Environmental Change in Ancient Wetland Zones, South and South-West Madagascar

Abstract

South and south western Madagascar in common with other parts of this large island has undergone environment change as result of natural and anthropic factors in the past. This has resulted in the degradation and destruction of the natural habitat. According to data from different studies Madagascar originally had cooler climate that it has today. During t he Holocene, different factors, particularly the onset of drier conditions caused ecological changes which resulted in the extinction of many faunal and floral species. This process appears to have been accelerated by the arrival of humans and the establishment of settlements on the island. Different scholars have investigated and tried to explain the role played by humans in environmental degradation and the disappearance of certain fauna and flora. Using different kinds of data this chapter seeks to contribute to previous and current discussions on this important but very complex subject.