn from such a wide variety of ecosystems.
For the remainder of the summer, I worked in Ranomafana, Madagascar, on a research project. My project is a multidimensional analysis of strawberry guava, Psidium cattleyanum, in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. Strawberry guava is a nonnative species in Madagascar that has invaded a variety of areas throughout the Madagascar. The principal goals of my research are to determine the mechanisms of seed dispersal (with a particular emphasis on animal-mediated seed dispersal) of this species and to assess the impact that Psidium cattleyanum has on the diversity and structure of both floral and faunal communities. I worked with my advisors, Drs Onja Razafindratsima and Daniel Park to develop and execute the project. I also collaborated with Vero Narindra Ramananjato, a Masters student and the University of Antananarivo, and worked with trained local villagers who are familiar with the local flora and fauna.
In order to determine the seed dispersal mechanisms, I conducted tree watches on 41 fruiting Psidium cattleyanum trees. When lemurs and birds visited the fruiting guava trees, I collected observational data of the fugivory, measured the feeding tree, and collected the geographic coordinated of the tree location and time of feeding. I then followed the lemurs until they defecated, characterized the microhabitat, recorded the time of the defecation and the geographic coordinate of the microhabitat, and collected the feces sample. The guava seeds collected from the fecal samples were incorporated into a germination experiment. I also collected data on fugivory through camera traps that were deployed in various invaded areas. We also gathered guava leaf samples from 123 trees throughout Ranomafana National Park for genetic analyses. To assess the impact of P. cattlenianum on the forest community diversity and structure, we established a 1-hectare plot and conducted a botanical survey of the entire area. Every tree with a diameter greater than 1cm was included in the plot, a feature of the project that allowed for detailed and abundant data. Each tree was identified, measured for its height and diameter, and mapped. We also collected data on 24 invaded plots (5m by 5m) in various other areas throughout the forest; these plots were set in the areas where I did the tree watch described above. Conducting field research from a campsite in the forest was empowering and made me certain that I want to conduct more fieldwork in the future. The challenging and rewarding nature of conservation biology motivates me to want to further pursue tropical ecology.
My entire research experience was inundated with cultural experiences, which was incredibly valuable. It was rewarding to work with people from different backgrounds than myself. The language barrier was challenging at times, but I was able to learn some Malagasy. Vero, my research partner, along with a few of the research technicians, were helpful in increasing my Malagasy vocabulary. Every conversation I engaged in contributed to transforming my worldview. I learned about the forest from a local perspective and was pushed to grapple with the complex relationship that people have with conservation. The people who I met and worked with inspire me to consider human dimensions of conservation, with a particular emphasis on environmental justice. I learned an incredible amount from all of the amazing people I met, and I am eager to learn more.
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