Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Otto Monge, Stefan Dullinger, Leonida Fusani, Christian H. Schulze
Summary: The expansion of agricultural activities in tropical regions has raised conflicts between food production and biodiversity conservation. Avian biodiversity in coffee farms is influenced by vegetation features related to cultivation intensity, with varying effects on different metrics and environmental contexts. There is no one-size-fits-all conservation strategy for birds in coffee-dominated landscapes.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jacques Avelino, Stephanie Gagliardi, Ivette Perfecto, Marney E. Isaac, Theresa Liebig, John Vandermeer, Isabelle Merle, Zachary Hajian-Forooshani, Natacha Motisi
Summary: Integrating trees into agricultural systems provides valuable ecosystem services but can also interact with plant diseases. Understanding the interaction between plant diseases and trees in agroforestry systems is necessary to identify key tree characteristics, leaf traits, spatial arrangements, and management options to control plant diseases. This study focuses on the impact of trees on coffee leaf rust, demonstrating that trees can both promote and discourage the development of the disease at different scales. The findings suggest specific canopy characteristics and leaf traits that can help manage coffee leaf rust at the plot scale, as well as the importance of trees in reducing disease at the landscape scale.
Article
Development Studies
Karla Rubio-Jovel, Jorge Sellare, Yannic Damm, Thomas Dietz
Summary: This article assesses the contribution of voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) to the achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) through a case study from the coffee sector in Costa Rica. The study finds that relying solely on VSS is not sufficient to promote a transition to more sustainable coffee production, as trade-offs between different SDGs emerge. Modifications in implementation are required to promote sustainable practices and ensure socio-economic benefits for producers, workers, and their families.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Horticulture
Athina Koutouleas, Conor Blunt, Aljosa Bregar, Jon Kehlet Hansen, Anders Raebild, Herve Etienne, Frederic Georget
Summary: Interspecific grafting of Coffea arabica onto C. canephora can protect against nematode infestation under environmental stressors. However, this grafting method has negative effects on plant growth and yield.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Diana Maria Galindo-Uribe, Julio Mario Hoyos-Hoyos, Paola Isaacs-Cubides, Nicolas Corral-Gomez, Nicolas Urbina-Cardona
Summary: Taxonomical and functional facets of diversity play a crucial role in understanding the effects of landscape transformation on species assemblages. This study found that anthropogenic land cover types have an impact on anurans, with larger species showing a preference for anthropogenic land cover. The congruence between functional diversity and taxonomic diversity metrics changed when comparing different land cover types, and certain diversity indices were more sensitive to land-use change.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Vassiliki Vlami, Carlos Morera Beita, Stamatis Zogaris
Summary: Landscape quality assessment is important for conservation and sustainable development in Latin American tropics. Using the Landscape Assessment Protocol (LAP) in Costa Rica, this study evaluated landscape views and found a gradient of degradation in response to anthropogenic pressures. Urban and peri-urban landscapes showed the most degraded conditions, while flatland, coastal, and upland types performed better. Despite some subjective attributes, LAP proved effective in providing a quality condition index for landscape interpretation and conservation initiatives.
Article
Ecology
Annalie Dorph, Matthew Swan, Julian Di Stefano, Trent D. Penman
Summary: Understanding the relationships between spatial pattern, spatial scale and biodiversity is crucial for assessing the impacts of environmental change on species richness. Our study found that both composition and configuration of environmental factors play important roles, with the strength and presence of relationships varying across different spatial scales. Patterns in NDVI, time since fire, habitat complexity, and elevation were identified as having the strongest effects on mammal species richness.
Article
Economics
Raluca Dragusanu, Eduardo Montero, Nathan Nunn
Summary: This study examines the impact of Fair Trade (FT) certification on coffee producers and households in Costa Rica. The findings show that certification is associated with higher sales price, greater sales, and more revenues when global coffee prices are low. Certification also reduces the probability of mill closures and benefits farm owners with higher incomes. However, it has no effect on unskilled workers, who are the most disadvantaged group in the coffee sector.
JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC ASSOCIATION
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Cristina Gonzalez-Andres, Jose Luis Sanchez-Lizaso, Jorge Cortes, Maria Grazia Pennino
Summary: There is increasing concern worldwide for elasmobranch species due to their vulnerability to fishing pressure. Isla del Coco National Park is known as a sanctuary for migratory pelagic species, but the abundance of many species has been rapidly declining due to overexploitation. Generalized Additive Models were used to investigate the environmental preferences of elasmobranchs in the park, revealing similar habitat preferences based on distance from the coast, slope, and chlorophyll concentration. This study helps identify biodiversity hotspots for elasmobranchs in Isla del Coco National Park, providing valuable information for better management of marine habitats.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Alexander Montoya-Arroyo, Jose David Alfaro-Solis, Patricia Esquivel, Victor M. Jimenez, Jan Frank
Summary: The study found significant differences in vitamin E content and composition of Acrocomia aculeata fruits from different regions in Costa Rica. The mesocarp was dominated by tocotrienols, while no tocopherols were found in the endosperm. The region with the most tropical climatic conditions had the highest vitamin E content observed.
JOURNAL OF FOOD COMPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jedediah F. Brodie, Sara Williams, Brittany Garner
Summary: Biodiversity is declining globally, primarily driven by habitat loss and harvest activities. Herbivores and frugivores are particularly vulnerable to declines from hunting and habitat loss, with significant implications for plant communities and nutrient cycling. While globally phylogenetically unique species do not have an elevated risk of decline, in certain areas they are more likely to be threatened.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Kurt A. Haberyan, Sally P. Horn
Summary: The utility of diatoms as paleoenvironmental indicators is limited by a lack of ecological knowledge about local modern species. A study in Costa Rica examined 86 lakes to gather limnological, chemical, and watershed data and explored the relationships between these factors and diatoms. The analysis revealed significant associations between diatom species and environmental parameters such as calcium, elevation, lake depth, and pH. However, the study also found that diatom assemblages were often similar among lakes with different conditions and dissimilar among lakes with similar conditions, suggesting a limited role for biotic factors in community assembly.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ernesto Rojas-Sanchez, Fabian Umana-Blanco, Ana Jimenez-Rocha, Karen Vega-Benavides, Alejandro Medaglia, Alberto Solano-Barquero, Alicia Rojas, Mauricio Jimenez
Summary: Prosthenorchis elegans is a parasite that infects non-human primates in the Americas, causing intestinal pathology that can be life-threatening. Squirrel monkeys in Costa Rica were found to be infected with P. elegans. Histopathological analysis showed a severe pyogranulomatous response characterized by the presence of macrophages, neutrophils, eosinophils, fibroblasts, and lymphocytes.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Jorge A. Valenciano-Salazar, Francisco J. Andre, Mario Solino
Summary: The study found that Costa Rican consumers are willing to pay a 30% price premium for environmental certifications like Carbon Neutral, Fairtrade, and ISO 14001. Factors such as household income, education level, and environmental activism increase the likelihood of consumers paying price premiums, with women being more willing to pay than men. The willingness to pay for the Carbon Neutral certification stands out among the three certifications.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Adolfo Quesada-Roman, Lilliam Quiros-Arias, Juan Carlos Zamora-Pereira
Summary: Smallholder coffee farms in the Upper Buenavista Catchment (UBC) in the South of Costa Rica have developed in the last two decades, cultivating premium-priced coffee in unstable and erosive areas. Coffee farmers have transformed from small producers to knowledgeable entrepreneurs, reducing economic risks and improving their incomes.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Jiarui Zhao, Xiaohu Yuan, Zhanjun Liu, Haotian Shi, Bingnian Zhai, Yuanjun Zhu
Summary: Overfertilization is common in rainfed apple orchards on China's Loess Plateau, but its impacts on soil physicochemical properties in deep soil profiles are poorly understood. This study found that different land-use types showed divergent distribution patterns in soil properties, with low variability for SWC and pH, moderate variability for NH4+-N, AP, and AK, and high variability for SOC, NO3--N, and EC. The results also showed that fertilization influenced soil water content, NO3--N, AP, and AK, and NO3--N played a crucial role in regulating pH and EC. Soil profiles were useful for studying the evolution of soil quality.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Daniel Nyfeler, Olivier Huguenin-Elie, Emmanuel Frossard, Andreas Luscher
