A snapshot of extinction in action: The decline and imminent demise of the endemic Eligmocarpus Capuron (Caesalpinioideae, Leguminosae) serves as an example of the fragility of Madagascan ecosystems

The southeastern Madagascan endemic and monotypic genus Eligmocarpus is highly threatened due to a combination of factors. Firstly, general human-induced habitat destruction and fragmentation has degraded the environment in which it occurs, leading to an increased threat of extinction for itself and other co-occurring species. Secondly, and more specifically to Eligmocarpus, the desirable properties of its timber, which is an excellent construction material, has led to over-collection beyond levels of sustainability. Thirdly, and with the highest relevance for this project, it is a combination of mode of dispersal, germination and seedling establishment. For all these reasons, its range has contracted and the only remaining population (21 trees) is located in Petriky, a future mining site. In this study we investigate the phylogeography and population dynamics of Eligmocarpus based on molecular tools (not only conducted on extant individuals but also using herbaria preserved DNA from individuals from neighbouring populations which are no longer alive, to give a glimpse of the past). Prior to human colonisation, the species was successful in using the river network to invade several biomes (most likely from the humid to subarid, where it is now constrained). Hence, due to its location, Petriky is a mosaic of the genetic variability from populations higher up in the river network, therefore, despite the low number of remaining individuals, all hope of restoration is not lost. Within this project we hope that a more complete understanding of the evolution of the flora will allow conservation, not only of current patterns of variation, but also the processes that gave rise to these patterns.