Research Article

Complementary ecosystem services from multiple land uses highlight the importance of tropical mosaic landscapes

Background

Tropical 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.

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A technological biodiversity monitoring toolkit for biocredits

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Outcomes and Impacts of Development Interventions: Toward Conceptual Clarity

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Foresters' beliefs about farmers: a priority for social science research in social forestry

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Soil organic carbon pool under native tree plantations in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica

Background 

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Nitrogen Fixing Trees for Animal Production on Acid Soils

Background 

Nitrogen-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. 

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Agrosilvopastoral Systems: A Practical Approach Toward Sustainable Agriculture

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Biodiversity conservation in Costa Rica: a correspondence analysis between identifi ed biodiversity hotspots (Araceae, Arecaceae, Bromeliaceae, and Scarabaeinae) and conservation priority life zones

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Evaluating alder-endophyte (Alnus acuminata-Frankia-Mycorrhizae) interactions

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The 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.

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Los bosques tropicales estacionalmente secos: ¿una prueba ácida para la restauración?

Background

El 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. 

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