Diversity of Agroforestry Species and Uses in Two Ecological Regions: A Case from Central Nepal

Abstract

Multiple benefits of the agroforestry systems attract the attention of the global community and are being practiced in Nepal from time immemorial. However, there is minimal evidence of the diversity of species and the use value of plants and their comparative analysis in ecological regions. This study compares the diversity and use value of plants grown in the agroforestry system (home garden) in two separate ecological regions in central Nepal. The frequently used diversity indices were used to measure species diversity. A total of 130 and 99 species, 96 and 69 genera, and 50 and 40 families were reported from home gardens in the Terai and midhill ecological regions, respectively, where 58 species were common for both. The findings reveal Terai farmer prefers ornamental plants over fruit and fodder in the midhills indicating that horticulture and livestock-based livelihood could be enhanced in the hilly region. The diversity indices indicate a higher diversity of plants in the Terai region than in midhills. However, Mann–Whitney U test showed an insignificant difference in species diversity between the regions. Moreover, the chi-square test revealed that there is no significant variation in the use diversity for the regions. The results demonstrate similar plant diversity in the home garden despite the difference in ecological regions and species varieties. The finding assists in understanding the composition of biodiversity in agroforestry systems in specific areas of two different ecological zones and provides insight into the agroforestry for species preferences and use-related decisions. Future research with established management procedures may be required to confirm these findings and provide agroforestry establishment criteria for agricultural sustainability.

Plant species composition and diversity in traditional agroforestry landscapes on Siberut Island, West Sumatra, Indonesia

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“…The potential of the agroforestry for carbon sequestration and CO2 is scientifically well established; nevertheless, the real potential of the agroforestry is in the ability to recover the ecosystem. Agroforestry combines intentionally various layers of vegetation incorporating forestry trees and ground cover plants that form multifaceted ecosystems which contain and release a diversity of dwelling organisms such as soil microbes and invertebrates, birds, pollinators and others ( [23]; [24]). Since, the perennial component i.e., trees in the agroecosystem provide the additional services including nesting sites, food sources, and protective cover, hence promoting the survival and well-being of diverse species.…”

Areas of the Terai Arc Landscape in Nepal at Risk of Forest Fire Identified by Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process

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