Tarrazú, 2009

Introduction to the Research

1st Part: The Beginning

“Engages people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the

understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment”

Earthwatch Institute:

Priority Areas:

1) Climate Change2) Oceans3) Sustainable Cultures4) Sustainable Resource

Management

High Level Goals:

1) Increasing Scientific Knowledge2) Developing environmental leaders3) Enabling organizations and business to

become more sustainable4)Informing environmental policies,

agendas and management plans.5)Enhancing natural and socio-cultural

capital6)Sustainable Organization

Tarrazú Research Initiative

Location: Tarrazú

Unsustainable Coffee Production:

- Soil degradation: Acidification and Erosion

- Intensive farming (high inputs such as fertilizers, herbicides, and nematicides): High production costs

- Decreased biodiversity

Shade tree

Ground cover

CoffeeHealth/vigorProductivity QualityFarmer investment

Biodiversity and

abundanceErosion

and water run

off

Soil

Landscape composition, features, altitude (GIS)

Micro-climate

Fertilizer and liming

Soil pH

Research Project:

- Field Research- Farmer Outreach

Program- Support to

CoopeTarrazú Technical Assistance

2nd Part: The Future of the Research Initiative

Ecosystem Services*:

* Millenium Ecosystem Assesment, 2007

“Ecosystems underpin human well –being through supporting, provisioning,

regulating, and cultural services.”

Ecosystem Services in the region:

- Water- Soil- Biodiversity- Atmospheric Carbon

Sequestration

Managing Ecosystems (1)

Farm(sub) Watershed Landscape

Multipurpose Farming:

Examples:

- Agroecology- Ecoagriculture framework- Sustainable Agriculture (as suggested like

RAS)

Managing Ecosystems (2):

- Structure- Components and their

relationships- Function- Distribution and size

3rd Part: Carbon Sequestration

The Carbon Cycle*:

*http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/CarbonCycle/carbon_cycle4.php

Carbon stocks: plants, soil, atmosphere*

Biome Areaa (109 ha) NPPb (Pg C per year)Plants Soil Total

Tropical forests 1.76 212 216 428 13.7 13.7Temperate forests 1.04 59 100 159 6.5

Boreal forests 1.37 88d 471 559 3.2Tropical savannas and grasslands 2.25 66 264 330 17.7Temperate grasslands and shrublands 1.25 9 295 304 5.3

Deserts and semi-deserts 4.55c 8 191 199 1.4Tundra 0.95 6 121 127 1Croplands 1.6 3 128 131 6.8Wetlands 0.35 15 225 240 4.3Total 15.12 466 2011 2477 59.9a Source: WBGU (1998), as presented in IPCC (2001a).b Source: Ajtay et al. (1979), as presented in IPCC (2001a).c Includes ice covered areas.d Estimate is likely high, due to high Russian forest density estimates including standing dead biomass.

Global carbon stocksa (Pg C)

* In Janzen, H., 2004

Human induced changes: Increased CO2 emissions (Janzen, 2004)

Fossil Fuels:Land cover change:

Human induced changes (2): Warming Earth (IPCC,2007)

What to do? (in agricultural landscapes):

On Farm Strategies_

Off Farm Strategies

On Farm Strategies:

- Increase Above/belowground Biomass

- Increase Soil Carbon Stock- Use shade tree products to

produce biofuels

Above/belowground Carbon Stock

- Shade tree species- Coffee plant varieties- Ground Cover

Above/belowground Carbon Stock (2)

Soil Carbon stock

- Addition of Organic Matter- Addition of Biochar (!!!)- Direct effects: Increase

productivity, soil fertility, stability, microorganisms populations

Off Farm Strategies:

- Increase forest cover

Increase Forest Cover:

Increase Forest Cover:- Compensation mechanisms- Where, who, How much?

You will help on this strategy!