The impact of shifting agriculture on the availability of non-timber forest products: the example of Sabal yapa in the Maya lowlands of Mexico

Pulido, María Teresa; Caballero, Javier

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2005.10.043

Cited by 45 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Nonetheless, some studies have shown that the population structure and yield of species that have products harvested can be aff ected by these practices (Pulido & Caballero 2006;Brokamp et al 2014). Studies have demonstrated that extractivism can change recruitment of populations of NTFP-producing plants (Gaoue & Ticktin 2007;Feitosa et al 2014;Varghese et al 2015), thus limiting availability (Arnold & Ruiz-Perez 2001;Ticktin 2004;Pulido & Caballero 2006). Over time, this decreased availability aff ects the conservation of biological activities and socio-environmental dynamics of each location, and may even change local cultural practices.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, fruit harvested by humans can change the rate of recruitment of new individuals into the population, decreasing population viability and the availability of animal food, thus inducing changes to trophic networks that can affect other species of the community (Hall & Bawa 1993). Furthermore, the structure of exploited populations must be evaluated with consideration of historical land use and management practices, such as the establishment of pastures, cultivation shifts, forest management and fire use (Lykke 1998;Shanley et al 2002;Alexiades & Shanley 2004;Pulido & Caballero 2006), because these factors can influence the responses of populations to extractive practices (Oostermeijer et al 1994;Souza 2007;Giroldo & Scariot 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Palm trees are among the target species for extraction of NTFPs, and are used by human populations in several regions of the world for subsistence and trade (Balick 1984;Ticktin 2004;Pulido & Caballero 2006). However, depending on the species, the effects of different land-use practices can be positive or negative for the exploited palm tree population.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, depending on the species, the effects of different land-use practices can be positive or negative for the exploited palm tree population. For example, Pulido & Caballero (2006) showed that when land undergoes shifting cultivation, the quality and quantity of leaves of the palm tree Sabal yapa decrease. In contrast, agricultural and pastural land use practices have been beneficial for the palm tree Astrocaryum tucuma, and have resulted in increases in their population size (Schroth et al 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Population structure and fruit availability of the babassu palm ( Attalea speciosa Mart. ex Spreng) in human-dominated landscapes of the Northeast Region of Brazil

et al. 2017

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We studied the population structure and fruit availability of the babassu palm, Attalea speciosa, in three humandominated landscapes located near a rural community in the region of Araripe, in the Northeast Region of Brazil, that were under intense fruit harvest. Fifty 10 x 10 m plots were randomly established in each of the three landscapes, and all individuals of A. speciosa within the plots were classifi ed as seedlings, juveniles or adults, with the height of all adult individuals being measured. An additional 20 individuals were marked in each landscape, and the number of total bunches, fruits per bunch and bunches per palm tree were recorded. Th e populations of A. speciosa in the three landscapes exhibited an inverted J-shape plot, but pasture and shifting cultivation possessed a signifi cantly higher number of individuals, seedlings and adults than the seasonal semideciduous forest, plus they possessed a greater seedling/adult ratio. Shifting cultivation was found to be favorable for fructifi cation. Th e present study found that shifting cultivation and pastures are landscape practices that can contribute to the rapid expansion and establishment of A. speciosa, which can become a dominant species in the region of Araripe.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Population structure and fruit availability of the babassu palm ( Attalea speciosa Mart. ex Spreng) in human-dominated landscapes of the Northeast Region of Brazil

et al. 2017

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“…First, short fallow periods often result in a more homogenous landscape mosaic dominated by young secondary vegetation (Metzger 2003, Dalle 2006, thereby reducing the availability of resources from older forest patches (e.g. see Pulido and Caballero 2006). Second, plant diversity, density, and composition in shifting cultivation fields and secondary forests have been reported to differ between short and long fallow management (Illsley Granich 1984, Saxena and Ramakrishnan 1984, Staver 1991, de Rouw 1995, Fujisaka et al 2000, and with repeated cycles of shifting cultivation (Lawrence 2004, Lawrence et al 2005.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shorter Fallow Cycles Affect the Availability of Noncrop Plant Resources in a Shifting Cultivation System

