Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studieshttp://http://www.environment.yale.eduwww.environment.yale.edu
UsingUsing agrosilvopastoralagrosilvopastoral systemssystems withwith nativenative treestrees toto recoverrecover degradeddegraded pasturespastures in in
LatinLatin AmericaAmericaFlorencia Montagnini
Professor in the Practice of Tropical ForestryDirector, Program in Tropical ForestryGlobal Institute of Sustainable Forestry
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Conversion of forests to pastures is one of the most widespread land-use changes in the Latin American tropics.
Between 30% and 60% of these pastures have been degraded by inadequate management.
Degraded pastures in Quindio, Colombia.
Photos: Alicia Calle
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Degraded pasture fields near Guapiles, Costa Rica
Pasture degradation is the result of the interaction of:
•lack of or bad management•overgrazing (excess stocking, inadequate animals or breeds)•soil compaction (soils are not adequate, wrong management)•soil erosion (as result of compaction)•weed invasion (as result of all the above)•decrease in soil fertility (especially P, N)
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Silvopastoral systems (SPS), especially if they include native tree species, can contribute to restore soils, productivity and environmental services of degraded pastures. We present results of long-term studies on rehabilitation of degraded pastures using native tree species that are well suited to SPS in Costa Rica.
Degraded pasture, dominated by non- productive ferns and grasses more than 20 years after pasture abandonment.
Photo: Daniel Piotto
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Methods
Native tree species were planted in mixed and pure plantations in 1991-1992 on degraded pastures. Twelve species were planted, 4 of which were eliminated by pests and disease; the 8 following remained:
Plantation 1: Vochysia guatemalensis (Vochysiaceae) and Jacaranda copaia (Bignoniaceae); Plantation 2: Dipteryx panamensis (Fabaceae), Terminaliaamazonia (Combretaceae) and Virola koschny(Myristicaceae); Plantation 3: Balizia elegans (Mimoseaceae), Hyeronimaalchorneoides (Euphorbiaceae) and Vochysia ferruginea(Vochysiaceae).
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Methods, cont’
Height and diameter at breast height (dbh) were measured annually. Basal area, volume, aboveground biomass, and carbon storage were measured/calculated. Litterfall was measured using litter traps for 12 months in each plot.Soil was sampled below each of the pure and mixed plots, in unplanted abandoned pastures, and adjacent 20 year old secondary forest.
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Young mixed plantation of native species (Jacaranda copaia, Calophyllum brasiliense “Cedro Maria”, and Vochysia guatemalensis “Mayo/Chancho”, on degraded pasture. La Selva, Costa Rica (10 22'N, 83 59'W, 35-137 masl, 24°C, mean annual precipitation 4000 mm).
Soils are Fluventic Dystropepts, deep, well-drained, stone-free, with low or medium amounts of organic matter (2.5%-4.5%), acidic (pH in water <5.0), and low fertility.
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Mixed plantation, product diversification and environmental benefits.
Terminalia amazonia, 10 years, timber price comparable to teak in Panama
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Virola koschnyi, 14 years, medium timber quality, dense crown.
Vochysia ferruginea , 14 years, controls erosion, increases soil N and OM content.
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Vochysia guatemalensis: 27.4 cm dbh in pure plantation and 37.9 cm in mixed plantation at 16 years. Reduces soil erosion. Adapted to soils of very low fertility and poor drainage. Harbors diversity. Calculated NPV at 16 yrs: $6,000/ha, with an internal rate of return of over 14% (Montagnini and Piotto, 2010) Photo: Daniel Piotto
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Tree density and volume in 16-year-old pure and mixed plantations. La Selva, Costa Rica. Source: Montagnini and Piotto, 2010
0
250
500
J. co
paia
V. gua
temalens
isMixt
a JC+VG
D. pan
amen
sisT. a
mazon
iaV. k
oschn
yi
Mixta D
P+TA+VKB. e
legan
s
H. alch
orneo
ides
V. ferru
ginea
Mixta B
E+HA+VF
Density (Indiv/ha) Volume (m3/ha)
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
0
20
40
60
J. co
paia
V. gua
temale
nsis
Mixta J
C+VG
D. olei
fera
T. amaz
onia
V. kos
chny
iMixt
a DO+T
A+VKB. e
legan
sH. a
lchorn
eoide
sV. fe
rrugin
eaMixt
a BE+H
A+VF
Car
bon
(tonn
es /
ha)
Carbon storage in 16-year-old pure and mixed plots, La Selva. Source: Montagnini and Piotto, 2010.
