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Tscharntke T, Ocampo‐Ariza C, Vansynghel J, Ivañez‐Ballesteros B, Aycart P, Rodriguez L, Ramirez M, Steffan‐Dewenter I, Maas B, Thomas E. Socio-ecological benefits of fine-flavor cacao in its center of origin. Conserv Lett 2023; 16:e12936. [PMID: 38440357 PMCID: PMC10909533 DOI: 10.1111/conl.12936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In the tropics, combining food security with biodiversity conservation remains a major challenge. Tropical agroforestry systems are among the most biodiversity-friendly and productive land-use systems, and 70% of cocoa is grown by >6 million smallholder farmers living on <2$ per day. In cacao's main centre of diversification, the western Amazon region, interest is growing to achieve premium prices with the conversion of high-yielding, but mostly bulk-quality cacao to native fine-flavor cacao varieties, culturally important since pre-Columbian times. Conversion to native cacao can be expected to favor adaptation to regional climate and growth conditions, and to enhance native biodiversity and ecosystem services such as biological pest control and pollination, but possibly also imply susceptibility to diseases. Experience from successful conversion of non-native cacao plantations to fine-flavor cacao agroforestry with rejuvenation by grafting and under medium-canopy cover levels (30%-40%) can ensure a smooth transition with only minor temporary productivity gaps. This includes ongoing selection programs of high yielding and disease resistant native fine-flavor cacao genotypes and organizing in cooperatives to buffer the high market volatility. In conclusion, the recent interest on converting bulk cacao to a diversity of native fine-flavor varieties in countries like Peru is a challenge, but offers promising socio-ecological perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teja Tscharntke
- Department of AgroecologyUniversity of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
| | - Carolina Ocampo‐Ariza
- Department of AgroecologyUniversity of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
- Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, Lima officeLimaPeru
| | - Justine Vansynghel
- Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, Lima officeLimaPeru
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical BiologyBiocenter, University of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | | | - Pablo Aycart
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Lily Rodriguez
- Centro de conservación, investigación y manejo de áreas naturales, CIMALimaPeru
| | - Marleni Ramirez
- Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, Lima officeLimaPeru
| | - Ingolf Steffan‐Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical BiologyBiocenter, University of WürzburgWürzburgGermany
| | - Bea Maas
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Evert Thomas
- Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, Lima officeLimaPeru
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2
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Pendrill F, Gardner TA, Meyfroidt P, Persson UM, Adams J, Azevedo T, Bastos Lima MG, Baumann M, Curtis PG, De Sy V, Garrett R, Godar J, Goldman ED, Hansen MC, Heilmayr R, Herold M, Kuemmerle T, Lathuillière MJ, Ribeiro V, Tyukavina A, Weisse MJ, West C. Disentangling the numbers behind agriculture-driven tropical deforestation. Science 2022; 377:eabm9267. [PMID: 36074840 DOI: 10.1126/science.abm9267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Tropical deforestation continues at alarming rates with profound impacts on ecosystems, climate, and livelihoods, prompting renewed commitments to halt its continuation. Although it is well established that agriculture is a dominant driver of deforestation, rates and mechanisms remain disputed and often lack a clear evidence base. We synthesize the best available pantropical evidence to provide clarity on how agriculture drives deforestation. Although most (90 to 99%) deforestation across the tropics 2011 to 2015 was driven by agriculture, only 45 to 65% of deforested land became productive agriculture within a few years. Therefore, ending deforestation likely requires combining measures to create deforestation-free supply chains with landscape governance interventions. We highlight key remaining evidence gaps including deforestation trends, commodity-specific land-use dynamics, and data from tropical dry forests and forests across Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Pendrill
- Department of Space, Earth and Environment, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Toby A Gardner
- Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Patrick Meyfroidt
- Georges Lemaître Earth and Climate Research Centre, Earth and Life Institute, UCLouvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.,Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique F.R.S.-FNRS, Brussels, Belgium
| | - U Martin Persson
- Department of Space, Earth and Environment, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Justin Adams
- Tropical Forest Alliance, World Economic Forum, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Matthias Baumann
- Geography Department, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Veronique De Sy
- Laboratory of Geo-Information Science and Remote Sensing, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Rachael Garrett
- Environmental PolicyLab, Department of Humanities, Social, and Political Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.,Department of Geography and Cambridge Conservation Initiative, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK
