Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Martin Notaro, Christian Gary, Jean-Francois Le Coq, Aurelie Metay, Bruno Rapidel
Summary: This study aims to understand the determinants of ES provision, analyze the relationships between these services, and identify pathways for agroecological intensification. The results showed that carbon sequestration was not correlated with coffee yield and depended more on the presence of large trees. Additionally, tree biodiversity had a positive impact on yield up to a threshold, after which yield declined.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Alice Fitch, Rebecca L. Rowe, Niall P. McNamara, Cahyo Prayogo, Rizky Maulana Ishaq, Rizki Dwi Prasetyo, Zak Mitchell, Simon Oakley, Laurence Jones
Summary: In tropical regions, land-use pressures exist between natural forest, commercial tree plantations, and agricultural land for rural communities. Introducing agroforestry can enhance the functionality of commercial plantations and alleviate pressure on natural forests. A study modeling ecosystem services found that pine-coffee agroforestry provides lower supporting and regulating services compared to natural forest, but offers higher product yields directly to smallholders, presenting a feasible alternative.
Review
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Matthew M. Smith, Gary Bentrup, Todd Kellerman, Katherine MacFarland, Richard Straight, Lord Ameyaw, Susan Stein
Summary: Silvopasture is an agricultural practice that integrates trees, forage, and grazing livestock on the same land. It has been found to increase systemwide productivity and provide multiple ecosystem services. Diversification of farm income and shade for livestock are the primary benefits, while lack of information is a major challenge. Producers commonly use rotational or management intensive grazing, and silvopastures are often used as a complementary component of their pasture rotation system. Silvopasture retention is high, indicating its potential as a strategy for livestock operators to diversify farm income, enhance animal productivity and wellbeing, and increase ecosystem resilience.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Yunuen Reygadas, Stephanie A. Spera, David S. Salisbury
Summary: This passage discusses the threats to the integrity of the Southwestern Amazon due to global climate change and local land-use changes. The study found that both forest degradation and deforestation have significant effects on ecosystem service indicators such as evapotranspiration, land surface temperature, and precipitation. The results emphasize the importance of continuing to conserve this remote region.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
V. De Leijster, M. J. Santos, M. W. Wassen, J. C. Camargo Garcia, I. Llorca Fernandez, L. Verkuil, A. Scheper, M. Steenhuis, P. A. Verweij
Summary: Agroforestry interventions can serve as catalysts for ecosystem service development and changes in supply, contributing to the rehabilitation of degraded land. This study explored the trajectories of ecosystem services in coffee systems transitioning to agroforestry in Colombia, uncovering interactions between services and factors explaining them. The findings suggest that agroforestry can enhance ecosystem service supply by positively influencing key factors such as aboveground carbon stock and habitat provisioning.
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Ashutosh Kumar Singh, Wenjie Liu, Sissou Zakari, Junen Wu, Bin Yang, Xiao Jin Jiang, Xiai Zhu, Xin Zou, Wanjun Zhang, Chunfeng Chen, Rishikesh Singh, Arun Jyoti Nath
Summary: The expansion of rubber plantations driven by the growing global demand for latex has negatively impacted ecosystem functions, with significant decreases in aboveground biomass, belowground biomass, and plant diversity. Agroforestry, integrated pest management, cover cropping, mulching, and composting can help improve ecosystem functions in rubber plantations to some extent, but further research on plantation management is needed to mitigate these negative impacts.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Review
Ecology
Maria Rosa Mosquera-Losada, Mario Gabriel Santiago Santos, Berta Goncalves, Nuria Ferreiro-Dominguez, Marina Castro, Antonio Rigueiro-Rodriguez, Maria Pilar Gonzalez-Hernandez, Juan Luis Fernandez-Lorenzo, Rosa Romero-Franco, Jose Antonio Aldrey-Vazquez, Cristina Cabaleiro Sobrino, Julian Jesus Garcia-Berrios, Jose Javier Santiago-Freijanes
Summary: Agroforestry is a sustainable land use practice and system that improves ecosystem services in agricultural lands. It can be implemented at both plot and farm scale, and is associated with increased biodiversity and optimized resource use. There are five agroforestry practices at the plot level and the spread of agroforestry in Europe is limited despite its recognition at the policy level.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Nicolas Goncalves, Daniel Andrade, Alan Batista, Laury Cullen, Aline Souza, Haroldo Gomes, Alexandre Uezu
Summary: While coffee agroforestry systems can sequester significant amounts of carbon, the economic impact of carbon sequestration is not enough to encourage their adoption. However, these systems remain an economically viable land use option that can sequester large amounts of carbon.
AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Pablo Siles, Carlos R. Cerdan, Charles Staver
Summary: This study confirms the importance of agroforestry in improving the efficiency of smallholder coffee production, increasing diversified income, and addressing household food needs through field surveys, quantitative analysis, and simulation modeling.
FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Tereza Cervena, Vilem Jarsky, Lubos Cerveny, Petra Palatova, Roman Sloup
Summary: This research aims to assess the perception of farmers, who are key land users in the Czech Republic, on the ecosystem services provided by woody plants in agroforestry. The survey results showed that farmers placed high importance on regulatory ecosystem services, particularly in terms of reducing soil erosion and flood risk, as well as increasing landscape resilience to drought. However, they perceived the physical obstruction of trees during mechanical tillage and the tenancy relationship with the land as significant challenges in adopting agroforestry systems.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Jeremy Haggar, Fernando Casanoves, Rolando Cerda, Stefania Cerretelli, Sergio Gonzalez-Mollinedo, Gracia Lanza, Erick Lopez, Benjamin Leiva, Alejandra Ospina
Summary: The study found that in the coffee agroforestry systems of Costa Rica and Guatemala, coffee farms with medium shade conditions have the highest productivity. Farms with high shade conditions have lower productivity, and those with very low productivity are associated with low (Costa Rica) or medium (Guatemala) shade. Medium and high productivity farms are typically located in high elevation areas with lower rainfall and higher coffee prices.
FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Economics
Milad Dehghani Pour, Ali Akbar Barati, Hossein Azadi, Juergen Scheffran, Mehdi Shirkhani
Summary: Forest ecosystem services (FES) are valued differently by different occupational groups. A study around the Hara Biosphere Reserve in the Persian Gulf shows that perceptions of FES are influenced by factors such as economic dependence, age, education, proximity to the reserve, and attendance at environmental workshops. The study suggests the need for socio-cultural valuations of FES, education initiatives to highlight the importance of ecosystem functions, and making cultural services more accessible and profitable.
FOREST POLICY AND ECONOMICS
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Marcel van Oijen, Jeremy Haggar, Mirna Barrios, Lucie Buchi, Rolando Cerda, Stefania Cerretelli, Erick Lopez, Elias de Melo Virginio Filho, Alejandra Ospina
Summary: The goal of sustainable coffee production requires a comprehensive understanding of the functions and services provided by agroforestry systems. However, the lack of quantifiable data makes it challenging to select appropriate shade tree species and agronomic management practices. This study introduces and applies a coffee agroforestry model (CAF2021) that can simulate various ecosystem services and disservices. By calibrating the model with data from different experiments and farms, the researchers were able to analyze the relationships among yield, fertilization, shading, and other ecosystem services.
AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Studies
Rebecca L. Rowe, Cahyo Prayogo, Simon Oakley, Kurniatun Hairiah, Meine van Noordwijk, Karuniawan Puji Wicaksono, Syahrul Kurniawan, Alice Fitch, Edi Dwi Cahyono, Didik Suprayogo, Niall P. McNamara
Summary: Forest managers in Indonesia have accepted farmer-managed coffee agroforestry as part of their social forestry program. An experimental research platform has been developed to improve pine-coffee agroforestry systems and enhance profitability and livelihoods in low-income rural communities. Current trials focus on improving coffee yields, and early results from farmer surveys and ecosystem modeling show positive attitudes toward canopy pruning and environmental benefits.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Sergio Esteban Lozano-Baez, Yamileth Dominguez-Haydar, Simone Di Prima, Miguel Cooper, Mirko Castellini
Summary: Research indicates that saturated hydraulic conductivity values were similar between coffee agroforestry and reference forests, showing the positive impact of trees on soil hydrological functions. Forest regeneration over 15 years can improve soil hydraulic attributes, with water repellency observed in the reference forest soil.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Beyene Zewdie, Yves Bawin, Ayco J. M. Tack, Sileshi Nemomissa, Kassahun Tesfaye, Steven B. Janssens, Sabine Van Glabeke, Isabel Roldan-Ruiz, Tom Ruttink, Olivier Honnay, Kristoffer Hylander
