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Coffee Plantations (coffee + plantation)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Life Sciences83%

Kinds of Coffee Plantations

  • shade coffee plantation
    		•

    Selected Abstracts

    Effects of Shade-Tree Species and Crop Structure on the Winter Arthropod and Bird Communities in a Jamaican Shade Coffee Plantation,

    BIOTROPICA, Issue 1 2000
    Matthew D. Johnson
    ABSTRACT I examined the effects of two farm management variables, shade-tree species and crop structure, on the winter (dry season) arthropod and bird communities in a Jamaican shade coffee plantation. Birds and canopy arthropods were more abundant in areas of the plantation shaded by the tree Inga vera than by Pseudalbizia berteroana. The abundance of arthropods (potential pests) on the coffee crop, however, was unaffected by shade-tree species. Canopy arthropods, particularly psyllids (Homoptera), were especially abundant on Inga in late winter, when it was producing new leaves and nectar-rich flowers. Insectivorous and nectarivorous birds showed the strongest response to Inga; thus the concentration of birds in Inga may be a response to abundant food. Coffee-tree arthropod abundance was much lower than in the shade trees and was affected little by farm management variables, although arthropods tended to be more abundant in dense (unpruned) than open (recently pruned) areas of the plantation. Perhaps in response, leaf-gleaning insectivorous birds were more abundant in dense areas. These results underscore that although some shade coffee plantations may provide habitat for arthropod and bird communities, differences in farm management practices can significantly affect their abundances. Furthermore, this study provides evidence suggesting that bird communities in coffee respond to spatial variation in arthropod availability. I conclude that /. vera is a better shade tree than P. berteroana, but a choice in crop structures is less clear due to changing effects of prune management over time. [source]

    Shade-Coffee Plantations as Refuges for Tropical Wild Orchids in Central Veracruz, Mexico

    CONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2005
    LISLIE SOLIS-MONTERO
    biología reproductiva; epifitas vasculares; estratificación vertical; estructura poblacional; limitación de polinizador Abstract:,In central Veracruz, Mexico, coffee plantations have replaced large areas of lower montane cloud forest. Shade-coffee plantations with high levels of structural diversity provide refuge for forest-dependent biota (e.g., birds and insects). Orchids typical of natural forest may also be found in the canopy of shade-coffee agroecosystems. It is not known, however, whether these are relicts from the original forest vegetation or if the plantations themselves provide the necessary conditions to support a self-sustained orchid population. We studied the population structure of the epiphytic orchids Jacquiniella teretifolia (Sw.) Britton & Willson, Scaphyglottis livida (Lindl.) Schltr., and Maxillaria densa Lindl. in a shade-coffee plantation (commercial polyculture) in central Veracruz. We also studied the previously undescribed reproductive biology of the latter two species. Our results show that the three orchid species had high population densities (>800 plants/ha). In our study site, 50% to 68% of the orchid plants of the target species were young individuals (less than five shoots). Reproductive structures were present in 80% of individuals larger than 30 shoots in the three species. M. densa is self-incompatible, and the fruit set obtained from cross pollination (42.7%) was higher than that obtained from natural pollination (18.2%), suggesting that this species could be pollinator limited. S. livida is autocompatible, not autogamous, and was not pollinator limited. Our results show that the coffee plantation had abundant orchid populations with log-normal size/age structures. Two of the target species, M. densa and S. livida, depend on pollinators to reproduce. It is clear that pollinators that allow orchids to set a high proportion of fruits persist in shade-coffee plantations. Coffee plantations may not replace the original conditions of a forest, but it is possible that these and other orchid species survive and reproduce in coffee plantations that provide appropriate microclimate conditions for the plants, including pollinators. Resumen:,En el centro de Veracruz, México, las plantaciones de café han reemplazado a extensas áreas de bosque nublado montano. Las plantaciones cafetaleras de sombra con altos niveles de diversidad estructural proporcionan refugio a biota dependiente de bosques (e. g., aves e insectos). En el dosel de agroecosistemas de café de sombra también se pueden encontrar orquídeas típicas de bosques naturales. Sin embargo, no se conoce si son relictos de la vegetación del bosque original o si las plantaciones mismas proporcionan los recursos necesarios para soportar a una población de orquídeas auto sostenida. Estudiamos la estructura de la población de orquídeas epifitas Jacquiniella teretifolia (Sw.) Britton & Willson, Scaphyglottis livida (Lindl.) Schltr y Maxillaria densa Lindl en una plantación de café de sombra (policultivo comercial) en el centro de Veracruz. También estudiamos la biología reproductiva, no descrita previamente, de las últimas dos especies. Nuestros resultados muestran que las tres especies de orquídea tuvieron densidades poblacionales altas (>800 plantas/ha). En nuestro sitio de estudio, entre 50% y 68% de las plantas de las especies estudiadas eran individuos jóvenes (menos de cinco rebrotes). En las tres especies hubo presencia de estructuras reproductivas en 80% de los individuos con más de 30 rebrotes. M. densa es auto incompatible, y el conjunto de frutos obtenido por polinización cruzada (42.7%) fue mayor que el obtenido por polinización natural (18.2%), lo que sugiere que esta especie puede estar limitada por polinizadores. S. livida es autocompatible no autogama, y no fue limitada por polinizadores. Nuestros resultados muestran que la plantación de café tenía poblaciones de orquídeas abundantes con estructuras tamaño/edad log normales. Dos de las especies, M. densa y S. livida, dependen de polinizadores para su reproducción. Es claro que los polinizadores que permiten una alta proporción de frutos a las orquídeas persisten en las plantaciones. Puede que las plantaciones de café no sustituyan las condiciones originales de un bosque, pero es posible que estas, y otras, especies de orquídeas sobrevivan y se reproduzcan en plantaciones de café que proporcionen condiciones microclimáticas adecuadas, incluyendo polinizadores, para las plantas. [source]