| | - Javier Godar
- Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Matthew C Hansen
- Department of Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert Heilmayr
- Environmental Studies Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA.,Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - Martin Herold
- Helmholz GFZ Research Centre for Geosciences, Section 1.4 Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics, Telegrafenberg, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Tobias Kuemmerle
- Geography Department, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Integrated Research Institute for Transformations in Human-Environment Systems (IRI THESys), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Vivian Ribeiro
- Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexandra Tyukavina
- Department of Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Mikaela J Weisse
- Global Forest Watch, World Resources Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Chris West
- Stockholm Environment Institute York, Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York, UK
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3
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Chen G, Harwood JL, Lemieux MJ, Stone SJ, Weselake RJ. Acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase: Properties, physiological roles, metabolic engineering and intentional control. Prog Lipid Res 2022; 88:101181. [PMID: 35820474 DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2022.101181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT, EC 2.3.1.20) catalyzes the last reaction in the acyl-CoA-dependent biosynthesis of triacylglycerol (TAG). DGAT activity resides mainly in membrane-bound DGAT1 and DGAT2 in eukaryotes and bifunctional wax ester synthase-diacylglycerol acyltransferase (WSD) in bacteria, which are all membrane-bound proteins but exhibit no sequence homology to each other. Recent studies also identified other DGAT enzymes such as the soluble DGAT3 and diacylglycerol acetyltransferase (EaDAcT), as well as enzymes with DGAT activities including defective in cuticular ridges (DCR) and steryl and phytyl ester synthases (PESs). This review comprehensively discusses research advances on DGATs in prokaryotes and eukaryotes with a focus on their biochemical properties, physiological roles, and biotechnological and therapeutic applications. The review begins with a discussion of DGAT assay methods, followed by a systematic discussion of TAG biosynthesis and the properties and physiological role of DGATs. Thereafter, the review discusses the three-dimensional structure and insights into mechanism of action of human DGAT1, and the modeled DGAT1 from Brassica napus. The review then examines metabolic engineering strategies involving manipulation of DGAT, followed by a discussion of its therapeutic applications. DGAT in relation to improvement of livestock traits is also discussed along with DGATs in various other eukaryotic organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanqun Chen
- Department of Agricultural, Food, and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6H 2P5, Canada.
| | - John L Harwood
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK
| | - M Joanne Lemieux
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Membrane Protein Disease Research Group, Edmonton T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Scot J Stone
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5E5, Canada.
| | - Randall J Weselake
- Department of Agricultural, Food, and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6H 2P5, Canada
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4
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Drivers of cadmium accumulation in Theobroma cacao L. beans: A quantitative synthesis of soil-plant relationships across the Cacao Belt. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0261989. [PMID: 35108270 PMCID: PMC8809552 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Elevated cadmium (Cd) concentrations in cacao and cocoa-based products (e.g., chocolate) present a potentially serious human health risk. While recent regulatory changes have established a threshold of 0.8 mg kg-1 for Cd content of cocoa-based products, the biophysical factors (e.g., climatic or edaphic conditions) that determine the amount of soil-derived Cd in the cacao bean are poorly understood and have yet to be quantitatively assessed across diverse production contexts. To determine the primary drivers of cacao bean Cd, we used the scientific literature to systematically compile a database of climatic, edaphic, and plant data from across the Cacao Belt, which is approximately 20 degrees latitude on either side of the equator. From this compiled dataset, we then used boosted regression trees to quantitatively synthesize and evaluate these drivers of cacao bean Cd. Total soil Cd concentration, soil pH, and leaf Cd were the best predictors of bean Cd content. Notably, we found that both available soil Cd and soil organic carbon (SOC) content had negligible effects on bean Cd. However, soil pH and SOC decreased the degree of bioconcentration of total soil Cd in the bean Cd concentration. Thus, given the difficulty in remediating soil Cd enriched soils, our results suggest that Cd mitigation strategies targeting plant physiology-based approaches (e.g., breeding, rootstocks) have a higher probability of success than soil-based strategies (e.g., remediation).
