Agroforestry

Forty Years of Tropical Forest Recovery from Agriculture: Structure and Floristics of Secondary and Old-growth Riparian Forests in the Dominican Republic

BACKGROUND:

The value of secondary forests in the tropics has received increased attention in recent years. The recovery of tropical forests from agricultural use, given the increase in abandoned agricultural lands, has gained momentum. Yet, few long-term studies of post-agriculture vegetation recovery in the tropics exist. The study compares 40-year-old secondary forests regenerating naturally after agricultural abandonment with old-growth forests in the Dominican Republic's Cordillera Central.

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Manual práctico: biofertilización y bioprotección de cafe (Coffea arabica) con aplicación de hongos micorrízicos arbusculares

El desarrollo de tecnología sobre la biofertilización en plantas clonales micorrizadas de café podría constituir un sistema más eficiente para el incremento de los rendimientos por hectárea, control de plagas y enfermedades.  Este sistema emplea tecnologías limpias para el medio ambiente, mejorando la fertilidad de los suelos, buscando reducir los costos de producción y mejorar los niveles productivos de las fincas cafetaleras. Este manual esta dirigido a todos los productores cafetaleros de la región amazonica de San Martín y el resto del Perú, para mejorar e incrementar la productividad de los cafetales, basados en las variedades caturra, pache y nacional y haciendo uso de consorcios micorrízicos eficientes en la biofertilización y bioprotección de plantones de café.

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Repositorio Institucional del IIAP - Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana

Reportes y avances técnicos de Investigación desarrollados por los proyectos y áreas especializadas del IIAP - Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana.

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Reports and technical research advances developed by specialized areas and projects of IIAP.

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The potential of secondary forests to restore biodiversity of the lost forests in semi-deciduous West Africa

BACKGROUND:

The human population in West Africa has increased considerably over the past four decades, leading to a high demand for food. This has led to the conversion of vast forest lands to agricultural lands in the region. Degraded forest landscapes have the capacity to regain fertility and naturally regenerate, resulting in the widespread spread of secondary forests in West Africa. Despite the significant presence of secondary forests in the region, there is rare knowledge about forest successional stages and general dynamics.

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Carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling in agroforestry systems on degraded soils of Eastern Amazon, Brazil

Background:

Among various approaches to forest restoration, passive restoration via natural regeneration stands out as the most cost-efective option. However, the resilience of the forest is heavily influenced by factors such as water availability, soil integrity, and the presence of seed dispersers in the landscape. In situations where resilience is low, successful restoration relies on active human interventions. Unfortunately, many restoration projects, especially those involving smallholders, face budget constraints. In such circumstances, Agroforestry Systems emerge as a restoration strategy that combines both socio-economic and ecological advantages.

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Agroforestry systems recover tree carbon stock faster than natural succession in Eastern Amazon, Brazil

Background:

Under the global context of climate change mitigation and adaptation, forests and land use practices in carbon sequestration and ecosystem resilience in the Amazon regions is of critical importance. Understanding the effectiveness of agroforestry systems in recovering tree carbon stock contributes to the broader discourse on sustainable land management, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation strategies. Therefore, this study aims to address the gaps in knowledge regarding the carbon recovery potential of agroforestry systems and their role in sustainable land use in the Amazon region.

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Slowing Amazon Deforestation through Public Policy and Interventions in Beef and Soy Supply Chains

Background:

The process of deforestation, involving the extensive removal of mature forest, witnessed a notable decline, plummeting from a 10-year average of 19,500 km2 up to 2005 to 5843 in 2013—a remarkable 70% reduction. This reduction is believed to have initiated a chain reaction of positive consequences, including a diminished risk of regional rainfall inhibition, fewer alterations in river discharge and sedimentation, and an upswing in biodiversity conservation.

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Optimal restoration for pollination services increases forest cover while doubling agricultural profits

Background

In the midst of a global biodiversity crisis and a rapidly expanding food demand, improving agricultural techniques is a high priority. Pollinators are at the forefront of this restoration goal partially due to their rapid decline in population, and also their crucial role in food production. 75% of globally common food depends on pollinators. Though improving agriculture is important, it is also expensive and risky for land owners. A framework is needed to determine best arrangements and practices for sustainable agriculture.

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Tree diversity in a tropical agricultural‑forest mosaic landscape in Honduras

Background

Tropical forests hold high biodiversity values, but are also valued for agricultural land uses. Particularly in Central America, a region with particularly high biodiversity, intensive land management practices have reduced and continue to reduce forest and species abundance. There is a push to change land use practices in order to restore and promote biodiversity, though the potential for biodiversity on agricultural landscapes is an understudied subject.

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Soil Biological Activity, Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics in Modified Coffee Agroforestry Systems in Mexico

Background

Coffee agroforestry systems bring a plethora of economic, social, and ecological benefits. Specifically, they aid soil biological activity. In Mexico, due to cost and production challenges, coffee is being replaced by avocado plantations. The impact of coffee agroforestry systems on specific soil biological characteristics and processes is not fully understood. Nor are the impacts of avocado plantations on soil biological activity.

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