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between genetic variation in Arabica coffee and the incidence of four major fungal diseases in southwestern Ethiopia. Results showed that the genetic composition of coffee sites was related to the occurrence of the diseases, but in a specific way for each disease. The findings provide baseline information for studying the molecular basis of disease resistance in coffee.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Robin Daelemans, Eva Hulsmans, Emily Laenen, Serge Remy, Tim Belien, Olivier Honnay
Summary: Biological pest control is seen as an important aspect of sustainable farming systems, but the influence of local management and landscape factors on natural enemy communities and pest infestations is often overlooked. Using Piecewise Structural Equation Modelling, this study examines the effects of landscape composition, configuration, and local management practices on natural enemy communities, their pest control services, and the resulting pest infestation and yield damage in apple crops.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Juan Zuo, Bart Muys, Matty P. Berg, Mariet M. Hefting, Richard S. P. van Logtestijn, Jurgen van Hal, Johannes H. C. Cornelissen
Summary: This study investigated earthworm communities in decaying deadwood and examined how their dynamics are influenced by tree species, wood decomposition stage, and forest environment. The results showed that tree species, wood decomposition stage, and forest type influenced the composition and abundance of earthworm communities in deadwood. Additionally, the interaction between these factors played a role in shaping the community dynamics. The findings suggest that the diversity of deadwood resources contributes to earthworm diversity in forests.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ellen Desie, Juan Zuo, Kris Verheyen, Ika Djukic, Koenraad Van Meerbeek, Harald Auge, Nadia Barsoum, Christel Baum, Helge Bruelheide, Nico Eisenhauer, Heike Feldhaar, Olga Ferlian, Dominique Gravel, Herve Jactel, Inger Kappel Schmidt, Sebastian Kepfer-Rojas, Celine Meredieu, Simone Mereu, Christian Messier, Lourdes Morillas, Charles Nock, Alain Paquette, Quentin Ponette, Peter B. Reich, Javier Roales, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Steffen Seitz, Anja Schmidt, Artur Stefanski, Stefan Trogisch, Inge van Halder, Martin Weih, Laura J. Williams, Bo Yang, Bart Muys
Summary: Tree species diversity has a significant impact on litter decomposition in forests. Our study, conducted in 15 tree diversity experiments across three continents, found that tree identity has a significant effect on decomposition, while tree species richness does not. Additionally, litter quality, stand age, and density also influence decomposition.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Laura Nikinmaa, Marcus Lindner, Elena Cantarello, Barry Gardiner, Jette Bredahl Jacobsen, Alistair S. Jump, Constanza Parra, Tobias Plieninger, Andreas Schuck, Rupert Seidl, Thomas Timberlake, Kristen Waring, Georg Winkel, Bart Muys
Summary: Against the backdrop of increasing climate-induced disturbances, there is an urgent need to enhance the resilience of forests and forest management. However, current methods for assessing resilience lack considerations for trade-offs. This study proposes a hierarchical framework that considers trade-offs between mechanisms, social-ecological system components, ecosystem services, and spatial and temporal scales to assess resilience.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nick Gutkin, Valens Uwizeyimana, Ben Somers, Bart Muys, Bruno Verbist
Summary: Eastern Rwanda has diverse land cover types including agroforestry, forest patches, and shrubland, all of which have tree cover. The use of automated methods and satellite imagery, such as Google Earth Engine and the random forests algorithm, allows for cost-effective and time-efficient mapping and monitoring of the landscape. This study combined Sentinel-2 satellite imagery with various vegetation indices, texture metrics, principal components, and non-spectral layers to classify land cover types in the study area. The results showed high classification accuracies for forest, shrubland, and agroforestry, with non-spectral layers and texture metrics being important for accurate classification.
Article
Allergy
Joren Buekers, Michiel Stas, Raf Aerts, Nicolas Bruffaerts, Sebastien Dujardin, An Van Nieuwenhuyse, Jos Van Orshoven, Guillaume Chevance, Ben Somers, Jean-Marie Aerts, Judith Garcia-Aymerich
Summary: This study aimed to estimate the associations between daily allergy burden and heart rate characteristics of adults with allergic rhinitis. The results showed that an increase in allergy symptom score was associated with an increase in next-day resting heart rate, and an increase in mood score was associated with an increase in same-day sample entropy. These findings suggest that daily allergy burden has systemic effects beyond the respiratory system.
CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL ALLERGY
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Eva Hulsmans, Robin Daelemans, Vincent Cuypers, Elien Van Der Straeten, Marie Vanderlinden, Tim De Blanck, Win Vertommen, Margaux Boeraeve, Willem Proesmans, Olivier Honnay
Summary: Recent declines in insect pollinators due to agricultural land use are threatening ecosystem services in agroecosystems. This study evaluates the effectiveness of organic farming in perennial cropping systems by analyzing the effects of agricultural management and landscape on pollinator diversity and fruit yield in apple orchards. The results suggest that conserving and restoring semi-natural habitats and promoting landscape diversity are crucial for pollinator conservation in orchard landscapes.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Robin Daelemans, Eva Hulsmans, Lysander Fockaert, Liesbet Vranken, Luc De Bruyn, Olivier Honnay
Summary: Managing agricultural landscapes to meet both environmental and societal demands requires surveying and modeling multiple ecosystem services, quantifying the impact of agricultural management, and considering the surrounding landscape. This study evaluated the multifunctionality of organic apple orchards, orchards with integrated pest management, and semi-natural grasslands using 23 indicators for agronomical, ecological, and economic performance. The results showed that organic farming had limited beneficial effects on ecological performance but provided similar income levels as integrated pest management. The study highlights the importance of preserving semi-natural habitats within agricultural landscapes for enhancing biodiversity and biodiversity-based ecosystem services.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Paulien Verscheure, Olivier Honnay, Niko Speybroeck, Robin Daelemans, Nicolas Bruffaerts, Brecht Devleesschauwer, Tobias Ceulemans, Laura Van Gerven, Raf Aerts, Rik Schrijvers
Summary: The increase in allergies to aeroallergens is attributed to interactions with environmental and lifestyle changes, with environmental nitrogen pollution potentially being a key driver. While the ecological impact of nitrogen pollution is well understood, its indirect effect on allergies in humans is not well documented. This literature review focuses on the impact of nitrogen pollution on plant communities, plant productivity, and pollen properties, and how these changes contribute to allergy burden. The majority of studies have examined the impact of atmospheric nitrogen pollution on pollen and allergens, leading to allergy symptoms, but limited research has been conducted on the impact of soil and aqueous nitrogen pollution on pollen allergenic reactivity.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Gerba Daba, Robin Daelemans, Gezahegn Berecha, Margot W. J. Geerinck, Christel Verreth, Sam Crauwels, Bart Lievens, Olivier Honnay
Summary: This study investigated the genetic diversity of coffee leaf rust (CLR) caused by H. vastatrix in Ethiopia using genetic fingerprinting. The results showed that different coffee management systems and altitudes have significant effects on the genetic structure of CLR. The findings suggest that spore dispersal and selection pressure are likely responsible for the observed high genetic diversity and structure of CLR isolates in Ethiopia.
INTERNATIONAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Annie Guiller, Guillaume Decocq, Thomas Kichey, Pedro Poli, Katrien Vandepitte, Francoise Dubois, Olivier Honnay, Deborah Closset-Kopp
Summary: In rural landscapes, the composition and management intensity of agricultural areas affect genetic diversity, spatial genetic structure, and gene flow in forest plant populations. This study found that low matrix permeability disrupts gene flow and decreases spatial genetic structure, particularly for forest specialist species.
LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Frederik Van Daele, Olivier Honnay, Steven Janssens, Hanne De Kort
Summary: Climate change and increased drought frequencies threaten forest herb populations. Habitat fragmentation disrupts climate adaptation and induces evolutionary changes in mating systems. The study found that habitat fragmentation disrupts climate adaptation and adaptive responses to drought stress.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Ellen Desie, Bart Muys, Jan den Ouden, Bart Nyssen, Rita Sousa-Silva, Leon van den Berg, Arnold van den Burg, Gert-Jan van Duinen, Koenraad Van Meerbeek, Maaike Weijters, Karen Vancampenhout
Summary: The vitality of European forests is declining due to various factors, including pests, diseases, climate change, and nitrogen deposition. Deteriorating soil health is a major reason for the low vitality of West-European forests. This study evaluated the impact of black cherry on the vitality of neighboring pedunculate oak in mixed forests in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The findings suggest that while black cherry admixture has negative effects on oak foliar nutrient concentrations, it can also reduce defoliation caused by herbivory. The study also highlighted the limited indirect effects of black cherry on oak vitality via improved soil health.
Article
Forestry
Bart Muys, Christian Messier
Summary: The UNFCCC COP 27 in Sharm El-Sheikh confirmed that climate policies heavily rely on forest mitigation instead of transitioning away from fossil fuels to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees C. However, the decline in forest vitality highlights the urgent need for forest adaptation, which is not being adequately addressed by foresters. This letter explores the reasons for this inaction and proposes a diversity-based no-regret approach as a way forward.
ANNALS OF FOREST SCIENCE
(2023)