Contribution of small nocturnal lemurs to seed dispersal in Madagascar: A review

Abstract

Animal seed dispersers are crucial in tropical forests because they provide beneficial impacts to plants, from organisms to communities. Besides frugivorous species, omnivorous, small-bodied, and nocturnal animals might also disperse seeds in their habitats; yet we know relatively little about their role and impacts. The Cheirogaleidae (dwarf and mouse lemurs) in Madagascar are examples of such animals, whose seed dispersal role has been overlooked until recently. Here, I provide an overview of their potential contribution to seed dispersal based on their ecological traits and future directions for studying seed dispersal ecology in Madagascar's forest ecosystems. The limited literature, published between 1971 and 2022, on the feeding ecology and seed dispersal services of the Cheirogaleidae shows that they could potentially disperse small-sized seeds (<15 mm). Also, they could surprisingly take seeds relatively long distances away from the parents (up to 1 km) despite their small body mass, both in disturbed and undisturbed forest habitats. The passage of seeds through their guts could also enhance seed germination and seedling survival. Only four Cheirogaleid species out of 40 are currently demonstrated to be effective seed dispersers. Studying the seed dispersal by small-bodied and nocturnal primates could greatly inform their long-term conservation as it will provide information for better awareness of their ecological role and needs.

Abstract in Malagasy is available with online material.