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
At 16 years, mixed species plots were more productive than pure plantations in wood volume and carbon sequestration. Vochysia guatemalensis is preferred by farmers for its good growth on poor, acid, poorly-drained soils and high-value timber, grew particularly well. Virola koschnyi, Terminalia amazonia, Vochysiaferruginea, and Hyeronima alchorneoides all grew well and are preferred by farmers for their good growth and high quality timber (Redondo-Brenes 2007). Rotation lengths are 10 years for J. copaia, 20 yrs for V. guatemalensis, 25 yrs for T. amazonia, V. ferruginea, H. alchorneoides, V. koschnyi, and B. elegans; and 40 yrs for D. panamensis.
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Organic Matter (%)
0
5
10
15
J. co
paia
V. gua
temalensis
Mixta J
C+VG
Regene
racion
1
D. pan
amensis
T. amazo
niaV. k
oschn
yi
Mixta D
P+TA+VK
Regene
racion
2B. e
legan
s
H. alch
orneoid
esV. fe
rrugin
ea
Mixta B
E+HA+VF
Regene
racion
3
N (%)
0
0.3
0.6
J. co
paia
V. gua
temalensis
Mixta J
C+VG
Regene
racion
1
D. pan
amensis
T. amazo
niaV. k
oschn
yi
Mixta D
P+TA+VK
Regene
racion
2B. e
legan
s
H. alch
orneoid
esV. fe
rrugin
ea
Mixta B
E+HA+VF
Regene
racion
3
Soil Organic Matter and Nitrogen in 15-16 year old mixed and pure plantations. La Selva, Costa Rica. Source: Montagnini 2008.
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Impacts on soil fertility
At 3 years, plantations soils had already improved: in the top 15 cm, total N was 0.23% - 32% and SOM was 5.5% - 6.6%, while abandoned pastures had only 0.23% N and 4.8% OM.
Soil in adjacent 20-year-old secondary forest was similar to that of 3-year-old plantations: 0.33% (N) and 7.6% (MO).
The highest OM, N, Ca, and P values were below Vochysiaferruginea, the species that produced the greatest quantity of litter.
Mixed plots had intermediate levels of OM and nutrients.
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Annual litterfall and accumulation in pure and mixed plantations. La Selva, Costa Rica.
0
3000
6000
9000
J. co
paia
V. gua
temalens
isMixt
a JC+VG
D. pan
amen
sisT. a
mazon
iaV. k
oschn
yi
Mixta D
P+BE+VKB. e
legan
sH. a
lchorn
eoide
sV. fe
rrugin
eaMixt
a BE+HA+VF
Annual litterfall (kg/ha) Forest floor littter (kg/ha)
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Litterfall, decomposition, and accumulation
Litterfall was greatest in V. guatemalensis, T. amazonia, H. alchorneoides and V. ferrugineaDecomposition was fastest in T. amazonia, D. panamensis and B. elegans, where litter decomposed completely in 12 months. Decompositon was slowest in V. guatemalensis, J. copaia and V. koschnyi. Litterfall, decomposition, and accumulation were intermediate in mixed plantations.
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Hyeronima alchorneoides in a SPS in the Northern Caribbean region of Costa Rica. Photo: Alvaro Redondo
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Dipteryx oleifera in a SPS in the Northern Caribbean region of Costa Rica. Photo: Alvaro Redondo
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Use of these tree species in silvopastoral systems
T. amazonia, D. panamensis, and Balizia elegans provide rapid liberation of soil nutrients through litter, encouraging growth of natural or seeded grass species.
Hyeronima alchorneoides forms a open crown, and its nutrient cycling makes it an appropriate choice for agroforestry systems, including SPS.
Virola koschnyi and Terminalia amazonia form denser crowns, but can be included in lower-density SPS.
These trees are used in SPS with beef cattle when the trees are 2-3 years old, when damage by cattle is expected to be minimal.