    Effects of soil degradation and management practices on the surface water dynamics in the Talgua River Watershed in Honduras

    LAND DEGRADATION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 4 2004
    D. L. Hanson
    Abstract When tropical forests are felled, subsequent land uses affect surface runoff, soil erosion, and soil compaction. In some cases, they can markedly change the hydrology of a region with disastrous effects on human life. The objective of this paper is to investigate the effect of rainfall on stream hydrology due to conversion of primary forests to agriculture. Near surface water dynamics were compared for three land uses on the steep hillsides in the Talgua River Watershed in Honduras: degraded grass-covered field; traditional coffee plantation; and primary forest. Infiltration and surface runoff rates were measured using several methods. A clear difference was observed in hydraulic conductivity between the degraded and non-degraded lands. The degraded grass-covered hillslopes developed a surface restrictive layer with a low saturated hydraulic conductivity of 8 to 11,mm/hr, resulting in more frequent overland flow than traditional coffee plantation and primary forest. Soils under the latter two land-use types maintained high infiltration capacities and readily conducted water vertically at rates of 109 and 840,mm/hr, respectively. Dye tests confirmed that the coffee plantation and primary forest both maintained well-connected macropores through which water flowed readily. In contrast, macropores in the degraded soil profile were filled by fine soil particles. Soils in the degraded grass-covered field also showed more compaction than soils in the coffee plantation. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

    Effects of Shade-Tree Species and Crop Structure on the Winter Arthropod and Bird Communities in a Jamaican Shade Coffee Plantation,

    BIOTROPICA, Issue 1 2000
    Matthew D. Johnson
    ABSTRACT I examined the effects of two farm management variables, shade-tree species and crop structure, on the winter (dry season) arthropod and bird communities in a Jamaican shade coffee plantation. Birds and canopy arthropods were more abundant in areas of the plantation shaded by the tree Inga vera than by Pseudalbizia berteroana. The abundance of arthropods (potential pests) on the coffee crop, however, was unaffected by shade-tree species. Canopy arthropods, particularly psyllids (Homoptera), were especially abundant on Inga in late winter, when it was producing new leaves and nectar-rich flowers. Insectivorous and nectarivorous birds showed the strongest response to Inga; thus the concentration of birds in Inga may be a response to abundant food. Coffee-tree arthropod abundance was much lower than in the shade trees and was affected little by farm management variables, although arthropods tended to be more abundant in dense (unpruned) than open (recently pruned) areas of the plantation. Perhaps in response, leaf-gleaning insectivorous birds were more abundant in dense areas. These results underscore that although some shade coffee plantations may provide habitat for arthropod and bird communities, differences in farm management practices can significantly affect their abundances. Furthermore, this study provides evidence suggesting that bird communities in coffee respond to spatial variation in arthropod availability. I conclude that /. vera is a better shade tree than P. berteroana, but a choice in crop structures is less clear due to changing effects of prune management over time. [source]

