Article
Ecology
Oliver T. Coomes, Yuanyu Cheng, Yoshito Takasaki, Christian Abizaid
Summary: This paper examines the recent field clearing practices of indigenous and folk peasant households in the Peruvian Amazon, finding low rates of old-growth forest clearing and highlighting factors such as household education level and land size that influence their choice of forest location and type for clearing.
ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
Tarquinio Mateus Magalhaes
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the impact of shifting cultivation on soil carbon content in miombo woodlands, highlighting the importance of maintaining or introducing the arboreal component to mitigate soil carbon loss.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Arun Jyoti Nath, Demsai Reang, Gudeta W. Sileshi
Summary: Shifting cultivation, based on the clearing of land, is an ecologically and economically efficient practice, although it has been subject to debate and intervention due to inadequate understanding and the attribution problem.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sabina Yasmin Laskar, Gudeta Weldesemayat Sileshi, Karabi Pathak, Nirmal Debnath, Arun Jyoti Nath, Kaynath Yasmin Laskar, Pator Singnar, Ashesh Kumar Das
Summary: Shifting cultivation is an important agricultural form globally, with significant impact on the cultural identity of indigenous communities. The study found significant changes in soil bulk density, aggregate stability, and soil organic carbon content with the transition from undisturbed forest to slash-and-burn cultivation and fallow phases. The research concluded that a minimum of 20 years of fallow period is required to achieve soil organic carbon content and carbon stocks comparable with intact forest land.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shijuan Chen, Pontus Olofsson, Thatheva Saphangthong, Curtis E. Woodcock
Summary: This study used Landsat time series on Google Earth Engine to monitor shifting cultivation in Laos from 1991 to 2020. Forest disturbances were mapped as shifting cultivation, new plantation, deforestation, severe drought, and subtle disturbance using time series analysis, object-based image analysis, and post-disturbance land cover classification. Shifting cultivation was found to be the main land use in Laos, accounting for 32.9% +/- 1.9% of the country over the past 30 years. The area of shifting cultivation increased in 2015-2020.
REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Ismail Ibrahim Garba, Daniel Fay, Reni Apriani, Dk Yusrina Pg Yusof, Danqing Chu, Alwyn Williams
Summary: Cover crops have the potential to improve soil water and mineral nitrogen management in dryland cropping systems. In this study, grass-legume mixtures were found to be the most effective in terms of biomass production, nitrogen retention, and water preservation during fallow. However, the overall efficiency of fallow was higher in conventional systems. Careful selection of cover crop functional traits in mixtures is crucial to enhance soil water and nitrogen management in semi-arid drylands.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anurag Mishra
Summary: Shifting cultivation is a prevalent agricultural system in tropical and subtropical regions, notably widespread in the East and North East states of India. Finding ways to manage shifting cultivation practices is crucial for climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and the welfare of indigenous communities.
Editorial Material
Biology
Mercedes Pascual, Andres Baeza
Summary: Combining spatial and temporal data helps researchers understand how deforestation influences the risk of malaria.
Article
Ecology
Dileep Kumar Pandey, Shivani Dobhal, Himansu Kumar De, P. Adhiguru, S. Vimla Devi, T. S. Mehra
Summary: This study explored agrobiodiversity in the changing shifting cultivation landscapes in North East India, finding a rich variety of crop species, livestock breeds, and wild plants, as well as potential threats to biodiversity conservation. The results of the study may be useful for landscape management and rural development policies.
LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shijuan Chen, Curtis E. Woodcock, Thatheva Saphangthong, Pontus Olofsson
Summary: This study provides an analysis of the spatial-temporal patterns of shifting cultivation and estimates the associated carbon emissions in Laos. It found that shifting cultivation has been expanding and intensifying in the country. The research highlights the importance of understanding these changes for policymakers and land use management.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Adrielle Leal, Maira Benchimol, Deborah Faria, Pavel Dodonov, Eliana Cazetta
Summary: Human activities have caused drastic changes in the landscapes where tropical forests stand, impacting the survival of E. edulis. Forest cover has been identified as the key predictor affecting its demographic structure across different ontogenetic stages, highlighting the importance of maintaining and restoring forest areas to ensure the persistence of this endangered palm species.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
Makoto Shibata, Napakod Sangsompaisarn, Shinichi Watanabe, Shinya Funakawa
Summary: Soil nitrogen availability in shifting cultivation in Northern Thailand is influenced by factors such as soil organic matter, microbial biomass, and soil acidity. Increased microbial biomass during fallow periods enhances ammonification, while soil acidity, influenced by soil texture, regulates nitrification and ammonium immobilization. These findings are crucial for understanding the nutrient cycling in shifting cultivation systems.
Article
Environmental Studies
Mathew Mpanda, Almas Kashindye, Ermias Aynekulu, Elvis Jonas, Todd S. Rosenstock, Richard A. Giliba
Summary: The study revealed that traditional tree fallows remain a significant element of land management practice among communities in the southern part of the Uluguru Mountains, showing a trend towards intensified tree-based farming. The increase in fallowed land represents an embracing of a traditional land management system that supports rotational and alternate uses of cropping space, while providing a buffering effect to limit over-exploitation of forests. This well-known traditional tree fallow system can be further optimized through the incorporation of additional innovations to maximize tree cover and carbon stocks in the farm landscape.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Fabio Falcao, Pavel Dodonov, Christini B. Caselli, Juliana Silveira dos Santos, Deborah Faria
Summary: Tropical forests are being lost and modified rapidly, affecting biodiversity patterns. Landscape composition and configuration play important roles in shaping diversity of aerial insectivorous bats. Forest cover and matrix composition influence bat activity levels and species composition.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wapongnungsang, EtsoshanYinga Ovung, Keshav Kumar Upadhyay, S. K. Tripathi
Summary: The exponential increase in human population has shortened fallow periods, impacting food security. The combination of rock phosphate and microbial inoculants shows positive effects on soil fertility and crop productivity, particularly when used together.