Conserving forest tree diversity in Guinée Forestière (Guinea, West Africa): the role of coffee-based agroforests

Abstract

In the current deforestation context, agroforestry is increasingly considered in the tropical zone for its potential contribution to biodiversity conservation. In Guine´e Forestie`re (Guinea, West Africa), coffee-based species rich agroforests are currently expanding on agricultural land around most villages. To assess the role these agroforests play with respect to biodiversity conservation, we compared their tree structure and diversity with those of a neighbouring natural forest. Eighty plots were sampled using a variable area transect method (60 plots distributed into 3 village agroforests, 20 natural forest plots). The structure of coffee-based agroforests showed obvious signs of farmers' management: density of mature trees was significantly lower than in natural forest and most juvenile trees were eliminated and replaced by coffee trees. However, tree seedling density was not significantly different than in natural forest. Tree species richness and diversity were also lower than in natural forest but much higher than in any other agricultural or agroforestry land use system. These results are close to those obtained in the coffee-based agroforests of Central America, confirming that coffee-based agroforests retain many forest species that play a key role in the conservation of regional forest tree diversity. (Résumé d'auteur

Potential of indigenous multistrata agroforests for maintaining native floristic diversity in the south-eastern Rift Valley escarpment, Ethiopia

“…It is lower than that in cocoa forest gardens in southern Cameroon (Hervé and Vidal 2008), and in coffee-based agroforests in Guinea (Correia et al 2010). The variation perhaps depends on differences in farmers' management intensity, and on environmental conditions.…”

L'agroforesterie du cacao est-elle menacée dans le Soconusco ? Evaluation des savoirs paysans de sélection des semences et caractérisation de la diversité arborée (Chiapas, Mexique)

“…La diversité inventoriée à l'étage inférieure de diamètres < 5 cm est probablement sous-estimée ; l'étude de la diversité arborée des agroforêts à caféiers de Guinée (Correia et al ., 2010) a en effet enregistré une richesse supé-rieure pour les arbres « relèves » que pour les arbres « matures » (classe A). Les faibles valeurs d'une grande partie des parcelles sont sans doute la consé-quence des fauchages non sélectifs pratiquées par les agriculteurs.…”

Trees species diversity in perennial crops around Yapo protected forest, Cte dIvoire

“…Indeed, trees integration in farming systems plays a very important role in tropical biodiversity conservation (Perfecto et al, 1996;Albertin and Nair, 2004;Rice, 2008;Correia et al, 2010). These systems also provide forest goods and production services such as food, fuel, and medical security, especially during hunger periods for low-income rural people (Arnold and Dewees, 1995;Arnold, 1997).…”

“…In Côte d'Ivoire, according to Kpangui et al (2015), this practice plays a very important role in biodiversity conservation in cocoa production systems in forestsavanah contact zone. In Guinea, trees species richness integrated in coffee farms resembles that of many secondary forests (Correia et al, 2010). The process of trees introduction in farms is usually called agroforestry.…”