Biodiversity and ecosystem services of cacao agroforestry arrangements in the Colombian Amazon
Cacao agroforestry systems (AFS) represent a more sustainable alternative to monocultures by providing significant benefits in terms of carbon stocks and biodiversity conservation. For their adoption, farmers must make key decisions regarding the tree species to integrate and the type of spatial arr...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | Inglés |
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Springer
2025
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176860 |
| _version_ | 1855523037101686784 |
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| author | Solarte-Soto, Juliana Andrea Ospina-Bautista, Fabiola Fremout, Tobias Melo-Zipacon, William Felipe Valencia-Molina, Manuel C. Pulleman, Mirjam |
| author_browse | Fremout, Tobias Melo-Zipacon, William Felipe Ospina-Bautista, Fabiola Pulleman, Mirjam Solarte-Soto, Juliana Andrea Valencia-Molina, Manuel C. |
| author_facet | Solarte-Soto, Juliana Andrea Ospina-Bautista, Fabiola Fremout, Tobias Melo-Zipacon, William Felipe Valencia-Molina, Manuel C. Pulleman, Mirjam |
| author_sort | Solarte-Soto, Juliana Andrea |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Cacao agroforestry systems (AFS) represent a more sustainable alternative to monocultures by providing significant benefits in terms of carbon stocks and biodiversity conservation. For their adoption, farmers must make key decisions regarding the tree species to integrate and the type of spatial arrangement to implement. This study aimed to evaluate how tree diversity in AFS influences the provision of ecosystem services (ES), as well as the potential synergies and trade-offs among them, in the southern Colombian Amazon region. We analyzed three AFS arrangements, scattered trees, live fences, and alley cropping, and four ES (aboveground carbon stocks, and provision of cacao, timber and fruit). Thirty farms were sampled using variable-area transects to record tree composition and density. Carbon stocks were estimated using an allometric equation, cacao yields were reported by farmers, and timber and fruit provision were indirectly quantified through the basal area of fruit and timber trees. A total of 121 tree species were identified, mostly native species. Although tree diversity and density did not vary significantly among AFS arrangements, composition differed. Significant synergies were detected between regulating ES (aboveground carbon stocks) and provisioning ES (timber provision), both of which were associated with tree species richness and density. In contrast, no statistically significant trade-offs were found between cacao yields and other ES. In conclusion, diverse AFS can sustain multiple ES, but require careful planning and incentives that recognize their value in terms of ecosystem service delivery and biodiversity conservation. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace176860 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Springer |
| publisherStr | Springer |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1768602025-10-26T12:56:54Z Biodiversity and ecosystem services of cacao agroforestry arrangements in the Colombian Amazon Solarte-Soto, Juliana Andrea Ospina-Bautista, Fabiola Fremout, Tobias Melo-Zipacon, William Felipe Valencia-Molina, Manuel C. Pulleman, Mirjam carbono ecosystem services diversidad de especies servicio de los ecosistemas-servicios ecosistémicos agroforestry-agrosilvicultural systems carbon stock assessments tree and stand measurement wood-timber silvicultura madera Cacao agroforestry systems (AFS) represent a more sustainable alternative to monocultures by providing significant benefits in terms of carbon stocks and biodiversity conservation. For their adoption, farmers must make key decisions regarding the tree species to integrate and the type of spatial arrangement to implement. This study aimed to evaluate how tree diversity in AFS influences the provision of ecosystem services (ES), as well as the potential synergies and trade-offs among them, in the southern Colombian Amazon region. We analyzed three AFS arrangements, scattered trees, live fences, and alley cropping, and four ES (aboveground carbon stocks, and provision of cacao, timber and fruit). Thirty farms were sampled using variable-area transects to record tree composition and density. Carbon stocks were estimated using an allometric equation, cacao yields were reported by farmers, and timber and fruit provision were indirectly quantified through the basal area of fruit and timber trees. A total of 121 tree species were identified, mostly native species. Although tree diversity and density did not vary significantly among AFS arrangements, composition differed. Significant synergies were detected between regulating ES (aboveground carbon stocks) and provisioning ES (timber provision), both of which were associated with tree species richness and density. In contrast, no statistically significant trade-offs were found between cacao yields and other ES. In conclusion, diverse AFS can sustain multiple ES, but require careful planning and incentives that recognize their value in terms of ecosystem service delivery and biodiversity conservation. 2025-12 2025-10-07T07:31:52Z 2025-10-07T07:31:52Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176860 en Limited Access Springer Solarte-Soto, J.A.; Ospina-Bautista, F.; Fremout, T.; Melo-Zipacon, W.F.; Valencia-Molina, M.C.; Pulleman, M. (2025) Biodiversity and ecosystem services of cacao agroforestry arrangements in the Colombian Amazon. Agroforestry Systems 99(8): 235. ISSN: 0167-4366 |
| spellingShingle | carbono ecosystem services diversidad de especies servicio de los ecosistemas-servicios ecosistémicos agroforestry-agrosilvicultural systems carbon stock assessments tree and stand measurement wood-timber silvicultura madera Solarte-Soto, Juliana Andrea Ospina-Bautista, Fabiola Fremout, Tobias Melo-Zipacon, William Felipe Valencia-Molina, Manuel C. Pulleman, Mirjam Biodiversity and ecosystem services of cacao agroforestry arrangements in the Colombian Amazon |
| title | Biodiversity and ecosystem services of cacao agroforestry arrangements in the Colombian Amazon |
| title_full | Biodiversity and ecosystem services of cacao agroforestry arrangements in the Colombian Amazon |
| title_fullStr | Biodiversity and ecosystem services of cacao agroforestry arrangements in the Colombian Amazon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biodiversity and ecosystem services of cacao agroforestry arrangements in the Colombian Amazon |
| title_short | Biodiversity and ecosystem services of cacao agroforestry arrangements in the Colombian Amazon |
| title_sort | biodiversity and ecosystem services of cacao agroforestry arrangements in the colombian amazon |
| topic | carbono ecosystem services diversidad de especies servicio de los ecosistemas-servicios ecosistémicos agroforestry-agrosilvicultural systems carbon stock assessments tree and stand measurement wood-timber silvicultura madera |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176860 |
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