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Colombian biodiversity is governed by a rich and diverse policy mix. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:382-392. [PMID: 36747078 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-01983-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
We lack an understanding of how diverse policymakers interact to govern biodiversity. Taking Colombia as a focal case, we examined six decades of biodiversity governance (1959-2018). Here we analysed the composition of the policy mix, and how it has evolved over time, how policies differ among lead actors and ecosystems, and whether the policy mix addresses the primary threats to biodiversity. We identified 186 biodiversity-related policies that govern multiple ecosystems, use different instruments and address the main threats to biodiversity (that is, agriculture and aquaculture, and biological resource use). We found policy gaps in the governance of invasive species and wildlife trade. Biodiversity policy integration into some sectoral policies, such as climate change, poverty and pollution, has become more common in the past decade. Our results point to an increased need for effective coordination across sectors and actors, as new ones influence and implement the policy mix.
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2
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Arias-González C, González-Maya JF, García-Villalba J, Blázquez M, Alfredo Arreola Lizárraga J, Cecilia Díaz Castro S, Ortega Rubio A. The identification and conservation of climate refugia for two Colombian endemic titi (Plecturocebus) monkeys. J Nat Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2023.126345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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3
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Murillo-Sandoval PJ, Clerici N, Correa-Ayram C. Rapid loss in landscape connectivity after the peace agreement in the Andes-Amazon region. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
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Social Cohesion as the Missing Link between Natural Resource Management and Peacebuilding: Lessons from Cocoa Production in Côte d’Ivoire and Colombia. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su132313002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Social cohesion plays a key role in processes of peacebuilding and sustainable development. Fostering social cohesion might present a potential to enhance the connection of natural resource management and peacebuilding and better functioning of sustainable land use systems. This contribution explores the nexus between social cohesion, natural resource management, and peacebuilding. We do so by (1) reviewing literature on the three concepts and (2) studying four different key action areas in the context of sustainable cocoa production for their potential to enhance social cohesion, namely (a) agroforestry; (b) cooperatives; (c) certification schemes; and (d) trade policies. Research is based on experience from cocoa production in two post-conflict countries, Côte d’Ivoire and Colombia. Our findings show that by fostering environmentally sustainable agricultural practices, these key action areas have a clear potential to foster social cohesion among cocoa producers and thus provide a valuable contribution to post-conflict peacebuilding in both countries. However, the actual effects strongly depend on a multitude of local factors which need to be carefully taken into consideration. Further, the focus in implementation of some of these approaches tends to be on increasing agricultural productivity and not directly on fostering cocoa farmers’ wellbeing and societal relations, and hence a shift toward social objectives is needed in order to strengthen these approaches as a part of overall peacebuilding strategies.
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Cerón-Souza I, Galeano CH, Tehelen K, Jiménez HR, González C. Opportunities and Challenges to Improve a Public Research Program in Plant Breeding and Enhance Underutilized Plant Genetic Resources in the Tropics. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12101584. [PMID: 34680981 PMCID: PMC8535561 DOI: 10.3390/genes12101584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The American tropics are hotspots of wild and domesticated plant biodiversity, which is still underutilized by breeding programs despite being conserved at regional gene banks. The improvement of those programs depends on long-term public funds and the maintenance of specialized staff. Unfortunately, financial ups and downs complicate staff connectivity and their research impact. Between 2000 and 2010, Agrosavia (Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria) dramatically decreased its public financial support. In 2017, we surveyed all 52 researchers from Agrosavia involved in plant breeding and plant genetic resource programs to examine the effect of decimating funds in the last ten years. We hypothesized that the staff dedicated to plant breeding still suffer a strong fragmentation and low connectivity. As we expected, the social network among researchers is weak. The top ten central leaders are predominantly males with an M.Sc. degree but have significant experience in the area. The staff has experience in 31 tropical crops, and 17 are on the list of underutilized species. Moreover, although 26 of these crops are in the national germplasm bank, this has not been the primary source for their breeding programs. We proposed five principles to improve connectivity among teams and research impact: (1) The promotion of internal discussion about gender gaps and generation shifts to design indicators to monitor and decrease this disparity over time. (2) The construction of long-term initiatives and synergies with the Colombian government to support the local production of food security crops independent of market trends. (3) Better collaboration between the National Plant Germplasm Bank and plant breeding researchers. (4) A concerted priority list of species (especially those neglected or underutilized) and external institutions to better focus the collaborative efforts in research using public funds. (5) Better spaces for the design of projects among researchers and training programs in new technologies. These principles could also apply in other tropical countries with public plant breeding research programs facing similar challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivania Cerón-Souza
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria—Agrosavia, C.I. Tibaitatá, Mosquera 250047, Colombia; (H.R.J.); (C.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +57-144-227-300 (ext. 1457)
| | - Carlos H. Galeano
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria—Agrosavia, C.I. Palmira, Palmira 763533, Colombia;
| | | | - Hugo R. Jiménez
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria—Agrosavia, C.I. Tibaitatá, Mosquera 250047, Colombia; (H.R.J.); (C.G.)