    Shade-Coffee Plantations as Refuges for Tropical Wild Orchids in Central Veracruz, Mexico

    CONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2005
    LISLIE SOLIS-MONTERO
    biología reproductiva; epifitas vasculares; estratificación vertical; estructura poblacional; limitación de polinizador Abstract:,In central Veracruz, Mexico, coffee plantations have replaced large areas of lower montane cloud forest. Shade-coffee plantations with high levels of structural diversity provide refuge for forest-dependent biota (e.g., birds and insects). Orchids typical of natural forest may also be found in the canopy of shade-coffee agroecosystems. It is not known, however, whether these are relicts from the original forest vegetation or if the plantations themselves provide the necessary conditions to support a self-sustained orchid population. We studied the population structure of the epiphytic orchids Jacquiniella teretifolia (Sw.) Britton & Willson, Scaphyglottis livida (Lindl.) Schltr., and Maxillaria densa Lindl. in a shade-coffee plantation (commercial polyculture) in central Veracruz. We also studied the previously undescribed reproductive biology of the latter two species. Our results show that the three orchid species had high population densities (>800 plants/ha). In our study site, 50% to 68% of the orchid plants of the target species were young individuals (less than five shoots). Reproductive structures were present in 80% of individuals larger than 30 shoots in the three species. M. densa is self-incompatible, and the fruit set obtained from cross pollination (42.7%) was higher than that obtained from natural pollination (18.2%), suggesting that this species could be pollinator limited. S. livida is autocompatible, not autogamous, and was not pollinator limited. Our results show that the coffee plantation had abundant orchid populations with log-normal size/age structures. Two of the target species, M. densa and S. livida, depend on pollinators to reproduce. It is clear that pollinators that allow orchids to set a high proportion of fruits persist in shade-coffee plantations. Coffee plantations may not replace the original conditions of a forest, but it is possible that these and other orchid species survive and reproduce in coffee plantations that provide appropriate microclimate conditions for the plants, including pollinators. Resumen:,En el centro de Veracruz, México, las plantaciones de café han reemplazado a extensas áreas de bosque nublado montano. Las plantaciones cafetaleras de sombra con altos niveles de diversidad estructural proporcionan refugio a biota dependiente de bosques (e. g., aves e insectos). En el dosel de agroecosistemas de café de sombra también se pueden encontrar orquídeas típicas de bosques naturales. Sin embargo, no se conoce si son relictos de la vegetación del bosque original o si las plantaciones mismas proporcionan los recursos necesarios para soportar a una población de orquídeas auto sostenida. Estudiamos la estructura de la población de orquídeas epifitas Jacquiniella teretifolia (Sw.) Britton & Willson, Scaphyglottis livida (Lindl.) Schltr y Maxillaria densa Lindl en una plantación de café de sombra (policultivo comercial) en el centro de Veracruz. También estudiamos la biología reproductiva, no descrita previamente, de las últimas dos especies. Nuestros resultados muestran que las tres especies de orquídea tuvieron densidades poblacionales altas (>800 plantas/ha). En nuestro sitio de estudio, entre 50% y 68% de las plantas de las especies estudiadas eran individuos jóvenes (menos de cinco rebrotes). En las tres especies hubo presencia de estructuras reproductivas en 80% de los individuos con más de 30 rebrotes. M. densa es auto incompatible, y el conjunto de frutos obtenido por polinización cruzada (42.7%) fue mayor que el obtenido por polinización natural (18.2%), lo que sugiere que esta especie puede estar limitada por polinizadores. S. livida es autocompatible no autogama, y no fue limitada por polinizadores. Nuestros resultados muestran que la plantación de café tenía poblaciones de orquídeas abundantes con estructuras tamaño/edad log normales. Dos de las especies, M. densa y S. livida, dependen de polinizadores para su reproducción. Es claro que los polinizadores que permiten una alta proporción de frutos a las orquídeas persisten en las plantaciones. Puede que las plantaciones de café no sustituyan las condiciones originales de un bosque, pero es posible que estas, y otras, especies de orquídeas sobrevivan y se reproduzcan en plantaciones de café que proporcionen condiciones microclimáticas adecuadas, incluyendo polinizadores, para las plantas. [source]