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Konzock O, Matsushita Y, Zaghen S, Sako A, Norbeck J. Altering the fatty acid profile of Yarrowia lipolytica to mimic cocoa butter by genetic engineering of desaturases. Microb Cell Fact 2022; 21:25. [PMID: 35183179 PMCID: PMC8857786 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-022-01748-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Demand for Cocoa butter is steadily increasing, but the supply of cocoa beans is naturally limited and under threat from global warming. One route to meeting the future demand for cocoa butter equivalent (CBE) could be to utilize microbial cell factories such as the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. Results The main goal was to achieve triacyl-glycerol (TAG) storage lipids in Y. lipolytica mimicking cocoa butter. This was accomplished by replacing the native Δ9 fatty acid desaturase (Ole1p) with homologs from other species and changing the expression of both Ole1p and the Δ12 fatty acid desaturase (Fad2p). We thereby abolished the palmitoleic acid and reduced the linoleic acid content in TAG, while the oleic acid content was reduced to approximately 40 percent of the total fatty acids. The proportion of fatty acids in TAG changed dramatically over time during growth, and the fatty acid composition of TAG, free fatty acids and phospholipids was found to be very different. Conclusions We show that the fatty acid profile in the TAG of Y. lipolytica can be altered to mimic cocoa butter. We also demonstrate that a wide range of fatty acid profiles can be achieved while maintaining good growth and high lipid accumulation, which, together with the ability of Y. lipolytica to utilize a wide variety of carbon sources, opens up the path toward sustainable production of CBE and other food oils. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12934-022-01748-x.
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6
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Bennett RE, Sillett TS, Rice RA, Marra PP. Impact of cocoa agricultural intensification on bird diversity and community composition. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13779. [PMID: 34061388 PMCID: PMC9290927 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
To meet the growing demand for chocolate, cocoa (Theobroma cacao) agriculture is expanding and intensifying. Although this threatens tropical forests, cocoa sustainability initiatives largely overlook biodiversity conservation. To inform these initiatives, we analyzed how cocoa agriculture affects bird diversity at farm and landscape scales with a meta-analysis of 23 studies. We extracted 214 Hedges' g* comparisons of bird diversity and 14 comparisons of community similarity between a forest baseline and 4 farming systems that cover an intensification gradient in landscapes with high and low forest cover, and we summarized 119 correlations between cocoa farm features and bird diversity. Bird diversity declined sharply in low shade cocoa. Cocoa with >30% canopy cover from diverse trees retained bird diversity similar to nearby primary or mature secondary forest but held a different community of birds. Diversity of endemic species, frugivores, and insectivores (agriculture avoiders) declined, whereas diversity of habitat generalists, migrants, nectarivores, and granivores (agriculture associates) increased. As forest decreased on the landscape, the difference in bird community composition between forest and cocoa also decreased, indicating agriculture associates replaced agriculture avoiders in forest patches. Our results emphasize the need to conserve forested landscapes (land sparing) and invest in mixed-shade agroforestry (land sharing) because each strategy benefits a diverse and distinct biological community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth E. Bennett
- Migratory Bird CenterSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteWashingtonDCUSA
| | - T. Scott Sillett
- Migratory Bird CenterSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Robert A. Rice
- Migratory Bird CenterSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Peter P. Marra
- Department of Biology and McCourt School of Public PolicyGeorgetown UniversityWashingtonDCUSA
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7
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Loring PA. Regenerative food systems and the conservation of change. AGRICULTURE AND HUMAN VALUES 2021; 39:701-713. [PMID: 34776604 PMCID: PMC8576312 DOI: 10.1007/s10460-021-10282-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, interest has increased in regenerative practices as a strategy for transforming food systems and solving major environmental problems such as biodiversity loss and climate change. However, debates persist regarding these practices and how they ought to be defined. This paper presents a framework for exploring the regenerative potential of food systems, focusing on how food systems activities and technologies are organized rather than the specific technologies or practices being employed. The paper begins with a brief review of debates over sustainable food systems and the varying ways that regenerative food systems have been defined and theorized. Then, it provides the theoretical backing of the framework-the conservation of change principle-which is an interpretation of the laws of thermodynamics and theories of adaptive change as relevant to the regenerative capacity of living systems. Next, the paper introduces the framework itself, which comprises two independent but intersecting dimensions of food systems organization: resource diversity and livelihood flexibility. These two dimensions result in four archetypical regimes for food systems: degenerative, regenerative, impoverished, and coerced. The paper defines each and offers real-world examples. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion of pathways for transforming food systems and opportunities for additional research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip A. Loring
- Department of Geography, Environment, and Geomatics, Arrell Food Institute, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road E., Guelph, ON N1G2W1 Canada
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DaRocha W, Antoniazzi R, Delabie JHC, Schroth G, Fernandes GW, Neves FS. Disentangling the factors that shape bromeliad and ant communities in the canopies of cocoa agroforestry and preserved Atlantic Forest. Biotropica 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wesley DaRocha
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia Conservação e Manejo da Vida Silvestre Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte Brazil
- Laboratório de Mirmecologia CEPEC/CEPLAC Itabuna Brazil
| | - Reuber Antoniazzi
- Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture Stephen F. Austin State University Nacogdoches Texas USA
| | - Jacques H. C. Delabie
- Laboratório de Mirmecologia CEPEC/CEPLAC Itabuna Brazil
- Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Ambiental Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz Ilhéus Brazil
| | | | - Geraldo W. Fernandes
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia Conservação e Manejo da Vida Silvestre Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte Brazil
- Departamento de Genética Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte Brazil
| | - Frederico S. Neves
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia Conservação e Manejo da Vida Silvestre Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte Brazil
- Departamento de Genética Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais Belo Horizonte Brazil
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9
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Tscharntke T, Grass I, Wanger TC, Westphal C, Batáry P. Beyond organic farming - harnessing biodiversity-friendly landscapes. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:919-930. [PMID: 34362590 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
We challenge the widespread appraisal that organic farming is the fundamental alternative to conventional farming for harnessing biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. Certification of organic production is largely restricted to banning synthetic agrochemicals, resulting in limited benefits for biodiversity but high yield losses despite ongoing intensification and specialisation. In contrast, successful agricultural measures to enhance biodiversity include diversifying cropland and reducing field size, which can multiply biodiversity while sustaining high yields in both conventional and organic systems. Achieving a landscape-level mosaic of natural habitat patches and fine-grained cropland diversification in both conventional and organic agriculture is key for promoting large-scale biodiversity. This needs to be urgently acknowledged by policy makers for an agricultural paradigm shift.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ingo Grass
- Ecology of Tropical Agricultural Systems, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Thomas C Wanger
- Sustainability, Agriculture, & Technology Laboratory, School of Engineering, Westlake University, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Environment and Resources of Zhejiang Province, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China; GlobalAgroforestryNetwork.org, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Catrin Westphal
- Functional Agrobiodiversity, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Péter Batáry
- "Lendület" Landscape and Conservation Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Centre for Ecological Research, Vácrátót, Hungary
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10
