Spider diversity in epiphytes: Can shade coffee plantations promote the conservation of cloud forest assemblages?

Aim of the study: The objective of this work is to compare tree diversity and richness among one grown-shade coffee plantation (CAE) and two sites of montane cloud forests, one preserved (MCF1) and other perturbed (MCF2). We also develop an analysis of the importance of coffee plantations as a refuge of tree species, holding a potential role for conservation.Area of study: Our study area is the coffee region of Coatepec-Xico, in the state of Veracruz, Mexico.Material and methods: We compiled a list of all tree species in each site to determine tree diversity and floristic similarity (dissimilarity). We used different similarity indices and a cluster analysis to show relations among sites.Main results: 2721 individuals from 154 species were registered in the montane cloud forests as a whole. In the grown-shade coffee plantation we registered 2947 individuals from 64 species. The most similar sites were the perturbed montane cloud forest and the grown-shade coffee plantation and the least similar were the preserved montane cloud forest and the grown-shade coffee plantation. The high biodiversity found in all sites and the differences in tree composition between the two montane cloud forests supports evidence of the ecosystems richness in the region.Research highlight: Diversity differences among sites determine that the grown-shade coffee plantation is not substitute for montane cloud forest. CAE’s are developed under similar environmental conditions than the MCF; therefore, coexistence and recombination (replacement) of species make them particularly complementary. CAE’s in Veracruz have a potential role as refuge for biodiversity.

Download Full-text

Diversity of dung and carrion beetles in a disturbed Mexican tropical montane cloud forest and on shade coffee plantations

Biodiversity and Conservation ◽

10.1007/s10531-004-3918-3 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 601-615 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Lucrecia Arellano ◽

Mario E. Favila ◽

Carmen Huerta

Keyword(s):

Cloud Forest ◽

Tropical Montane Cloud Forest ◽

Shade Coffee ◽

Coffee Plantations ◽

Montane Cloud Forest ◽

Carrion Beetles

Download Full-text

Shade coffee plantations maintain woody plant diversity and structure in a cloud forest landscape of southern Mexico

Journal of Forestry Research ◽

10.1007/s11676-020-01143-5 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Edson A. Alvarez-Alvarez ◽

R. Carlos Almazán-Núñez ◽

Fernando González-García ◽

Marlene Brito-Millán ◽

Alfredo Méndez-Bahena ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plant Diversity ◽

Woody Plant ◽

Cloud Forest ◽

Forest Landscape ◽

Southern Mexico ◽

Shade Coffee ◽

Coffee Plantations

Download Full-text

Winter Site Fidelity of Nearctic Migrants in Shade Coffee Plantations of Different Sizes in the Dominican Republic

The Auk ◽

10.2307/4089586 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 117 (3) ◽

pp. 596-614 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Joseph M. Wunderle, ◽

Steven C. Latta

Keyword(s):

Dominican Republic ◽

Site Fidelity ◽

Shade Coffee ◽

Coffee Plantations

Download Full-text

Bird diversity and abundance on two different shade coffee plantations in Guatemala

Bird Conservation International ◽

10.1017/s0959270900001945 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 297-308 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

Lorena Calvo ◽

John Blake

Keyword(s):

Vegetation Structure ◽

Management Practices ◽

Bird Diversity ◽

Bird Abundance ◽

Shade Coffee ◽

Coffee Plantations ◽

Bird Populations ◽

Migrant Birds ◽

Abundance And Diversity ◽

Fertilizer Regimes

SummaryMany studies have examined differences in bird communities between shade and sun coffee plantations but less is known about how different management practices within shade coffee plantations affect bird populations. This study compares diversity and abundance of resident and migrant birds in two shade coffee plantations located in Palajunoj, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, that differ in their farming practices (e.g. pruning schedules and fertilizer regimes) and, consequently, in vegetation structure. One plantation represents a traditional, polyculture shade system whereas the second represents a more modernized, monoculture shade system. Both plantations supported many resident and migrant birds. Bird abundance and diversity were significantly greater during both wet and dry seasons on the traditional farm, due largely to the vegetation structure resulting from the different management practices. All plantations typically classified as ‘shade coffee’ are not equivalent, much of their conservation value coming from the more diverse and structurally complex traditional polycultures rather than from the newer, monocultural systems. Coffee production techniques that affect the structural and floristic diversity of the vegetation (e.g. pruning, application of chemicals) have important consequences for birds.