Summary: Grass-legume mixtures combine high yields, low fertiliser requirements, and low nitrate leaching better than either pure grass or pure legume swards, both during the intact plant cover and after tilling for the subsequent crop.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Martin Faucher, Seraphine Grellier, Clemence Chaudron, Jean-Louis Janeau, Gabrielle Rudi, Fabrice Vinatier
Summary: The Mediterranean region is expected to experience more intense rainfall events and severe droughts due to climate change, leading to an increase in runoff and erosion rates in agrosystems. Vegetation cover can help reduce erosion and the soil seed bank can provide cost-effective vegetation. This study assessed the effect of vegetation cover on seed loss in vineyards and evaluated the differences in the soil seed bank along a transect. The results suggest that vegetation may not protect interrows from runoff-induced seed loss.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Christian Thierfelder, Blessing Mhlanga, Isaiah Nyagumbo, Kelvin Kalala, Esau Simutowe, Mazvita Chiduwa, Chloe Maclaren, Joao Vasco Silva, Hambulo Ngoma
Summary: The performance of different maize-legume diversification strategies was compared in southern Africa. Intercropping systems showed significant nutritional and economic benefits, but had higher labor requirements compared to other cropping systems. Soil organic carbon content and pH were not affected by the tested cropping systems.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Han Chen, Han Li, Yizhao Wei, Edward Mcbean, Hong Liang, Weimin Wang, Jinhui Jeanne Huang
Summary: This research introduces a hybrid four-sub-deep neural network (HFSD) model for partitioning NEE into GPP and ER. The HFSD employs dual sub-deep neural networks to estimate ERa and ERb and incorporates GPP and environmental variables to predict vegetation transpiration. The results of the model show that the dual sub-DNNs architecture enhances the accuracy of ER simulations, while using EC-derived T as a constraint improves the accuracy of GPP simulations. Correlation analyses suggest that solar radiation and air temperature primarily influence the seasonal variations in GPP and ER, while soil moisture has a strong impact during dry seasons. This study advances the biophysical description of data-driven models for NEE partitioning and enhances the accuracy of GPP and ER estimates.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Michael Glaser, Stefan Dullinger, Dietmar Moser, Johannes Wessely, Milan Chytry, Zdenka Lososova, Irena Axmanova, Christian Berg, Jana Buerger, Serge Buholzer, Fabrizio Buldrini, Alessandro Chiarucci, Swen Follak, Filip Kuezmic, Stefan Meyer, Petr Pysek, Nina Richner, Urban Silc, Siegrid Steinkellner, Alexander Wietzke, Franz Essl
Summary: This study investigated changes in vascular plant species in Central European arable fields and their edges from 1930 to 2019. The results showed a small decline in overall species occupancy, but a more pronounced species turnover. Species with environmental preferences for nutrient-rich sites with neutral pH increased in occupancy, while species typical for arable fields decreased. No response to climate change was observed, and there was a decrease in archaeophytes and native species and an increase in neophytes.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Thomas Abrell, Krishna Naudin, Felix J. J. A. Bianchi, Debora Veiga Aragao, Pablo Tittonell, Marc Corbeels
Summary: This study demonstrates that reducing fallow periods in shifting cultivation systems in the Eastern Amazon region has negative effects on soil fertility and weed pressure, posing a threat to the sustainability and productivity of local farming systems.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Jun Wang, Lu Lv, Ronggui Hu, Haiyang Ma, Bo Liu, Wenju Zhang, Lei Wu
Summary: Nitrification and denitrification are crucial for nitrogen losses in agricultural soils and are affected by soil properties. This study investigated the patterns and controlling factors of nitrification and denitrification potentials in paddy soils in major rice-producing areas of Hubei Province, China. The results showed that soil pH and SOC were the primary factors regulating nitrification and denitrification potentials, respectively.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Olga Fishkis, Jessica Weller, Jorn Lehmhus, Franz Pollinger, Jorn Strassemeyer, Heinz -Josef Koch
