Afforestation or intense pasturing improve the ecological and economic value of abandoned tropical farmlands

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.

Ecophysiology of C4 Forage Grasses—Understanding Plant Growth for Optimising Their Use and Management

“…In general, more frequent defoliations (at 95% canopy light interception) than traditionally used, associated with moderate grazing severity (post-grazing heights around 50% of the pre-grazing height), result in greater leaf dry matter production [84,93,96,124], higher nutritive value [89,90] and intake rate of animals [127][128][129]132], augmenting animal performance and productivity [133], indicating that rational intensification of grassland use could be an effective way of ensuring sustainability of tropical pastoral systems of animal production. These results are in line with the findings of Knoke et al [134] and provide feasible options for recovering degraded areas, reducing pressure on forest lands and releasing additional area for cropping and food production.…”

Land Cover Change in the Andes of Southern Ecuador—Patterns and Drivers

“…Moreover, a recurrent problem recognized in all the studies is the invasion of bracken fern (Pteridium arachnoideum and Pteridium caudatum), a fire-resistant and very competitive weed [38,[44][45][46] that colonizes unused burnt or inactive pasture areas, or even active pastures [44][45][46]. Bracken invasion frequently leads to pasture abandonment, which takes the area out of the production process, degrades ecosystem functions and services, and threatens the remaining natural forest [47]. Possible solutions for avoiding deforestation in the study area have been explored by means of payment schemes that include productive land use concepts [48].…”

Forest Site Classification in the Southern Andean Region of Ecuador: A Case Study of Pine Plantations to Collect a Base of Soil Attributes

“…For example, with their adequate establishment, they can help to mitigate global warming by carbon sequestration in tree biomass, forest products, and soils. They serve as a source of amenity and recreation, alleviate deforestation, protect soil and water resources [3,103], improve the biodiversity by facilitation of the generation of native tree species at sites, and contribute to the dispersal and recovery of forest ecosystems by the establishment of those native species nuclei at the landscape scale [7,104]. One strategy for restoration and/or rehabilitation of the forest environments could be the establishment of mixed forests [105,106], with plantations of exotic tree species as an intermediate providing more suitable growth conditions for seedlings and saplings of native stands as compared to extreme conditions on abandoned pastures [107].…”