Browsing by Subject "Biodiversity conservation"

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Ethnobotanical knowledge against the combined biodiversity, poverty and climate crisis: a case study from a Karen community in Northern Thailand
(2022) Georgiadis, Pavlos
Societal Impact Statement: Global biodiversity is eroding at alarming rates due to anthropogenic factors, such as climate change and unsustainable land use management. These interrelated challenges often push forest ecosystems to their limits, leading many species to disappear before their characteristics and potential are explored. As a result, indigenous rural communities inhabiting the world's biodiversity hotspots are losing a vital resource that supports their subsistence and livelihoods against persistent poverty. This research documents traditional ecological knowledge of a Karen community inside the Doi Inthanon National Park, Northern Thailand, reporting ethnobotanical uses of 125 plant taxa. It provides a ranking of culturally important trees that can inform the selection of framework species for ecosystem restoration and sustainable development in the region's montane forests. Summary: Climate change, population growth and persistent poverty are applying pressure to the world's most fragile ecosystems and biodiversity hotspots in unprecedented ways. There is an urgent need to document species that provide important ecological services and contribute to overall human quality of life. Participatory rural appraisal tools and collection of herbarium specimens were used to elicit ethnobotanical knowledge of an ethnic community inside the mountain forest of Northern Thailand. Statistical analysis was performed on the basis of quantitative indices to rank the cultural significance of the reported species in a Karen community inside Doi Inthanon National Park, Northern Thailand. This article presents an ethnobotanical inventory of 125 plants, including data on important botanical families, use categories and useful plant parts. A prioritisation of 30 culturally important tree species is attempted on the basis of four quantitative indices. Most of the reported plants are neglected and underutilised in need of further research and development for the diversification of agriculture, diets, livelihoods and landscapes. The integration of cultural criteria in the selection of framework species for ecosystem restoration embeds local community needs in conservation efforts, increasing their potential for success and fostering an integrated approach to sustainable development.
Win-win opportunities combining high yields with high multi-taxa biodiversity in tropical agroforestry
(2022) Wurz, Annemarie; Tscharntke, Teja; Martin, Dominic Andreas; Osen, Kristina; Rakotomalala, Anjaharinony A. N. A.; Raveloaritiana, Estelle; Andrianisaina, Fanilo; Dröge, Saskia; Fulgence, Thio Rosin; Soazafy, Marie Rolande; Andriafanomezantsoa, Rouvah; Andrianarimisa, Aristide; Babarezoto, Fenohaja Soavita; Barkmann, Jan; Hänke, Hendrik; Hölscher, Dirk; Kreft, Holger; Rakouth, Bakolimalala; Guerrero-Ramírez, Nathaly R.; Ranarijaona, Hery Lisy Tiana; Randriamanantena, Romual; Ratsoavina, Fanomezana Mihaja; Raveloson Ravaomanarivo, Lala Harivelo; Grass, Ingo; Wurz, Annemarie; Conservation Ecology, Department of Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Tscharntke, Teja; Centre for Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use (CBL), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Martin, Dominic Andreas; Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland; Osen, Kristina; Tropical Silviculture and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Rakotomalala, Anjaharinony A. N. A.; Entomology Department Faculty of Science, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar; Raveloaritiana, Estelle; Plant Biology and Ecology Department, University of Antananarivo, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar; Andrianisaina, Fanilo; Department of Tropical Agriculture and Sustainable Development, Higher School of Agronomic Science,University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar; Dröge, Saskia; Division of Forest, Nature and Landscape, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Fulgence, Thio Rosin; Natural and Environmental Sciences, Regional University Centre of the SAVA Region (CURSA), Antalaha, Madagascar; Soazafy, Marie Rolande; Doctoral School of Natural Ecosystems (EDEN), University of Mahajanga, Mahajanga, Madagascar; Andriafanomezantsoa, Rouvah; Zoology and Animal Biodiversity, Faculty of Sciences, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar; Andrianarimisa, Aristide; Zoology and Animal Biodiversity, Faculty of Sciences, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar; Babarezoto, Fenohaja Soavita; Diversity Turn in Land Use Science, coordination office, Sambava, Madagascar; Barkmann, Jan; Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Research Unit Environmental- and Resource Economics, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Hänke, Hendrik; Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Research Unit Environmental- and Resource Economics, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Hölscher, Dirk; Tropical Silviculture and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Kreft, Holger; Biodiversity, Macroecology and Biogeography, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Rakouth, Bakolimalala; Plant Biology and Ecology Department, University of Antananarivo, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar; Guerrero-Ramírez, Nathaly R.; Biodiversity, Macroecology and Biogeography, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany; Ranarijaona, Hery Lisy Tiana; Doctoral School of Natural Ecosystems (EDEN), University of Mahajanga, Mahajanga, Madagascar; Randriamanantena, Romual; Natural and Environmental Sciences, Regional University Centre of the SAVA Region (CURSA), Antalaha, Madagascar; Ratsoavina, Fanomezana Mihaja; Zoology and Animal Biodiversity, Faculty of Sciences, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar; Raveloson Ravaomanarivo, Lala Harivelo; Entomology Department Faculty of Science, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar; Grass, Ingo; Ecology of Tropical Agricultural Systems, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
Resolving ecological-economic trade-offs between biodiversity and yields is a key challenge when addressing the biodiversity crisis in tropical agricultural landscapes. Here, we focused on the relation between seven different taxa (trees, herbaceous plants, birds, amphibians, reptiles, butterflies, and ants) and yields in vanilla agroforests in Madagascar. Agroforests established in forests supported overall 23% fewer species and 47% fewer endemic species than old-growth forests, and 14% fewer endemic species than forest fragments. In contrast, agroforests established on fallows had overall 12% more species and 38% more endemic species than fallows. While yields increased with vanilla vine density and length, non-yield related variables largely determined biodiversity. Nonetheless, trade-offs existed between yields and butterflies as well as reptiles. Vanilla yields were generally unrelated to richness of trees, herbaceous plants, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and ants, opening up possibilities for conservation outside of protected areas and restoring degraded land to benefit farmers and biodiversity alike.