Native grasses such as Paspalum fasciculatum, and the exotic Cynodonnlenfuensis, Panicum maximum, Pennisetum purpureum, Brachiariaspp., Melinis minutiflora, and Ischaemun indiana grow well beneath these species.
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Conclusions
Degraded pastures can be replaced with SPS using native trees that improve soils, control erosion, and produce high-quality timber, providing both restoration and productivity.
In Costa Rica, farmers can also benefit from tree plantations (including those in SPS) with payments for environmental services (PES), due to the C sequestration performed by these species.
In SPS, short-term economic products are obtained from cattle products, thereby accelerating returns on investment, providing an added incentive for reforesting degraded sites.
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Conclusions cont’
In these systems, the cattle feed on grasses that grow naturally below the plantation.The may include native grasses such as Paspalum fasciculatum, or the exotic Cynodon nlenfuensis, Panicum maximum, Pennisetum purpureum, Brachiaria spp., Melinis minutiflora, and Ischaemun indiana.Future research should seek more productive SPS using grasses and other species better fit to these conditions.
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
•Some alternatives to increase pasture productivity include models developed by EMBRAPA in Brazil, CIAT in Colombia, CATIE in Costa Rica; all based on intercropping productive grasses with legume herbs.
•Example, intercropping the legume herbs Pueraria phaseoloides and Desmodium ovalifolium with productive grasses such as Brachiaria humidicola and B.decumbens.
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
In the Atlantic humid region of Costa Rica, CATIE has promoted the use of mixtures of Brachiaria brizantha + Arachis pintoi.
Arachis pintoi is a species of peanut that is good as a soil cover, fixes Nitrogen, protects against soil erosion, and increases pasture and cattle productivity.
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Conclusions cont’
Different species of trees planted in SPS have different impacts on soils, nutrient cycling, and productivity, as well as different characteristics that can affect their suitability for SPS.Planting multiple tree species may offer the benefits of each species, as well as the advantage of providing a diversity of products, an important factor to farmers.
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
Thank you!Thank you!
Questions?Questions?
Photos: Alicia Calle
Yale School of Forestry & Yale School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies
References
•Bouman, B. A. M., Nieuwenhuyse, A and Ibrahim, M. 1999. Pasture degradation and restoration by legumes in humid tropical Costa Rica. Tropical Grasslands 33: 98-110.•Calle, A., Montagnini, F. and A. F. Zuluaga. 2009. Farmer’s Perceptions of Silvopastoral System Promotion in Quindío, Colombia. Bois et Forets des Tropiques 300(2): 79-94.•Lam Bent, H. S., Montagnini, F., Finney, C. 2010. A comparison of growth and yield among four native and one exotic tree species on plantations on six farms at Las Lajas, Chiriqui Province, Western Panama. Journal of Sustainable Forestry. In press. •Montagnini, F., González, E., Rheingans, R., Porras, C., 1995. Mixed and pure forest plantations in the humid neotropics: a comparison of early growth, pest damage and establishment costs. Commonwealth Forestry Review 74(4), 306-314. •Montagnini, F., Ugalde, L., Navarro, C., 2003. Growth characteristics of some native tree species used in silvopastoral systems in the humid lowlands of Costa Rica. Agroforestry Systems 59, 163- 170.•Montagnini, F., 2008a. Management for sustainability and restoration of degraded pastures in the Neotropics. En: Myster, R., (Ed.), Post-agricultural succession in the Neotropics. Springer, New York, pp. 265-295.•Montagnini, F., 2008b. Soil sustainability in agroforestry systems: experiences on impacts of trees on soil fertility from a humid tropical site. En: Batish, D.R., Kohli, R.K., Jose, S., Singh, H.P., (Eds), Ecological Basis of Agroforestry. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis, Boca Raton, Florida, pp. 239-251. •Montagnini, F. & D. Piotto. Mixed plantations with native trees on abandoned pasture lands: restoring productivity, ecosystem properties and services in a humid tropical site. In: S. Günter, B. Stimm, M. Weber, R. Mosandl (eds.). Silviculture in the Tropics. Springer, Berlin-New York. In press.•Redondo-Brenes, A., 2007. Growth, carbon sequestration, and management of native tree plantations in humid regions of Costa Rica. New Forests 34, 253-268.
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