Summary: The Farm to Fork strategy of the European Union aims to reduce pesticide use and replace chemical measures with mechanical methods in weed control. However, there is currently no comprehensive evaluation of the ecological and economic parameters of mechanical methods. This study quantified these parameters for different weed control methods in sugar beet and found that no method can be considered fully environmentally friendly.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Mercedes Guerrero-Brotons, Nuria Perujo, Anna M. Romani, Rosa Gomez
Summary: Proper bed substrate selection is crucial for the performance of constructed wetlands, especially when treating drainage water with high nitrogen and low carbon and phosphorus concentrations. In a field-scale pilot plant, adding a carbon-rich substrate such as soil or biochar increased phosphorus availability in beds. Beds with soil displayed higher microbial density and activity, as well as better plant growth compared to gravel. These findings highlight the importance of selecting suitable substrates for treating irrigated agricultural water.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Beatrice Giannetta, Cesar Plaza, Giorgio Galluzzi, Iria Benavente-Ferraces, Juan Carlos Garcia-Gil, Marco Panettieri, Gabriel Gasco, Claudio Zaccone
Summary: This study examines the long-term effects of biochar application on soil organic C protection and finds that biochar, especially when combined with other amendments, has the potential to increase the content of particulate organic C and mineral-associated organic C in soils. The presence of ferrihydrite may mediate the positive effects on mineral-associated organic matter.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Emily Rose Waring, Carl Pederson, Ainis Lagzdins, Chelsea Clifford, Matthew J. Helmers
Summary: Addressing the global problem of eutrophication requires better management of inorganic nitrogen in the agricultural landscape. This study compares the effects of different tillage practices and cover crops on soil and water quality. The results show that the conventional tillage system is more effective in improving water quality and maintaining crop yields compared to other tillage practices. Additionally, the study reveals that the impact of tillage practices and cover crop growth methods on water and soil quality changes over time.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Annalisa Stevenson, Yakun Zhang, Jingyi Huang, Jie Hu, Keith Paustian, Alfred E. Hartemink
Summary: Considerable advances have been made in the assessment and mapping of soil organic carbon stocks. However, the rates of change in carbon stocks are influenced by various factors and need to be quantified. This study found that sandy soils under cultivation and forests have different organic carbon stocks. Factors such as tillage, irrigation, and nitrogen applications contribute to the decline in soil organic carbon stocks. Afforestation of abandoned cultivated fields can increase soil organic carbon, but it is still lower than soils under forest that have never been cultivated.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Zhiyuan Yao, Chuanxiong Huang, Huiling Hu, Tao Wang, Yulong Li, Xiaoming Sune, Sina Adl, Bo Zhu
Summary: Enhancing soil organic carbon levels through improved fertilization strategies is important for soil health and sustainable crop production. This study found that the relative abundance of organisms from higher trophic levels and increased network complexity in the soil micro-food webs are vital contributors to effective SOC accumulation.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Qing Qu, Lei Deng, Zhouping Shangguan, Jian Sun, Jinsheng He, Kaibo Wang, Zhengchao Zhou, Jiwei Li, Josep Penuelas
Summary: Grazing exclusion is a widely implemented strategy for restoring degraded grassland ecosystems and increasing carbon stocks. This study analyzed data from 199 experiments to understand the temporal responses and factors influencing plant and soil carbon stocks following grazing exclusion in different grassland ecosystems. The results showed that plant biomass carbon stocks and soil organic carbon stocks decreased exponentially or rationally with years since enclosure. Grazing exclusion had positive effects on aboveground biomass carbon, but the effects on belowground biomass and soil carbon were influenced by climate, initial carbon levels, and grazing exclusion duration. The response of carbon stocks to grazing exclusion stabilized after approximately 40 years, with soil carbon sequestration showing a lagged pattern compared to plant biomass carbon. The study highlighted the effectiveness of grazing exclusion in regions with low carbon content and non-water limited conditions. However, it might not be an effective measure to increase soil organic carbon stocks in water-limited areas like desert grasslands.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2024)