Are deep-sea ecosystems surrounding Madagascar threatened by land-use or climate change?

Abstract In this short communication, we present a multidisciplinary study of sedimentary records collected from a deep-seainterfluve proximal to the mouths of major northwestern Madagascan rivers. For the last 60 years, the seafloor has been repeatedly disturbed by the deposition of organic rich, tropical, terrestrial sediments causing marked reductions in benthic biodiversity. Increased soil erosion due to local land-use, deforestationand intensifying tropical cyclonesare potential causes for this sedimentary budgetand biodiversity shift. Our marine sedimentary records indicate that until now, these conditions have not occurred within the region for at least 20,000 years.