| | - Carolina González
- Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria—Agrosavia, C.I. Tibaitatá, Mosquera 250047, Colombia; (H.R.J.); (C.G.)
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Bystriakova N, Tovar C, Monro A, Moat J, Hendrigo P, Carretero J, Torres-Morales G, Diazgranados M. Colombia's bioregions as a source of useful plants. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0256457. [PMID: 34449804 PMCID: PMC8396733 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of our study was to assess the importance of different Colombian bioregions in terms of the supply of useful plant species and the quality of the available distribution data. We assembled a dataset of georeferenced collection localities of all vascular plants of Colombia available from global and local online databases. We then assembled a list of species, subspecies and varieties of Colombia's useful plants and retrieved all point locality information associated with these taxa. We overlaid both datasets with a map of Colombia's bioregions to retrieve all species and useful species distribution records in each bioregion. To assess the reliability of our estimates of species numbers, we identified information gaps, in geographic and environmental space, by estimating their completeness and coverage. Our results confirmed that Colombia's third largest bioregion, the Andean moist forest followed by the Amazon, Pacific, Llanos and Caribbean moist forests contained the largest numbers of useful plant species. Medicinal use was the most common useful attribute across all bioregions, followed by Materials, Environmental uses, and Human Food. In all bioregions, except for the Andean páramo, the proportion of well-surveyed 10×10 km grid cells (with ≥ 25 observation records of useful plants) was below 50% of the total number of surveyed cells. Poor survey coverage was observed in the three dry bioregions: Caribbean deserts and xeric shrublands, and Llanos and Caribbean dry forests. This suggests that additional primary data is needed. We document knowledge gaps that will hinder the incorporation of useful plants into Colombia's stated plans for a bioeconomy and their sustainable management. In particular, future research should focus on the generation of additional primary data on the distribution of useful plants in the Amazon and Llanos (Orinoquia) regions where both survey completeness and coverage appeared to be less adequate compared with other regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Bystriakova
- Core Research Laboratories, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Justin Moat
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pablo Hendrigo
- Centro Nacional de Conservação da Flora, Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Germán Torres-Morales
- Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt, Bogotá, Colombia
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Castro‐Nunez A, Buriticá A, Gonzalez C, Villarino E, Holmann F, Perez L, Del Río M, Sandoval D, Eufemia L, Löhr K, Durango S, Romero M, Lana M, Sotelo S, Rivera O, Loboguerrero AM, Quintero M. The risk of unintended deforestation from scaling sustainable livestock production systems. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Augusto Castro‐Nunez
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture Km 17 recta Cali‐Palmira Cali Colombia 760045 Colombia
- WLE ‐ CGIAR Program on Water Land and Ecosystems
| | - Alexander Buriticá
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture Km 17 recta Cali‐Palmira Cali Colombia 760045 Colombia
- Universidad de los Andes Bogotá Colombia
| | - Carolina Gonzalez
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture Km 17 recta Cali‐Palmira Cali Colombia 760045 Colombia
| | - Eliza Villarino
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture Km 17 recta Cali‐Palmira Cali Colombia 760045 Colombia
- University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Federico Holmann
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture Km 17 recta Cali‐Palmira Cali Colombia 760045 Colombia
- WLE ‐ CGIAR Program on Water Land and Ecosystems
| | - Lisset Perez
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture Km 17 recta Cali‐Palmira Cali Colombia 760045 Colombia
- University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Martha Del Río
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) Müncheberg Germany
- Humboldt ‐ Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Danny Sandoval
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture Km 17 recta Cali‐Palmira Cali Colombia 760045 Colombia
| | - Luca Eufemia
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) Müncheberg Germany
- Humboldt ‐ Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Katharina Löhr
- Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) Müncheberg Germany
- Humboldt ‐ Universität zu Berlin Berlin Germany
| | - Sandra Durango
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture Km 17 recta Cali‐Palmira Cali Colombia 760045 Colombia
- WLE ‐ CGIAR Program on Water Land and Ecosystems
| | - Miguel Romero
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture Km 17 recta Cali‐Palmira Cali Colombia 760045 Colombia
- WLE ‐ CGIAR Program on Water Land and Ecosystems
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala Sweden
| | - Marcos Lana
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala Sweden
| | - Steven Sotelo
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture Km 17 recta Cali‐Palmira Cali Colombia 760045 Colombia
| | - Ovidio Rivera
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture Km 17 recta Cali‐Palmira Cali Colombia 760045 Colombia
- UNIGIS ‐ Universidad de Salzburgo Salzburg Austria