Download Full-text

Reference Site Influences Perceived Species Loss in Shade Coffee, But Assemblages in Fact Depend on Landscape Context

10.21203/rs.3.rs-766613/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Maria Juliana Bedoya ◽

Harrison H Jones ◽

Kristen Malone ◽

Lyn C Branch

Keyword(s):

Agricultural Landscapes ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Landscape Context ◽

Forest Fragments ◽

Shade Coffee ◽

Coffee Plantations ◽

Fragmented Forest ◽

Continuous Forest ◽

Species Occupancy

Abstract Context: Shade coffee plantations are purported to maintain forest biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. Understanding their conservation importance is hindered, however, by the limited taxa studied and failure to account for the landscape context of plantations and quality of reference sites.Objectives/Research questions: (1) how occupancy of mammals and birds changed from continuous forest to fragmented forest and coffee plantations while statistically controlling for landscape context, and (2) whether mammal and bird communities responded differently to shade coffee with regard to richness and composition.Methods: We used camera traps to sample ground-dwelling birds and medium- and large-bodied mammals (31 and 29 species, respectively) in shade coffee plantations and two types of reference forest (fragmented and continuous) in Colombia’s Western Andes. We used a multi-species occupancy model to correct for detection and to estimate occupancy, richness, and community composition.Results Shade coffee lacked ~50% of the species found in continuous forest, primarily forest-specialist insectivorous birds and forest-specialist and large-bodied mammals, resulting in different species composition between coffee and forest assemblages. Coffee plantation birds were generally a unique subset of disturbance-adapted specialists, whereas mammals in coffee were mostly generalists encountered across land uses. Forest fragments had species richness more similar to shade coffee than to continuous forest. Species sensitive to shade coffee responded negatively to isolation and disturbance at the landscape scale.Conclusions: Studies comparing coffee with relictual forest fragments may overestimate the conservation value of shade coffee. Conservation of biodiversity in shade coffee landscapes will be ineffective unless these efforts are linked to larger landscape-level conservation initiatives.

Download Full-text

Circular distribution of three species of epiphytic orchids in shade coffee plantations, in Soconusco, Chiapas, Mexico

Plant Ecology and Evolution ◽

10.5091/plecevo.2016.1150 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 149 (2) ◽

pp. 189-198 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Alfredo García-González ◽

Anne Damon ◽

Frander Riverón-Giró ◽

Irene Ávila-Díaz

Keyword(s):

Circular Distribution ◽

Shade Coffee ◽

Coffee Plantations ◽

Epiphytic Orchids

Download Full-text

Sociality and Foraging Behavior of the Cerulean Warbler in Venezuelan Shade-Coffee Plantations

The Condor ◽

10.1093/condor/102.4.958 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 102 (4) ◽

pp. 958-962 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Jason Jones ◽

Paolo Ramoni Perazzi ◽

Erin H. Carruthers ◽

Raleigh J. Robertson

Keyword(s):

Foraging Behavior ◽

Territory Size ◽

Flock Size ◽

Adult Males ◽

Shade Coffee ◽

Coffee Plantations ◽

Dendroica Cerulea ◽

Cerulean Warbler ◽

Mixed Species Flocks ◽

Cerulean Warblers

Abstract We examined the use of Venezuelan shade-coffee plantations by the Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea) and other Neotropical migrants. Cerulean Warblers were commonly observed as pairs in mixed-species flocks. Average (± SE) flock size was 13 ± 2 species with 22 ± 3 individuals. Average flock territory size was 2.5 ± 0.2 ha. No differences were detected in foraging behavior (maneuvers, location, or success) among adult males, adult females, and immature birds. Adult males were often observed visiting flowers of canopy trees. The results of this study indicate that shade coffee plantations may provide suitable wintering habitat for Cerulean Warblers although comparisons with other habitats are needed.

Download Full-text