Environmental Assessment
Volume B-4.1
Mine
Flora
Ambatovy Project
154
January 2006
Table 4.1-1 Numbers of Species of Concern for Different Levels of Endemism
Endemic Status
Priority
Status
Total Number
of Species
Percent of Total
Known Priority
Species
proposed mine footprint
1
29
23
project area
2
40
31
project region
3
7
6
Madagascar
4
31
24
unknown
20
16
total species
127
100
4.1.3.5 Other Unique Flora
A survey for Aloes was carried out in 1997 and 2004 in the Ambatovy and
Analamay ore body zones by a team of para-botanists. All Aloe species of
Madagascar are endemic to the country, are listed in CITES appendices and
many have restricted distributions; like the one occurring at Ambatory. Because
of the potential threats to the Aloe genera, a survey was done to locate as many
individuals or populations as possible at Ambatovy and Analamay. Within the
mine LSA, individuals and populations of Aloe were confined to ferricrete
substrates in open habitat. A total of 137 individuals or populations of
Aloe
leandrii
were found at Ambatovy and Analamay.
4.1.3.6 Plant Species Richness and Diversity
Species richness and diversity was assessed in several different ways. Based on
the forest structure data, between 37 and 419 tree species ≥5 cm diameter were
recorded among the forested vegetation types within the mine LSA. The highest
number of species was recorded for the transitional forest type and the lowest in
the marsh edge forest (Table 4.1-2). Values presented are influenced by
sampling intensity.
Tree diversity at a landscape scale (i.e., within the mine LSA) was also assessed.
Tree family richness in the mine LSA (trees ≥5 cm DBH), was estimated at 67
families. Total tree species richness was estimated at 480 species.
