Chris Birkinshaw

Antiproliferative cassane diterpenoids of Cordyla madagascariensis ssp. madagascariensis from the Madagascar rainforest.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of an ethanol extract of a Madagascar collection of the fruits of Cordyla madagascariensis ssp. madagascariensis led to the isolation of the four new cassane diterpenoids 1-4. The 1H and 13C NMR spectra of all compounds were fully assigned using a combination of 2D NMR experiments, including COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and ROESY sequences. All of the isolates were tested against the A2780 human ovarian cancer cell line, and compounds 1 and 2 showed mild antiproliferative activity with IC50 values of 10 and 36 microM, respectively.

The road to sustainability must bridge three great divides.

The worlds large and rapidly growing human population is exhausting Earths natural capital at ever‐faster rates, and yet appears mostly oblivious to the fact that these resources are limited. This is dangerous for our well‐being and perhaps for our survival, as documented by numerous studies over many years. Why are we not moving instead toward sustainable levels of use? We argue here that this disconnection between our knowledge and our actions is largely caused by three “great divides”: an ideological divide between economists and ecologists; an economic development divide between the rich and the poor; and an information divide, which obstructs communications between scientists, public opinion, and policy makers. These divides prevent our economies from responding effectively to urgent signals of environmental and ecological stress. The restoration of natural capital (RNC) can be an important strategy in bridging all of these divides. RNC projects and programs make explicit the multiple and mutually reinforcing linkages between environmental and economic well‐being, while opening up a promising policy road in the search for a sustainable and desirable future for global society. The bridge‐building capacity of RNC derives from its double focus: on the ecological restoration of degraded, overexploited natural ecosystems, and on the full socio‐economic and ecological interface between people and their environments.

Antiproliferative limonoids of a Malleastrum sp. from the Madagascar rainforest.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of an ethanol extract of a Malleastrum sp. afforded three new limonoids, malleastrones A-C ( 1- 3), respectively. Each limonoid contained a rare tetranortriterpenoid skeleton. Structure elucidation of the isolates was carried out by analysis of one- and two-dimensional NMR and X-ray diffraction data. The novel isolates 1 and 2 were tested for antiproliferative activity against a panel of cancer cell lines and exhibited IC 50 values ranging from 0.19 to 0.63 microM.

Antiproliferative compounds of Artabotrys madagascariensis from the Madagascar rainforest

Bioassay-guided fractionation of an ethanol extract of Artabotrys madagascariensis led to the isolation of the new compound artabotrene (1), two butenolides (2 and 3), and the tetracyclic triterpene polycarpol (4). Structure elucidation was determined on the basis of one and two-dimensional NMR, and absolute configuration of compounds 2–4 was verified by analysis of CD and optical rotation spectra. Two of the isolates, melodorinol (2) and acetylmelodorinol (3), were found to display antiproliferative activity against five different tumour cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 2.4 to 12 µM.

Euphane triterpenoids of Cassipourea lanceolata from the Madagascar rainforest.

Fractionation of an ethanol extract of a Madagascar collection of the leaves and fruit of Cassipourea lanceolata Tul. led to the isolation of three euphane triterpenoids 1-3. The (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra of all compounds were fully assigned using a combination of 2D NMR experiments, including COSY, TOCSY, HSQC (HMQC), HMBC and ROESY sequences. The three compounds showed weak antiproliferative activities against the A2780 human ovarian cancer cell line, with IC(50) values of 25, 25 and 32 microM, respectively.

Antiplasmodial and Antiproliferative Pseudoguaianolides of Athroisma proteiforme from the Madagascar Dry Forest

Investigation of extracts from the plant Athroisma proteiforme (Humbert) Mattf. (Asteraceae) for antimalarial activity led to the isolation of the five new sesquiterpene lactones 1-5 together with centaureidin (6). The structures of the new compounds were deduced from analyses of physical and spectroscopic data, and the absolute configuration of compound 1 was confirmed by an X-ray crystallographic study. Athrolides C (3) and D (4) both showed antiplasmodial activities with IC50 values of 6.6 (3) and 7.2 μM (4) against the HB3 strain and 5.5 (3) and 4.2 μM (4) against the Dd2 strain of the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum. The isolates 1-6 also showed antiproliferative activity against A2780 human ovarian cancer cells, with IC50 values ranging from 0.4 to 2.5 μM.