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Lewis VR, Farrell AD, Umaharan P, Lennon AM. Genetic variation in high light responses of Theobroma cacao L. accessions. Heliyon 2021; 7:e07404. [PMID: 34307928 PMCID: PMC8258650 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) is a shade-tolerant tree species, but in recent years it has increasingly been cultivated under full sun conditions in an orchard system where photoinhibition is likely. Here we investigate the extent of photoinhibition in 17 cacao accessions from a range of genetic groups, growing under high light conditions. The ability of the photosynthetic systems to respond to high light was assessed using chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (diurnal F v /F m and instantaneous light response curves), and differences in photosynthetic pigment content were compared using biochemical assays. Damage due to photoinhibition was assessed using electrolyte leakage, lipid peroxidation, and reactive oxygen species scavenging systems were compared using biochemical assays (for APX, CAT and SOD). There was significant variation between the 17 accessions for photosynthetic parameters, although in all cases the light saturation points were well below the midday light levels. Light acclimation of photosynthetic pigments was evident and variation in the total chlorophyll to total carotenoid ratio was significantly correlated with electrolyte leakage. Significant genetic variation was observed across the 17 accessions in the activities of CAT, APX and SOD. Across all accessions, photoprotection appeared to be restricted by the ability of leaves to generate SOD. Significant negative correlations were observed between SOD activity and both APX activity and electrolyte leakage, while significant positive correlations were observed between electrolyte leakage and both APX and CAT activity. Accessions with higher light saturation points, as well as high carotenoid and high SOD concentrations were able to tolerate the moderately high light, however, none of the accessions were clearly superior to the commonly grown Amelonado accession. The results imply that screening for SOD activity, total carotenoid content and light saturation point can aid in selection of genotypes with better tolerance to high light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vernessa R Lewis
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, College Road, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Aidan D Farrell
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, College Road, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Pathmanathan Umaharan
- Cocoa Research Centre, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Adrian M Lennon
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, College Road, Trinidad and Tobago
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Simamora T, Purbowo S, Laumonier Y. Looking for indicator bird species in the context of forest fragmentation and isolation in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
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12
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Szczepańska P, Hapeta P, Lazar Z. Advances in production of high-value lipids by oleaginous yeasts. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2021; 42:1-22. [PMID: 34000935 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2021.1922353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The global market for high-value fatty acids production, mainly omega-3/6, hydroxy fatty-acids, waxes and their derivatives, has seen strong development in the last decade. The reason for this growth was the increasing utilization of these lipids as significant ingredients for cosmetics, food and the oleochemical industries. The large demand for these compounds resulted in a greater scientific interest in research focused on alternative sources of oil production - among which microorganisms attracted the most attention. Microbial oil production offers the possibility to engineer the pathways and store lipids enriched with the desired fatty acids. Moreover, costly chemical steps are avoided and direct commercial use of these fatty acids is available. Among all microorganisms, the oleaginous yeasts have become the most promising hosts for lipid production - their efficient lipogenesis, ability to use various (often highly affordable) carbon sources, feasible large-scale cultivations and wide range of available genetic engineering tools turns them into powerful micro-factories. This review is an in-depth description of the recent developments in the engineering of the lipid biosynthetic pathway with oleaginous yeasts. The different classes of valuable lipid compounds with their derivatives are described and their importance for human health and industry is presented. The emphasis is also placed on the optimization of culture conditions in order to improve the yield and titer of these valuable compounds. Furthermore, the important economic aspects of the current microbial oil production are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrycja Szczepańska
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Hapeta
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Zbigniew Lazar
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
