May Term 2008

The Natural History of Madagascar

Jeff Parmelee and Ryan Rehmeier
Biol. 197

Madagascar Map

Madagascar

 

We will be hiking nearly every day in this course, sometimes up slippery rainforest trails, so students must be physically fit, enjoy camping and be able to take long hikes while maintaining a positive attitude throughout.

 

Price: ~ $4800 excludes passports and possibly a few meals.

Depart: April 26-28th, return by May 15th (graduation is May 17th)

 

 

Madagascar, the fourth-largest island in the world, lies in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Mozambique in Africa. A central chain of high mountains occupies more than half of the main island and is responsible for the marked differences – ethnically, climatically and scenically – between the east and west coasts. The narrow strip of lowlands on the east coast, settled from the sixth century by Polynesian seafarers, is largely covered by dense rainforests, whereas the broader west-coast landscape, once covered by dry deciduous forests, is now mostly savannah. We will concentrate on the eastern and northern portions of the island.  The capital, Antananarivo, is high up in the Hauts Plateaux near the island’s center. Much of Madagascar’s flora and fauna is unique to the island. There are 3000 endemic species of butterfly; the many endemic species of lemurs fill the niches occupied elsewhere by animals as varied as raccoons, monkeys, marmots, bushbabies and sloths. There is also a spectacular diversity of reptiles, amphibians and birds, and also all levels of plant life.  Besides lemurs, Madagascar is famous for housing most of the species of Chameleons in the world as well as beautiful mantella frogs, which rival New World poison dart frogs in color.

          We will fly to Antananarivo via Paris and immerse ourselves in the biology and culture of this “continent,” which is neither Africa nor Asia.  It split from Godwanaland about 165 million years ago and this has led to a separate evolution of flora and fauna, 80% of which are found nowhere else in the world.  We will stay in simple hotels and nature lodges and may do some camping.  By traveling throughout the country we will experience the very different habitats, immersing ourselves in the lush rainforests and visiting bizarre spiny deserts and snorkeling in coral reefs just offshore.  We will have native guides throughout and may meet up with biologists in the field doing research.

          Environmental destruction is widespread in tropical areas but especially in Madagascar.  We will see this firsthand and will discuss the causes and potential solutions in both the spring semester seminar and while in the country.  Students will need to tie together disciplines such as economics, sociology, philosophy, and biology to help understand the environment destruction and any hope for stopping or reversing the widespread damage that has been done.

          Biogeography was one of the lines of evidence Charles Darwin used in formulating his theory of evolution by natural selection.  No where on earth can we find a better environment to study topics such as plate tectonics, evolution, and conservation biology.  You will be able to compare somewhat similar environmental conditions in portions of Madagascar and Iowa but with vastly different plant and animal life, resulting from independent evolution from very different ancestral species.  From readings and lectures you will understand how some species in Madagascar have their closest relatives in India and Southeast Asia instead of the closer African continent.

          Malagasy is the native language and French is widely spoken so our native guides will be helpful in interacting with the local people.  We will explore native markets and villages to get a feel for how very different the culture is as well as the biology.  Our spring semester seminar will introduce us to the culture and history of Madagascar and will prepare us to travel there and better understand the background of the people and other biota.

          During the spring semester students will give short presentations on selected topics related to Madagascar.  History or business majors can have a chance to research the independence of the country or monetary issues and report on this to the class.  We will watch videos and hear lectures on the biology of each of the major groups of plants and animals as well as the environmental challenges facing this island.  During the travel course we will meet in the evening (when we aren’t taking night hikes in the forest) to discuss the day’s activities and topics generated by what we experienced that day.  You will keep a daily journal and write a reflective essay at the end of the course.  Students will be expected to create an electronic version of their journal with digital images upon return to campus.