Projects in the area of species conservation
The FSVO commissions research projects that enhance the protection of endangered animal and plant species. The projects establish an evidence base for the improvement of enforcement in species conservation and help combat illegal trade effectively.
A molecular passport for the rosewoods of Madagascar
Rosewoods are economically important to Madagascar and are traded internationally. Illegal logging and over-exploitation endanger many species. New methods are intended to enable rosewoods to be rapidly and reliably identified on import and to prevent illegal trade.
Commercial names and protection status
‘Rosewood’ and ‘palisander’ are commercial names for many species with different anatomical and genetic properties and protection statuses. They include species of the genus Dalbergia, which is in some cases endangered by illegal logging and over-exploitation.
Many of these wood species are listed in the appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Import and export documents are required for their trade. In order to ensure effective protected species inspections at the border, the woods must be clearly identifiable.
The FSVO-funded research project is making a key contribution in this area by improving the identification of endangered species and thereby enhancing their protection.
More information:
ARAMIS: A molecular passport for the rosewoods of Madagascar (ARAMIS 3.20.01)
Identifying endangered tropical woods
Tropical woods of the genus Dalbergia are among the most valuable precious woods. They have a variety of uses, including high-quality furniture, carvings, veneers and parts of and accessories for musical instruments. Their high market value encourages illegal logging and trade.
To control this, the woods must be identifiable, including in their processed form. It should be possible to determine the species and origin, even in harvested timber. This has been a challenge until now and requires new scientific approaches.
New species described and added to the Red List
Using the new analysis methods, two previously unknown Dalbergia species from northern Madagascar were newly described (Fabaceae, Leguminosae). The description of another species was revised. All three species are documented with drawings and photographs.
The assessment was based on the criteria of the Red List compiled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). All three species are assessed as ‘endangered’ and were added to the Red List. In addition, known species were reviewed, species names and descriptions were systematically corrected and the reference database was expanded.
However, the new identification methods are still time consuming and complex and require further research.
More information:
Basis for research and enforcement
The project findings are incorporated in further research. The data is made available to the working groups of the CITES Plant Committee, which deal with the identification of timber and other wood products.
The findings also allow the authorities to correctly classify species in the CITES appendices. This forms the basis of future protective measures.
New methods of species identification
This research project supported by the FSVO is developing a molecular passport for rosewood species. For this purpose, three complementary methods are being combined to allow reliable identification at species level:
- Analysis of genetic characteristics:
Genetic data from different rosewood species was collected and stored in an ETH Zurich reference database. The data helps assign harvested timber to a specific species and region.
More information: Tropicos - Analysis of chemical composition:
Heartwood samples were examined using mass spectrometry. This method allows precise species identification, even if the heartwood commonly found in trade can frequently no longer be genetically analysed due to insufficient DNA quality. - Microscopic species identification:
The comparative wood anatomy serves as a control method. It provided an anatomical identification key for 16 Dalbergia species that can be used on logs and sawn timber, and allows rapid identification on the ground in Madagascar.
- Analysis of genetic characteristics:
Through its research, the FSVO supports an international cooperation network, including ETH Zurich, the Missouri Botanical Garden (St. Louis, US), the National Forensic Laboratory of the US Fish & Wildlife Service (Ashland, US) and the École Supérieure des Sciences Agronomiques in Antananarivo (Madagascar).
The unstable political situation in Madagascar made sample collection and export more difficult. Accordingly, the administrative processes took longer.
Taxonomic studies on Malagasy Dalbergia (Fabaceae). I. Two new species from northern Madagascar, and an emended description for D. Manongarivensis
PDF3.88 MB18 June 2026
Taxonomic study describing two new species of Dalbergia and revising an existing species (D. maritima)
PDF4.29 MB18 June 2026
Taxonomic studies on Malagasy Dalbergia (Fabaceae). II. A new name for D. Mollis and the reinstalement of D. Chermezonii
PDF1.19 MB24 March 2026
A comparative study of 16 Madagascan Dalbergia species using multivariate techniques
PDF2.98 MB18 June 2026
WFO: The World Flora Online (in inglese)
Kew: Plants of the World Online (in inglese)
ARAMIS: A molecular passport for the rosewoods of Madagascar (ARAMIS 3.20.01)
Other research projects supported by the FSVO on the protection of rosewoods from Madagascar:
ARAMIS: Wood anatomical atlas of Dalbergia and Diospyros species from Madagascar (ARAMIS 3.17.01)
ARAMIS: Anatomical description of the wood of some of the most heavily commercially uses species of Dalbergia and Dyospyros in Madagascar (ARAMIS 3.14.01)