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Satyaveanthan MV, Suhaimi SA, Ng CL, Muhd-Noor ND, Awang A, Lam KW, Hassan M. Purification, biochemical characterisation and bioinformatic analysis of recombinant farnesol dehydrogenase from Theobroma cacao. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2021; 161:143-155. [PMID: 33588320 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2021.01.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The juvenile hormones (JH) in plants are suggested to act as a form of plant defensive strategy especially against insect herbivory. The oxidation of farnesol to farnesoic acid is a key step in the juvenile hormone biosynthesis pathway. We herein present the purification and characterisation of the recombinant Theobroma cacao farnesol dehydrogenase enzyme that catalyses oxidation of farnesol to farnesal. The recombinant enzyme was purified to apparent homogeneity by affinity chromatography. The purified enzyme was characterised in terms of its deduced amino acid sequences, phylogeny, substrate specificity, kinetic parameters, structural modeling, and docking simulation. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the T. cacao farnesol dehydrogenase (TcFolDH) showed a close relationship with A. thaliana farnesol dehydrogenase gene. The TcFolDH monomer had a large N-terminal domain which adopted a typical Rossmann-fold, harboring the GxxGxG motif (NADP(H)-binding domain) and a small C-terminal domain. The enzyme was a homotrimer comprised of subunits with molecular masses of 36 kDa. The TcFolDH was highly specific to NADP+ as coenzyme. The substrate specificity studies showed trans, trans-farnesol was the most preferred substrate for the TcFolDH, suggesting that the purified enzyme was a NADP+-dependent farnesol dehydrogenase. The docking of trans, trans-farnesol and NADP+ into the active site of the enzyme showed the important residues, and their interactions involved in the substrate and coenzyme binding of TcFolDH. Considering the extensive involvement of JH in both insects and plants, an in-depth knowledge on the recombinant production of intermediate enzymes of the JH biosynthesis pathway could help provide a potential method for insect control.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Saidi-Adha Suhaimi
- Institute of Systems Biology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi, Bangi, Selangor, 43600, Malaysia
| | - Chyan Leong Ng
- Institute of Systems Biology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi, Bangi, Selangor, 43600, Malaysia
| | - Noor-Dina Muhd-Noor
- Institute of Systems Biology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi, Bangi, Selangor, 43600, Malaysia; Enzyme & Microbial Technology Center (EMTech), Faculty of Biotechnology & Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, UPM Serdang, Selangor, 43400, Malaysia
| | - Alias Awang
- Cocoa Research & Development Centre (Bagan Datuk), Malaysian Cocoa Board, P.O. Box 30, Sg. Dulang Road, Sg. Sumun, Perak, 36307, Malaysia
| | - Kok Wai Lam
- Drug and Herbal Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur, 50300, Malaysia
| | - Maizom Hassan
- Institute of Systems Biology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi, Bangi, Selangor, 43600, Malaysia.
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14
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Shade-Tree Rehabilitation in Vanilla Agroforests is Yield Neutral and May Translate into Landscape-Scale Canopy Cover Gains. Ecosystems 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-020-00586-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
AbstractAgroforestry can contribute to an increase in tree cover in historically forested tropical landscapes with associated gains in biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, but only if established on open land instead of underneath a forest canopy. However, declines in yields with increasing shade are common across agroforestry crops, driving shade-tree removal in forest-derived agroforests and hindering tree regrowth in open-land-derived agroforests. To understand trajectories of change in tree cover in forest- and open-land-derived agroforests, and the impacts of tree cover on vanilla yields, we studied 209 vanilla agroforests along an 88-year chronosequence in Madagascar. Additionally, we used remotely sensed canopy cover data to investigate tree cover change in the agricultural landscape. We found yields to vary widely but independently of canopy cover and land-use history (forest- vs. open-land-derived), averaging at 154.6 kg ha−1 year−1 (SD = 186.9). Furthermore, we found that forest- and open-land-derived vanilla agroforests gained canopy cover over time, but that only open-land-derived agroforests gained canopy height. Canopy cover increased also at the landscape scale: areas in the agricultural landscape with medium initial canopy cover gained 6.4% canopy cover over 10 years, but canopy cover decreased in areas with high initial canopy cover. These opposing trends suggest tree cover rehabilitation across areas covered by vanilla agroforests, whereas remnant forest fragments in the agricultural landscape were transformed or degraded. Our results indicate that yield-neutral tree rehabilitation through open-land-derived agroforestry could, if coupled with effective forest protection, provide benefits for both ecosystem functions and agricultural production in a smallholder-dominated agricultural landscape.