Achieving sustainable conservation in Madagascar: The case of the newly established Ibity Mountain Protected Area

Globally, the number of protected areas (PAs) has increased exponentially during the last 25 years, particularly in biodiversity-rich developing countries. Many recent initiatives have integrated local-scale socio-economic development into both design and management. Because the rates of deforestation and species extinction are increasing in most parts of the world, substantial efforts have been made to build and strengthen local environmental organizations, to establish new protected areas (NPAs), and to improve natural resource management. An NPA was recently established at Ibity Massif in central Madagascar, where a community-based conservation project is being coordinated by the Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG). In December 2008, a temporary protection order was issued, and definitive establishment of the NPA, which falls under Category V of the IUCN PA system, is expected before the end of 2015. This initiative has involved significant outreach and community education programs to raise awareness of Ibitys conservation and economic importance and the threats to its biodiversity, along with ongoing efforts to reduce fire frequency and implement ecological restoration projects with significant local community participation. In order to ensure the sustainability of this NPA, a co-management plan has been implemented involving MBG, local authorities, and the local population. This study describes the diagnostic process undertaken at Ibity in order to: 1) disseminate the data gathered to inform establishment of the NPA; and 2) summarize the initial state of the environment on the massif prior to the implementation of a management plan, as a baseline for assessing the NPAs effectiveness.

Comparison of plant communities on the Ibity and Itremo massifs, Madagascar, with contrasting conservation histories and current status

Background: Deforestation processes and species extinction on islands have made them the focus of substantial efforts to create and strengthen local environmental organisations, establish new protected areas and improve natural resource management. In Madagascar, despite promising new policies, the flora and fauna are under serious threat. More than 80% of the island shows a significant loss of natural plant cover. Current levels of diversity reflect natural disturbance regimes, with fire representing one of the more important factors. Aims: We compared two new protected areas (Ibity and Itremo) with different environmental and management contexts to identify the roles and impacts of the environmental conditions and the different types of management applied by their respective local communities on vegetation. Both areas have extensive stands of tapia (Uapaca bojeri) woodland. Methods: Herbaceous vegetation surveys were carried out enumerating 16 1-m² quadrats in each of 10 sites on Ibity and seven on Itremo to characterise plant community composition and structure, complemented by tree and shrub surveys within three 40 × 40 m quadrats at each site. Results: Floristic richness was higher at Ibity. Populations of U. bojeri were better conserved at Itremo. Conclusions: While the total exclusion of fire is impracticable, careful management should enable the maintenance of natural conditions and at least lead to a reduction in the impacts on the structure of tapia woodland vegetation.

Ibity Mountain, Madagascar: Background and Perspectives for Ecological Restoration

outbreaks may further determine which recruited species reach the forest canopy. We conclude that selecting a lowinvestment seedbed preparation to recruit target species from seed rain must be done with both the knowledge of target species seedbed preferences and acknowledgement that initial treatments may not allow recruited species to persist to maturity. Additional treatments may need to be undertaken to shape selective forces that enhance the likelihood that target species will persist to maturity and continue to drive forest vegetation communities.

Bacterial communities in Malagasy soils with differing levels of disturbance affecting botanical diversity.

Madagascar is well-known for the exceptional biodiversity of its macro-flora and fauna, but the biodiversity of Malagasy microbial communities remains relatively unexplored. Understanding patterns of bacterial diversity in soil and their correlations with above-ground botanical diversity could influence conservation planning as well as sampling strategies to maximize access to bacterially derived natural products. We present the first detailed description of Malagasy soil bacterial communities from a targeted 16S rRNA gene survey of greater than 290,000 sequences generated using 454 pyrosequencing. Two sampling plots in each of three forest conservation areas were established to represent different levels of disturbance resulting from human impact through agriculture and selective exploitation of trees, as well as from natural impacts of cyclones. In parallel, we performed an in-depth characterization of the total vascular plant morphospecies richness within each plot. The plots representing different levels of disturbance within each forest did not differ significantly in bacterial diversity or richness. Changes in bacterial community composition were largest between forests rather than between different levels of impact within a forest. The largest difference in bacterial community composition with disturbance was observed at the Vohibe forest conservation area, and this difference was correlated with changes in both vascular plant richness and soil pH. These results provide the first survey of Malagasy soil bacterial diversity and establish a baseline of botanical diversity within important conservation areas.