Research Article
Complementary ecosystem services from multiple land uses highlight the importance of tropical mosaic landscapesBackgroundTropical agricultural landscapes feature a mosaic of diverse land uses, yet the ecosystem service bundles and materials they provide to rural households remain poorly understood. In northeastern Madagascar, shifting cultivation for hillside rice production and agroforests for cash and subsistence crops have largely replaced old-growth forests. The landscape consists of forest fragments, small-scale vanilla agroforests, rice paddies, and subsistence farming plots at various stages of the shifting cultivation cycle. Open access copy available |
A technological biodiversity monitoring toolkit for biocreditsBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Outcomes and Impacts of Development Interventions: Toward Conceptual ClarityBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Foresters' beliefs about farmers: a priority for social science research in social forestryBackgroundAvailable with subscription or purchase |
Soil organic carbon pool under native tree plantations in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa RicaBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Nitrogen Fixing Trees for Animal Production on Acid SoilsBackgroundNitrogen-fixing trees play a crucial role in improving pasture and livestock systems on acid soils, which are prevalent in tropical regions. Acid soils often challenge agricultural productivity due to low fertility and high aluminum toxicity. Nitrogen-fixing trees, such as Erythrina poeppigiana, Cratylia argentea, and Alnus acuminata, enhance soil chemistry and fertility by adding nitrogen through organic matter and improving physical soil properties like porosity and bulk density. They are integrated into silvopastoral systems, where trees and shrubs coexist with pastures, offering multiple benefits such as soil stabilization, increased forage quality, and diversified farm outputs. Open access copy available |
Agrosilvopastoral Systems: A Practical Approach Toward Sustainable AgricultureBackgroundAvailable with subscription or purchase |
Biodiversity conservation in Costa Rica: a correspondence analysis between identifi ed biodiversity hotspots (Araceae, Arecaceae, Bromeliaceae, and Scarabaeinae) and conservation priority life zonesBackgroundOpen access copy available |
Evaluating alder-endophyte (Alnus acuminata-Frankia-Mycorrhizae) interactionsBackgroundThe study examines the interactions between Alnus acuminata (a nitrogen-fixing tree), Frankia (a nitrogen-fixing actinomycete), and vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM), specifically Glomus intra-radices. These symbiotic relationships are significant in upland areas of Costa Rica, Colombia, and Venezuela, where A. acuminata grows alongside pastures. Frankia forms root nodules that fix atmospheric nitrogen, while VAM enhances phosphorus uptake, crucial for plant growth in nutrient-poor soils. The study aims to understand the effects of these interactions on nitrogen fixation and seedling development under varying phosphorus levels. Available with subscription or purchase |
Los bosques tropicales estacionalmente secos: ¿una prueba ácida para la restauración?BackgroundEl artículo explora los desafíos y avances en la restauración de bosques tropicales estacionalmente secos (BTES), uno de los ecosistemas más amenazados y menos estudiados del mundo. Aunque ocupan un 40% de las zonas tropicales, los BTES enfrentan altas tasas de deforestación, presión humana y vulnerabilidad al cambio climático, lo que subraya la necesidad urgente de estrategias efectivas de restauración. Open access copy available |