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15
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Wang M, Wei Y, Ji B, Nielsen J. Advances in Metabolic Engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for Cocoa Butter Equivalent Production. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:594081. [PMID: 33178680 PMCID: PMC7594527 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.594081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cocoa butter is extracted from cocoa beans, and it is mainly used as the raw material for the production of chocolate and cosmetics. Increased demands and insufficient cocoa plants led to a shortage of cocoa butter supply, and there is therefore much interesting in finding an alternative cocoa butter supply. However, the most valuable component of cocoa butter is rarely available in other vegetable oils. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an important industrial host for production of chemicals, enzyme and pharmaceuticals. Advances in synthetical biology and metabolic engineering had enabled high-level of triacylglycerols (TAG) production in yeast, which provided possible solutions for cocoa butter equivalents (CBEs) production. Diverse engineering strategies focused on the fatty acid-producing pathway had been applied in S. cerevisiae, and the key enzymes determining the TAG structure were considered as the main engineering targets. Recent development in phytomics and multi-omics technologies provided clues to identify potential targeted enzymes, which are responsible for CBE production. In this review, we have summarized recent progress in identification of the key plant enzymes for CBE production, and discussed recent and future metabolic engineering and synthetic biology strategies for increased CBE production in S. cerevisiae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengge Wang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yongjun Wei
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Boyang Ji
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Jens Nielsen
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
- BioInnovation Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark
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16
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Martin DA, Osen K, Grass I, Hölscher D, Tscharntke T, Wurz A, Kreft H. Land‐use history determines ecosystem services and conservation value in tropical agroforestry. Conserv Lett 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Andreas Martin
- Biodiversity, Macroecology and Biogeography University of Goettingen Büsgenweg 1 Göttingen Germany
| | - Kristina Osen
- Tropical Silviculture and Forest Ecology University of Goettingen Büsgenweg 1 Göttingen Germany
| | - Ingo Grass
- Ecology of Tropical Agricultural Systems University of Hohenheim Garbenstr 13 Stuttgart Germany
| | - Dirk Hölscher
- Tropical Silviculture and Forest Ecology University of Goettingen Büsgenweg 1 Göttingen Germany
- Centre for Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use (CBL) University of Goettingen Büsgenweg 1 Göttingen Germany
| | - Teja Tscharntke
- Centre for Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use (CBL) University of Goettingen Büsgenweg 1 Göttingen Germany
- Agroecology University of Goettingen Grisebachstr 6 Göttingen Germany
| | - Annemarie Wurz
- Agroecology University of Goettingen Grisebachstr 6 Göttingen Germany
| | - Holger Kreft
- Biodiversity, Macroecology and Biogeography University of Goettingen Büsgenweg 1 Göttingen Germany
- Centre for Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use (CBL) University of Goettingen Büsgenweg 1 Göttingen Germany
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17
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Magrach A, Sanz MJ. Environmental and social consequences of the increase in the demand for ‘superfoods’ world‐wide. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ainhoa Magrach
- Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3), Edificio Sede 1, Planta 1 Parque Científico UPV-EHU Barrio Sarriena Leioa Spain
- IKERBASQUE Basque Foundation for Science Bilbao Spain
| | - María José Sanz
- Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3), Edificio Sede 1, Planta 1 Parque Científico UPV-EHU Barrio Sarriena Leioa Spain
- IKERBASQUE Basque Foundation for Science Bilbao Spain
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18
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Maguire-Rajpaul VA, Khatun K, Hirons MA. Agricultural Information's Impact on the Adaptive Capacity of Ghana's Smallholder Cocoa Farmers. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2020.00028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
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19