    Use of Premontane Moist Forest and Shade Coffee Agroecosystems by Army Ants in Western Panama

    CONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2000
    Dina L. Roberts
    Behavioral and distributional studies of these two species have been confined largely to humid lowland forest. We conducted intensive systematic area searches at elevations between 1200 and 1800 m in western Panama to assess the distribution of both species in intact premontane moist forest, shade coffee plantations, and sun coffee plantations. Both species were repeatedly observed in forest, shade coffee plantations close to forest, and shade coffee plantations distant from forest. Neither species was observed in sun coffee plantations. We believe that retention of certain forest-like characteristics in the traditional shade coffee farm contributes to the persistence of these forest organisms in modified landscapes. Large canopy trees not only provide shade that buffers temperature extremes but also supply the ground layer with regular inputs of leaf litter and coarse woody debris from fallen trunks. Both E. burchelli and L. praedator hunt in leaf litter, and E. burchelli uses coarse woody debris as nesting sites ( bivouacs). There were significantly fewer potential bivouacs available in sun coffee plantations than in forest and shade coffee habitats. Also, litter depth was less in sun coffee than in forest and shade coffee. Our results provide the first evidence that shade coffee plantations can provide additional habitat for E. burchelli and L. praedator, top predators of the leaf litter arthropod community. E. burchelli and L. praedator act as critical links between swarm-attendant bird species and leaf-litter arthropods, providing an easily exploited food resource that would otherwise be unavailable for many birds. Continued conversion of shade coffee plantations to sun coffee plantations could have negative effects on army ants and associated biodiversity. Resumen: Las hormigas arrierras Neotropicales, Eciton burchelli y Labidus praedator ( Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ecitoninae) son especies que requieren de extensas áreas de hábitat para cazar. Los estudios conductuales y de la distribución de estas especies se han realizado principalmente en bosques húmedos en tierras bajas. Desarrollamos búsquedas sistemáticas intensivas en elevaciones entre 1200 y 1800 msnm en Panama occidental para determinar la distribución de ambas especies en bosque húmedo premontano intacto, en plantaciones de café con y sin sombra. Las dos especies fueron observadas recurrentemente en bosque y en plantaciones de café de sombra cercanos y lejanos al bosque. Consideramos que la retención de ciertas características del bosque en las plantaciones de café de sombra contribuye a la persistencia de estos organismos de bosque en ambientes modificados. Los árboles no solo proporcionan sombra que amortigua la temperatura, sino que proporcionan hojarasca y restos leñosos de troncos caídos. Tanto E. burchelli como L. praedator cazan en la hojarasca, E. burchelli utiliza restos leñosos para anidar (vivaques). Encontramos significativamente menos vivaques en plantaciones de café sin sombra al compararlos con bosque y plantaciones de café con sombra. Asimismo, la profundidad de la capa de hojarasca fue menor en plantaciones de café sin sombra en comparación con bosque y plantaciones de café con sombra. Nuestros resultados proporcionan la primera evidencia de que las plantaciones con sombra proporcionan hábitat adicional para E. burchelli y L. praedator, depredadores de la comunidad de artrópodos en la hojarasca. E. burchelli y L. praedator actúan como eslabones críticos entre especies de aves que se alimentan de hormigas y los artrópodos de la hojarasca, proporcionando un recurso alimenticio fácilmente explotado que de otra manera no estaría disponible para muchas aves. La continua transformación de plantaciones de café con sombra a plantaciones sin sombra pudiera tener efectos negativos sobre las hormigas arrieras y la biodiversidad asociada. [source]

    Limitation of nesting resources for ants in Colombian forests and coffee plantations

    ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 5 2006
    INGE ARMBRECHT
    Abstract 1.,This study examines limitation of nesting resources for leaf-litter and twig-nesting ants as a mechanism of diversity loss across an intensification gradient of coffee production in Colombia. Twelve farms were selected and classified into four management types: forest, polygeneric shade coffee, monogeneric shade coffee, and sun coffee (unshaded coffee monocultures). 2.,At each of the farms, four treatment subplots were established at the corners of each of 10 25 m2 plots: (i) twig augmentation (adding 10 empty bamboo twigs); (ii) litter augmentation (tripling existing litter profile); (iii) twig and litter augmentation; and (iv) no manipulation control, for a total of 480 subplots. A twig addition experiment was also performed on coffee bushes. 3.,The results showed significantly more ant colonies in the forest and monogeneric shade coffee litter augmentation plots after 4 months. Litter-nesting ant species richness was higher in all three shade systems than in the sun coffee. The identities of ants nesting on coffee bushes were different from those in the soil level litter. Fewer species nested in bamboo twigs placed in litter in the most intensive systems. 4.,More ants nested in the resource addition treatments, and more ant species were found in forested habitats; however, a single mechanism cannot explain the observed patterns. It was concluded that a combination of bottom-up and top-down effects might lead to the loss of associated fauna with the intensification of these agroecosystems. [source]

    Bird Community Composition in a Shaded Coffee Agro-ecological Matrix in Puebla, Mexico: The Effects of Landscape Heterogeneity at Multiple Spatial Scales

    BIOTROPICA, Issue 2 2010
    Eurídice Leyequién
    ABSTRACT This study examined the importance of habitat heterogeneity on the avian community composition, and investigated the scale at which species abundances respond to habitat variables. The study was conducted within a diverse landscape matrix of a shaded coffee region in Mexico. To detect at which characteristic spatial scale different species and foraging guilds respond most strongly we analyzed the effect of plot-, patch- and landscape-level variables at different spatial extent (i.e., different kilometer radii) on species composition and foraging guilds. We used redundancy analysis to identify species,environment correlations, and to identify predictor variables that best explained the bird community structure, quantified the influence of plot-, patch- and landscape-level variables on the bird community composition. In addition, we used the 4th-corner method to detect significant relationships between the dietary guilds and plot-, patch- and landscape-level variables. We recorded 12,335 individuals of 181 bird species; 105 bird species were recorded foraging within the shaded coffee plantations. We found that plot- and landscape-level variables significantly explained the bird community composition best across all scales, and were significantly correlated with the abundance of the dietary guilds. In contrast, patch-level variables were less important. Habitat composition variables (i.e., coffee, forest and agricultural area) were among the most important predictors. Canopy structure was more important than other vegetation structure variables in explaining dietary guild structure. Hence, the maintenance of a heterogeneous landscape with a high-quality matrix within an agro-ecological region enhances bird conservation. Abstract in Spanish is available at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/loi/btp [source]

    Effects of Shade-Tree Species and Crop Structure on the Winter Arthropod and Bird Communities in a Jamaican Shade Coffee Plantation,

    BIOTROPICA, Issue 1 2000
    Matthew D. Johnson
    ABSTRACT I examined the effects of two farm management variables, shade-tree species and crop structure, on the winter (dry season) arthropod and bird communities in a Jamaican shade coffee plantation. Birds and canopy arthropods were more abundant in areas of the plantation shaded by the tree Inga vera than by Pseudalbizia berteroana. The abundance of arthropods (potential pests) on the coffee crop, however, was unaffected by shade-tree species. Canopy arthropods, particularly psyllids (Homoptera), were especially abundant on Inga in late winter, when it was producing new leaves and nectar-rich flowers. Insectivorous and nectarivorous birds showed the strongest response to Inga; thus the concentration of birds in Inga may be a response to abundant food. Coffee-tree arthropod abundance was much lower than in the shade trees and was affected little by farm management variables, although arthropods tended to be more abundant in dense (unpruned) than open (recently pruned) areas of the plantation. Perhaps in response, leaf-gleaning insectivorous birds were more abundant in dense areas. These results underscore that although some shade coffee plantations may provide habitat for arthropod and bird communities, differences in farm management practices can significantly affect their abundances. Furthermore, this study provides evidence suggesting that bird communities in coffee respond to spatial variation in arthropod availability. I conclude that /. vera is a better shade tree than P. berteroana, but a choice in crop structures is less clear due to changing effects of prune management over time. [source]