| | - Ana Maria Loboguerrero
- Universidad de los Andes Bogotá Colombia
- CCAFS ‐ CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Marcela Quintero
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture Km 17 recta Cali‐Palmira Cali Colombia 760045 Colombia
- WLE ‐ CGIAR Program on Water Land and Ecosystems
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Gonzalez VH, Cobos ME, Jaramillo J, Ospina R. Climate change will reduce the potential distribution ranges of Colombia’s most valuable pollinators. Perspect Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pecon.2021.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
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10
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Rodriguez M, Bodini A, Escobedo FJ, Clerici N. Analyzing socio-ecological interactions through qualitative modeling: Forest conservation and implications for sustainability in the peri‑urban bogota (Colombia). Ecol Modell 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2020.109344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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11
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Davies RW, Edwards DP, Edwards FA. Secondary tropical forests recover dung beetle functional diversity and trait composition. Anim Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- R. W. Davies
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - D. P. Edwards
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - F. A. Edwards
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
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Peacebuilding in Rural Colombia—A Collective Perception of the Integrated Rural Reform (IRR) in the Department of Caquetá (Amazon). LAND 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/land9020036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The 2016 peace agreement between the Government of Colombia and the FARC-EP created institutional space for an effective implementation of needed rural reforms. However, the change of power structures also contains risks, like the deterioration of natural resources and the strengthening of other armed groups. By addressing collective perceptions regarding the Integrated Rural Reform (IRR), this paper shows the consequences of the peace agreement for the rural population in the department of Caquetá. Additionally, it presents the main challenges for further departmental development. The case study approach uses both semi-structured expert interviews of rural development stakeholders in different sectors based on three sampling strands, as well as participatory observation in the field. The main findings show an increase of general physical security and (economic) interest in the department since the signing of the agreement, while the deforestation rate, homicides, and threats against social-environmental leaders were all highly increased. The study also derives recommendations of departmental actors in rural development for a more effective peace implementation process, like the change from cattle driven to a more conservational economy with agri-silviculture and ecotourism, led by local civil society. To create a stable peace, it is crucial that the current government effectively implements the IRR, while also considering departmental perceptions of sustainable development. If the implementation process and departmental recognition is not enforced sufficiently, then peace might only be possible at the cost of the Amazon and its nature.
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Zúñiga-Upegui P, Arnaiz-Schmitz C, Herrero-Jáuregui C, Smart SM, López-Santiago CA, Schmitz MF. Exploring social-ecological systems in the transition from war to peace: A scenario-based approach to forecasting the post-conflict landscape in a Colombian region. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 695:133874. [PMID: 31756872 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This paper describes the relationship between the landscape and the socio-economic and political characteristics of a highly biodiverse Andean region of Colombia, which is now recovering from the socio-ecological impact of protracted armed conflict. We quantify the current spatial relationship between nature and society, and we include legacy effects from the most recent period of armed conflict and its consequences of forced displacement and land use disruption. The procedure followed provides a quantitative model where a minimum number of socio-economic and political variables explain the variation in land cover. The results represent the relationship between land use intensity and the main socio-economic and political indicators, highlighting a close interaction between landscape configuration, socio-economic structure of local populations, coercive conservation and armed conflict. A simulated post-conflict landscape shows a clear transition gradient towards agrarian expansion and intensification, also in systems where naturalness is a relevant feature. The peace process in Colombia offers opportunities for new schemes of land planning and management, including natural resource governance and policy reforms to improve welfare and resilience of local communities. The results allow to define options for future planning given the possible consequences of socio-political legacy effects yet to fully play out across Colombia.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Zúñiga-Upegui
- Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Social-Ecological Systems Laboratory, Department of Ecology, 28049 Madrid, Spain; Grupo de Investigación en Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia.
