Afforestation or intense pasturing improve the ecological and economic value of abandoned tropical farmlands
Knoke T, Bendix J, Pohle P, Hamer U, Hildebrandt P, Roos K, Gerique A, Sandoval ML, Breuer L, Tischer A, Silva B, Calvas B, Aguirre N, Castro LM, Windhorst D, Weber M, Stimm B, Guenter S, Palomeque X, Mora J, Mosandl R, Beck E (2014)
Publication Language: English
Publication Status: Published
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2014
Journal
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group: Nature Communications
Book Volume: 5
Article Number: 5612
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6612
Abstract
Increasing demands for livelihood resources in tropical rural areas have led to progressive clearing of biodiverse natural forests. Restoration of abandoned farmlands could counter this process. However, as aims and modes of restoration differ in their ecological and socio-economic value, the assessment of achievable ecosystem functions and benefits requires holistic investigation. Here we combine the results from multidisciplinary research for a unique assessment based on a normalization of 23 ecological, economic and social indicators for four restoration options in the tropical Andes of Ecuador. A comparison of the outcomes among afforestation with native alder or exotic pine, pasture restoration with either low-input or intense management and the abandoned status quo shows that both variants of afforestation and intense pasture use improve the ecological value, but low-input pasture does not. Economic indicators favour either afforestation or intense pasturing. Both Mestizo and indigenous Saraguro settlers are more inclined to opt for afforestation.
Authors with CRIS profile
Perdita Pohle
Lehrstuhl für Geographie (Kulturgeographie und Entwicklungsforschung)
Andres Gerique-Zipfel
Institut für Geographie
Involved external institutions
Technische Universität München (TUM)
Germany (DE)
Philipps-Universität Marburg
Germany (DE)
Technische Universität Dresden
Germany (DE)
Universität Bayreuth
Germany (DE)
Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO)
Brazil (BR)
Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
Germany (DE)
Universidad Nacional de Loja (UNL)
Ecuador (EC)
Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center / Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE)
Costa Rica (CR)
Germany (DE)
Philipps-Universität Marburg
Germany (DE)
Technische Universität Dresden
Germany (DE)
Universität Bayreuth
Germany (DE)
Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO)
Brazil (BR)
Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
Germany (DE)
Universidad Nacional de Loja (UNL)
Ecuador (EC)
Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center / Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE)
Costa Rica (CR)
How to cite
APA:
Knoke, T., Bendix, J., Pohle, P., Hamer, U., Hildebrandt, P., Roos, K.,... Beck, E. (2014). Afforestation or intense pasturing improve the ecological and economic value of abandoned tropical farmlands. Nature Communications, 5. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms6612
MLA:
Knoke, Thomas, et al. "Afforestation or intense pasturing improve the ecological and economic value of abandoned tropical farmlands." Nature Communications 5 (2014).
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