Dalle¹,

Blois²

2006

E&S

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ABSTRACT. Shifting cultivation systems, one of the most widely distributed forms of agriculture in the tropics, provide not only crops of cultural significance, but also medicinal, edible, ritual, fuel, and forage resources, which contribute to the livelihoods, health, and cultural identity of local people. In many regions across the globe, shifting cultivation systems are undergoing important changes, one of the most pervasive being a shortening of the fallow cycle. Although there has been much attention drawn to declines in crop yields in conjunction with reductions in fallow times, little if any research has focused on the dynamics of noncrop plant resources. In this paper, we use a data set of 26 fields of the same age, i.e., ~1.5 yr, but differing in the length and frequency of past fallow cycles, to examine the impact of shorter fallow periods on the availability of noncrop plant resources. The resources examined are collected in shifting cultivation fields by the Yucatec Maya in Quintana Roo, Mexico. These included firewood, which is cut from remnant trees and stumps spared at the time of felling, and 17 forage species that form part of the weed vegetation. Firewood showed an overall decrease in basal area with shorter fallow cycles, which was mostly related to the smaller diameter of the spared stumps and trees in short-fallow milpas. In contrast, forage species showed a mixed response. Species increasing in abundance in short-fallow milpas tended to be short-lived herbs and shrubs often with weedy habits, whereas those declining in abundance were predominantly pioneer trees and animal-dispersed species. Coppicing tree species showed a neutral response to fallow intensity. Within the cultural and ecological context of our study area, we expect that declines in firewood availability will be most significant for livelihoods because of the high reliance on firewood for local fuel needs and the fact that the main alternative source of firewood, forest patches, has also declined in shortfallow areas. Declines in some forage species can likely be compensated for by the use of other species or by adaptive responses such as managing declining species in home gardens. However, the loss of pioneer tree species in short-fallow milpas suggests that the regenerative capacity of the fallows may be reduced with implications for maintaining effective fallow cycles in this shifting cultivation system. Our findings indicate that the dynamics of noncrop plant resources and their implications for local livelihoods require further consideration in the debate over improving the productivity of shifting cultivation systems.

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The role of wild palms in agroforestry systems in the Neotropics: A review

Andrade,

Casas,

Balslev

et al. 2024

People and Nature

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Wild palms are among the most important plants in the Neotropics due to their wide distribution, species richness and cultural relevance for humans. In addition to their presence in forests, these plants also occur in anthropogenic systems throughout their range of distribution, but their role in these systems is often overlooked. We explored databases of scientific publications to attain a panorama about the presence of wild palm species in agroforestry systems (AFS), their management and their role in those systems. Our keywords in the search engines were names of palm genera that occur in the Americas and types of agroforestry practices. We gathered and analysed information from 154 studies. For each record, we registered: study sites, management actions, agroforestry practices and uses. We identified 65 species belonging to 24 genera managed in AFS, mainly including agrisilvicultural and silvopastoral systems, homegardens and agroforests. We identified traits phylogenetically determined such as stem height, number and length of leaves, and fruit size that influence the presence of wild palms in AFS. Furthermore, we point out three major ways that favour the presence and management of palms in AFS: (1) the management of the canopy and the raise of palms in the understorey, (2) intentional enhancement or cultivation and (3) tolerance of palms during deforestation/fragmentation. We emphasize that a change in the vision of palms as key components of agroforestry would favour future research and plans to improve their performance in these systems while ensuring their conservation. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

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The impact of shifting agriculture on the availability of non-timber forest products: the example of Sabal yapa in the Maya lowlands of Mexico

Cited by 45 publications

References 24 publications

Population structure and fruit availability of the babassu palm ( Attalea speciosa Mart. ex Spreng) in human-dominated landscapes of the Northeast Region of Brazil

Population structure and fruit availability of the babassu palm ( Attalea speciosa Mart. ex Spreng) in human-dominated landscapes of the Northeast Region of Brazil

Shorter Fallow Cycles Affect the Availability of Noncrop Plant Resources in a Shifting Cultivation System

The role of wild palms in agroforestry systems in the Neotropics: A review

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