| | - C Arnaiz-Schmitz
- Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Social-Ecological Systems Laboratory, Department of Ecology, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - C Herrero-Jáuregui
- Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - S M Smart
- NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster, UK
| | - C A López-Santiago
- Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Social-Ecological Systems Laboratory, Department of Ecology, 28049 Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CBIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - M F Schmitz
- Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Conservation Opportunities of the Land Restitution Program Areas in the Colombian Post-Conflict Period. SUSTAINABILITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/su11072048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The Land Restitution Program (LRP) is one of the greatest challenges for Colombia’s post-conflict period; it implies the recognition of the victims of dispossession or abandonment of lands and sets the discussion for future land use planning in these areas. The 1,119,959 Ha of LRP areas (August 2018) require knowledge of their state to promote land uses that favor the conservation of priority ecosystems and forest cover. Spatial and statistical analyzes where used to study the land-cover change in and around LRP areas at the national and regional level. An index of naturalness using a multi-criteria framework was used to identify important areas for conservation. Within areas, forest cover changes, resulting from deforestation and regeneration processes, decreased between 1990 and 2017. A total of 9.4% of their area show high naturalness, while 20% of them show high importance for conservation. The results show that, despite their dispossession/abandonment, these areas continued a deforestation process. Most of the areas show low naturalness, but conservation priorities can be identified in the Andes, Amazon, and Orinoco regions.
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Pastures and Cash Crops: Biomass Flows in the Socio-Metabolic Transition of Twentieth-Century Colombian Agriculture. SUSTAINABILITY 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/su11010117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This article aims to situate a national case study of the global periphery at the core of the debate on the socio-ecological transition by drawing on new data of biomass flows in twentieth-century Colombia. We draw up a century-long annual series converting a wide set of indicators from Net Primary Production (NPP) into the final socioeconomic uses of biomass, distinguishing around 200 different categories of crops, forests, and pastures. Our calculations draw on FAOSTAT and several corpuses of national statistics. The results show a fall of 10% in total NPP related to land-use changes involving forest conversion. Throughout the twentieth century, pasture was the most relevant among domestic extraction. Allocations of cash crops to industrial processing rose while the figure for staple crops for primary food consumption stagnated. The critical role of cattle throughout all periods and the higher yields of the industrial cash crops are behind this profile. This might also mean the start of a new trend of using pasture land for more profitable export crops, which establishes a new inner frontier of land-use intensification. Lastly, the article points out the phases of the socio-metabolic transition of biomass, explores the changes in biomass flows by looking at the history of the main drivers, and identifies the socio-ecological impacts of deforestation and industrial agribusiness.
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Responding to Climate Change in Tropical Countries Emerging from Armed Conflicts: Harnessing Climate Finance, Peacebuilding, and Sustainable Food. FORESTS 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/f9100621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Linking climate action with sustainable development goals (SDGs) might incentivize social and political support to forest conservation. However, further examination of the conceptual entry points for linking efforts for reducing forest-based emissions with those for delivering SDGs is required. This review paper aims to contribute to fulfilling this research need. It provides insights into the links between conserving forests for climate change mitigation and peacebuilding. Specifically, the paper examines opportunities to harness climate finance for conserving forests and achieving long-lasting peace and sustainable food. It does so via a literature review and the examination of the Orinoquia region of Colombia. The findings from the literature review suggest that harnessing climate finance for conserving forests and peacebuilding is, in theory, viable if the activities are designed in accordance with social, institutional, and economic factors. Meanwhile, the Orinoquia region provides evidence that these two seemingly intractable problems are proposed to be solved together. At a time when efforts for reducing forest-based emissions are being designed and targeted at (post-) conflict areas in Colombia and elsewhere, the paper’s findings might demonstrate the compatibility of programs aimed at reducing forest-based emissions with efforts relating to peacebuilding and sustainable food to both environmental and non-environmental government agencies.
