Cacao cultivation and the conservation of biological diversity
Cacao (Theobroma cacao) is a crop of the humid lowland tropics produced largely by small-scale producers and often on farms with a canopy of shade trees. Where a diverse shaded canopy is used, cacao farms support higher levels of biological diversity than most other tropical crops. A host of viral and fungal diseases, loss of soil fertility, and numerous socioeconomic problems facing producers, often makes cacao production locally unsustainable. Continued clearing of new lands threatens biodiversity. Moreover, new frontiers for cacao expansion are rapidly disappearing. Such problems can be addressed by increasing the long-term productivity of existing cacao farms and restoring abandoned lands. Improved shade management offers guidance along this path.
Main Authors: | , |
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Format: | biblioteca |
Language: | eng |
Published: |
Amsterdam (Países Bajos): Springer,
200
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Subjects: | THEOBROMA CACAO, FORMICIDAE, AGROFORESTERIA, SOMBRA, BIODIVERSIDAD, PROTECCION AMBIENTAL, CUBIERTA DE COPAS, BOSQUE VIRGEN, HABITAT, PAJAROS, PAISAJE, TECNOLOGIA, ENFERMEDADES DE LAS PLANTAS, PLAGAS DE PLANTAS, |
Online Access: | https://www.jstor.org/stable/4315022 |
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Summary: | Cacao (Theobroma cacao) is a crop of the humid lowland tropics produced largely by small-scale producers and often on farms with a canopy of shade trees. Where a diverse shaded canopy is used, cacao farms support higher levels of biological diversity than most other tropical crops. A host of viral and fungal diseases, loss of soil fertility, and numerous socioeconomic problems facing producers, often makes cacao production locally unsustainable. Continued clearing of new lands threatens biodiversity. Moreover, new frontiers for cacao expansion are rapidly disappearing. Such problems can be addressed by increasing the long-term productivity of existing cacao farms and restoring abandoned lands. Improved shade management offers guidance along this path. |
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