Trees for life: The ecosystem service contribution of trees to food production and livelihoods in the tropics

Reed, J. Michael; Vianen, Josh van; Foli, Samson; Clendenning, Jessica; Yang, Kevin F.; MacDonald, Margaret; Petrokofsky, Gillian; Padoch, Christine; Sunderland, Terry

doi:10.1016/j.forpol.2017.01.012

Cited by 189 publications

(138 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…Nevertheless, the forest was crucial in ensuring a high dietary diversity of rural households living near it by contributing large quantities of feed and fuelwood, which sustained agriculture and in particular ensured regular flows of nutrients to homegardens that locally served as production hot spots of nutrient-dense food items. Forests may also sustain agriculture in other ways, including through pollination, pest control, water regulation, and climate regulation (Foli et al 2014, Reed et al 2017). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In African smallholder farming systems characterized by low fertilizer use, trees are important to maintain soil fertility, which supports the productivity of food crops (Sanchez et al 1997, Foli et al 2014. Biodiversity-rich forests also supply numerous ecosystem services, including pollination and pest control (Pimentel et al 1997, Reed et al 2017. Using the case study of a landscape of Southern Ethiopia that is characterized by a gradient of increasing distance from a natural forest (Munesa Forest) and decreasing distance from a main road and market (town of Arsi Negele), we tested the existence of this fifth pathway.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Indirect contributions of forests to dietary diversity in Southern Ethiopia

Baudron¹,

Duriaux-Chavarría²,

Remans³

et al. 2017

E&S

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ABSTRACT. We assess whether forests contribute indirectly to the dietary diversity of rural households by supporting diverse agricultural production systems. We applied our study in a landscape mosaic in Southern Ethiopia that was divided into three zones of increasing distance to Munesa Forest-"near," "intermediate," and "distant." A variety of research tools and methods, including remote sensing, participatory methods, farm survey, and yield assessment, were employed. Diets of households were more diverse in the near zone than in the other two zones (6.58 ± 1.21, 5.38 ± 1.02, and 4.41 ± 0.77 food groups consumed daily in the near, intermediate, and distant zones, respectively). This difference was not explained by food items collected from Munesa Forest but by biomass flows from the forest to farmlands. Munesa Forest contributed an average of 6.13 ± 2.90 tons of biomass per farm and per year to the farms in the near zone, in the form of feed and fuelwood. Feed from the forest allowed for larger livestock herds in the near zone compared with the other two zones, and fuelwood from the forest reduced the need to use cattle dung as fuel in the near zone compared with the two other zones. These two biomass flows contributed to the availability of more manure to farmers closer to the forest (908 ± 853 kg farm -1 , 771 ± 717 kg farm -1 , and 261 ± 487 kg farm -1 in the near, intermediate, and distant zones, respectively). In turn, increased manure enabled a larger percentage of farms to cultivate a diversified homegarden (87, 64, and 39% of farms in the near, intermediate, and distant zones, respectively). Homegardens and livestock products provided the greater contribution to household dietary diversity closer to the forest.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Indirect contributions of forests to dietary diversity in Southern Ethiopia

Baudron¹,

Duriaux-Chavarría²,

Remans³

et al. 2017

E&S

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Despite their importance, however, knowledge of the ecosystem service contribution of TBEAs to livelihoods in the tropics, especially within complex and dynamic land use mosaics, remains severely limited [22,23], beyond the classical debates over competitions between crops and trees [24]. Based on a systematic review of current evidence, Reed et al [23] refer to several methodological challenges defining the current knowledge gaps.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Based on a systematic review of current evidence, Reed et al [23] refer to several methodological challenges defining the current knowledge gaps. For example, the evaluation of the ecosystem service provision of trees is often based on anecdotal evidence and not well supported with robust evidence of the "true" functional value.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tree-Based Ecosystem Approaches (TBEAs) as Multi-Functional Land Management Strategies—Evidence from Rwanda

et al. 2018

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Densely populated rural areas in the East African Highlands have faced significant intensification challenges under extreme population pressure on their land and ecosystems. Sustainable agricultural intensification, in the context of increasing cropping intensities, is a prerequisite for deliberate land management strategies that deliver multiple ecosystem goods (food, energy, income sources, etc.) and services (especially improving soil conditions) on the same land, as well as system resilience, if adopted at scale. Tree based ecosystem approaches (TBEAs) are among such multi-functional land management strategies. Knowledge on the multi-functionality of TBEAs and on their scaling up, however, remains severely limited due to several methodological challenges. This study aims at offering an analytical perspective to view multi-functional TBEAs as an integral part of sustainable agricultural intensification. The study proposes a conceptual framework to guide the analysis of socio-economic data and applies it to cross-site analysis of TBEAs in extremely densely populated Rwanda. Heterogeneous TBEAs were identified across Rwanda's different agro-ecological zones to meet locally-specific smallholders' needs for a set of ecosystem goods and services on the same land. The sustained adoption of TBEAs would be guaranteed if farmers subjectively recognize their compatibility and synergy with sustainable intensification of existing farming systems, supported by favorable institutional conditions.

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“…C/N ratios in TC and CF were similar (28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34), except for a significant higher value at Rueda-Matamina (45) due to the important amount of C presented in this conuco (Table 1). In general, the rate of nitrogen mineralization for the different type of conucos (TC and CF) did not present a consistent trend with respect to their respective controls, although the information was not very variable (16- 27 µg g-1).…”

Section: Changes In the Fertility Of Soils In Relation To Land Usementioning

confidence: 85%

Soil Quality Indexes Response to Land Use Change in Puerto Ayacucho, Venezuelan Amazonia

López‐Hernández¹

2017

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Abstract. Shifting cultivation (SF) or "conuco" is a form of crop cultivation of native Amerindian in Venezuelan Amazonia. SF is practiced in the primary forest as traditional conuco (TC) or in forestfallow as conuco in fallow (CF). Soil samples were random collected from previously settled conucos (TC and SF) and controls, and compared for fertility parameters (pH, C, N, available-P, Nmineralization), microbial biomass (C,N) and enzymatic activities. In CF, soil organic matter was drastically reduced (58%), whereas in the TC there was no significant difference with the control. Soil microbial biomass did not present a consistent trend within TCs, however, a drastic decrease was presented in the CF (59%). Phosphatase and urease were higher in the traditional conuco than in the primary forest, however the activities of both enzymes drastically declined in the conuco in fallow. Soil enzyme activity and microbial biomass were strongly affected by land degradation and represent very sensitive indicators of soil disturbance.

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Trees for life: The ecosystem service contribution of trees to food production and livelihoods in the tropics

Cited by 189 publications

References 61 publications

Indirect contributions of forests to dietary diversity in Southern Ethiopia

Indirect contributions of forests to dietary diversity in Southern Ethiopia

Tree-Based Ecosystem Approaches (TBEAs) as Multi-Functional Land Management Strategies—Evidence from Rwanda

Soil Quality Indexes Response to Land Use Change in Puerto Ayacucho, Venezuelan Amazonia

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