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Calle-Rendón BR, Moreno F, Hilário RR. Vulnerability of mammals to land-use changes in Colombia’s post-conflict era. NATURE CONSERVATION 2018. [DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.29.28943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Colombia, one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, is entering a peaceful period after more than fifty years of armed conflict. Due to land use changes resulting from this new situation, negative effects on biodiversity, including mammals are expected. We think that mammal populations will be more sensitive in municipalities where activities related to post-conflict will be carried out. In that order, we aim to: 1) identify which mammal species would be more sensitive and 2) identify the critical regions where there is higher richness of sensitive mammals. We used the distributions of 95 mammal taxa and calculated a sensitivity index by combining four factors: 1) the proportion of each species distribution within protected areas in relation to their proposed extinction thresholds, 2) the proportion within post-conflict municipalities, 3) the proportion of five types of potential land use in post-conflict municipalities and 4) the threat status of each species. Using this index, we drew a map of species richness for mammals classified at high-risk and very high-risk categories. Primates were the most sensitive group to post-conflict changes. Urabá and the region near to the Serranía de San Lucas were the areas with the highest richness of sensitive species. We suggest using primates as flagship species to carry out conservation schemes in the post-conflict era in programmes led by local farmers and former fighters who have been reintegrated into civilian life.
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Conserving predators across agricultural landscapes in Colombia: habitat use and space partitioning by jaguars, pumas, ocelots and jaguarundis. ORYX 2018. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605318000327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractLoss and degradation of natural habitats continue to increase across the tropics as a result of agricultural expansion. Consequently, there is an urgent need to understand their effects, and the distribution and habitat requirements of wildlife within human-modified landscapes, to support the conservation of threatened species, such as felids. We combined camera trapping and land cover data into occupancy models to study the habitat use and space partitioning by four sympatric felid species in an agricultural landscape in Colombia. Land use in the area includes cattle ranching and oil palm cultivation, the latter being an emerging land use type in the Neotropics. Factors determining species occupancy were the presence of wetlands for jaguars (positive effect); water proximity for pumas (positive effect); and presence of pastures for ocelots and jaguarundis (negative effect). Only ocelots were occasionally recorded in oil palm areas. Our results suggest that to align development with the conservation of top predators it is crucial to maintain areas of forest and wetland across agricultural landscapes and to restrict agricultural and oil palm expansion to modified areas such as pastures, which are of limited conservation value. Because there is no spatial segregation between the felid species we studied, conservation strategies that benefit all of them are possible even in modified landscapes.
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Pardo LE, Campbell MJ, Edwards W, Clements GR, Laurance WF. Terrestrial mammal responses to oil palm dominated landscapes in Colombia. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197539. [PMID: 29795615 PMCID: PMC5968401 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid expansion of oil palm cultivation in the Neotropics has generated great debate around possible biodiversity impacts. Colombia, for example, is the largest producer of oil palm in the Americas, but the effects of oil palm cultivation on native fauna are poorly understood. Here, we compared how richness, abundance and composition of terrestrial mammal species differ between oil palm plantations and riparian forest in the Colombian Llanos region. Further, we determined the relationships and influence of landscape and habitat level variables on those metrics. We found that species richness and composition differed significantly between riparian forest and oil palm, with site level richness inside oil palm plantations 47% lower, on average, than in riparian forest. Within plantations, mammalian species richness was strongly negatively correlated with cattle abundance, and positively correlated with the density of undergrowth vegetation. Forest structure characteristics appeared to have weak and similar effects on determining mammal species richness and composition along riparian forest strips. Composition at the landscape level was significantly influenced by cover type, percentage of remaining forest and the distance to the nearest town, whereas within oil palm sites, understory vegetation, cattle relative abundance, and canopy cover had significant effects on community composition. Species specific abundance responses varied between land cover types, with oil palm having positive effects on mesopredators, insectivores and grazers. Our findings suggest that increasing habitat complexity, avoiding cattle and retaining native riparian forest–regardless of its structure–inside oil palm-dominated landscapes would help support higher native mammal richness and abundance at both local and landscape scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lain E. Pardo
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science (TESS), College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
- Grupo de Conservación y Manejo de Vida Silvestre, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Bogotá D.C. Colombia
- * E-mail:
| | - Mason J. Campbell
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science (TESS), College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Will Edwards
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science (TESS), College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| | - Gopalasamy Reuben Clements
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science (TESS), College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
- Rimba, Casa Kiara 2, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - William F. Laurance
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science (TESS), College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia
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Suárez Salazar JC, Ngo Bieng MA, Melgarejo LM, Di Rienzo JA, Casanoves F. First typology of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) systems in Colombian Amazonia, based on tree species richness, canopy structure and light availability. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0191003. [PMID: 29401499 PMCID: PMC5798779 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2017] [Accepted: 12/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim and background We present a typology of cacao agroforest systems in Colombian Amazonia. These systems had yet to be described in the literature, especially their potential in terms of biodiversity conservation. The systems studied are located in a post-conflict area, and a deforestation front in Colombian Amazonia. Cacao cropping systems are of key importance in Colombia: cacao plays a prime role in post conflict resolution, as cacao is a legal crop to replace illegal crops; cacao agroforests are expected to be a sustainable practice, promoting forest-friendly land use. Material and methods We worked in 50 x 2000 m2 agroforest plots, in Colombian Amazonia. A cluster analysis was used to build a typology based on 28 variables characterised in each plot, and related to diversity, composition, spatial structure and light availability for the cacao trees. We included variables related to light availability to evaluate the amount of transmitted radiation to the cacao trees in each type, and its suitability for cacao ecophysiological development. Main results We identified 4 types of cacao agroforests based on differences concerning tree species diversity and the impact of canopy spatial structure on light availability for the cacao trees in the understorey. We found 127 tree species in the dataset, with some exclusive species in each type. We also found that 3 out of the 4 types identified displayed an erosion of tree species diversity. This reduction in shade tree species may have been linked to the desire to reduce shade, but we also found that all the types described were compatible with good ecophysiological development of the cacao trees. Main conclusions and prospects Cacao agroforest systems may actually be achieving biodiversity conservation goals in Colombian Amazonia. One challenging prospect will be to monitor and encourage the conservation of tree species diversity in cacao agroforest systems during the development of these cropping systems, as a form of forest-friendly management enhancing sustainable peace building in Colombia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Suárez Salazar
- Universidad de la Amazonia, Facultad de Ingeniería, Campus Porvenir Calle 17 Diagonal 17 con Carrera 3F - Barrio Porvenir, Florencia, Caquetá, Colombia
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Facultad de ciencias, Departamento de Biología, Laboratorio de Fisiología y Bioquímica vegetal, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Marie Ange Ngo Bieng
- CIRAD, UR Forêts et Sociétés, CIRAD Campus International de Baillarguet, Montpellier Cedex 5 France
- CATIE: Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza, CATIE, Turrialba, Cartago, Costa Rica
- * E-mail:
| | - Luz Marina Melgarejo
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Facultad de ciencias, Departamento de Biología, Laboratorio de Fisiología y Bioquímica vegetal, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Julio A. Di Rienzo
- Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Valparaiso s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Fernando Casanoves
- CATIE: Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza, CATIE, Turrialba, Cartago, Costa Rica
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Lim CL, Prescott GW, De Alban JDT, Ziegler AD, Webb EL. Untangling the proximate causes and underlying drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in Myanmar. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2017; 31:1362-1372. [PMID: 28856773 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Revised: 06/28/2017] [Accepted: 07/04/2017] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Political transitions often trigger substantial environmental changes. In particular, deforestation can result from the complex interplay among the components of a system-actors, institutions, and existing policies-adapting to new opportunities. A dynamic conceptual map of system components is particularly useful for systems in which multiple actors, each with different worldviews and motivations, may be simultaneously trying to alter different facets of the system, unaware of the impacts on other components. In Myanmar, a global biodiversity hotspot with the largest forest area in mainland Southeast Asia, ongoing political and economic reforms are likely to change the dynamics of deforestation drivers. A fundamental conceptual map of these dynamics is therefore a prerequisite for interventions to reduce deforestation. We used a system-dynamics approach and causal-network analysis to determine the proximate causes and underlying drivers of forest loss and degradation in Myanmar from 1995 to 2016 and to articulate the linkages among them. Proximate causes included infrastructure development, timber extraction, and agricultural expansion. These were stimulated primarily by formal agricultural, logging, mining, and hydropower concessions and economic investment and social issues relating to civil war and land tenure. Reform of land laws, the link between natural resource extraction and civil war, and the allocation of agricultural concessions will influence the extent of future forest loss and degradation in Myanmar. The causal-network analysis identified priority areas for policy interventions, for example, creating a public registry of land-concession holders to deter corruption in concession allocation. We recommend application of this analytical approach to other countries, particularly those undergoing political transition, to inform policy interventions to reduce forest loss and degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Ling Lim
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Graham W Prescott
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Jose Don T De Alban
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
| | - Alan D Ziegler
- Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117570, Singapore
| | - Edward L Webb
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore
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