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Wemheuer F, Berkelmann D, Wemheuer B, Daniel R, Vidal S, Bisseleua Daghela HB. Agroforestry Management Systems Drive the Composition, Diversity, and Function of Fungal and Bacterial Endophyte Communities in Theobroma Cacao Leaves. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E405. [PMID: 32183118 PMCID: PMC7143032 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8030405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) is one of the most economically important crops worldwide. Despite the important role of endophytes for plant growth and health, very little is known about the effect of agroforestry management systems on the endophyte communities of T. cacao. To close this knowledge gap, we investigated the diversity, community composition, and function of bacterial and fungal endophytes in the leaves of T. cacao trees growing in five major cacao-growing regions in the central region of Cameroon using DNA metabarcoding. Fungal but not bacterial alpha diversity measures differed significantly between the agroforestry management systems. Interestingly, less managed home-garden cacao forests harbored the lowest fungal richness and diversity. Our results suggest that the composition of bacterial and fungal endophyte communities is predominantly affected by agroforestry management systems and, to a lesser extent, by environmental properties. The core microbiome detected comprised important fungal phytopathogens, such as Lasiodiplodia species. Several predicted pathways of bacterial endophytes and functional guilds of fungal endophytes differed between the agroforest systems which might be attributed to bacteria and fungi specifically associated with a single agroforest. Our results provide the basis for future studies on foliar fungal and bacterial endophytes of T. cacao and their responsiveness towards agroforestry management systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Wemheuer
- Section of Agricultural Entomology, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Göttingen, Grisebachstr. 6, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany; (F.W.); (H.B.B.D.)
| | - Dirk Berkelmann
- Genomic and Applied Microbiology & Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen, Grisebachstr. 8, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany; (D.B.); (B.W.); (R.D.)
| | - Bernd Wemheuer
- Genomic and Applied Microbiology & Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen, Grisebachstr. 8, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany; (D.B.); (B.W.); (R.D.)
| | - Rolf Daniel
- Genomic and Applied Microbiology & Göttingen Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen, Grisebachstr. 8, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany; (D.B.); (B.W.); (R.D.)
| | - Stefan Vidal
- Section of Agricultural Entomology, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Göttingen, Grisebachstr. 6, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany; (F.W.); (H.B.B.D.)
| | - Hervé Bertin Bisseleua Daghela
- Section of Agricultural Entomology, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Göttingen, Grisebachstr. 6, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany; (F.W.); (H.B.B.D.)
- Laboratory of Entomology, Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), BP 2067, Yaoundé, Cameroon
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20
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Silva AADS, Alvarez MRDV, Mariano‐Neto E, Cassano CR. Is shadier better? The effect of agroforestry management on small mammal diversity. Biotropica 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Martin Roberto Del Valle Alvarez
- Coleção de Mamíferos "Alexandre Rodrigues Ferreira" (CMARF ‐ UESC) Departamento de Ciências Biológicas Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz Ilhéus Brasil
| | | | - Camila Righetto Cassano
- Laboratório de Ecologia Aplicada à Conservação Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz Ilhéus Brasil
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21
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Morel AC, Hirons M, Adu Sasu M, Quaye M, Ashley Asare R, Mason J, Adu-Bredu S, Boyd E, McDermott CL, Robinson EJZ, Straser R, Malhi Y, Norris K. The Ecological Limits of Poverty Alleviation in an African Forest-Agriculture Landscape. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2019.00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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22
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Wei Y, Ji B, Siewers V, Xu D, Halkier BA, Nielsen J. Identification of genes involved in shea butter biosynthesis from Vitellaria paradoxa fruits through transcriptomics and functional heterologous expression. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 103:3727-3736. [PMID: 30915502 PMCID: PMC6469615 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-09720-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa) is one economically important plant species that mainly distributes in West Africa. Shea butter extracted from shea fruit kernels can be used as valuable products in the food and cosmetic industries. The most valuable composition in shea butter was one kind of triacylglycerol (TAG), 1,3-distearoyl-2-oleoyl-glycerol (SOS, C18:0–C18:1–C18:0). However, shea butter production is limited and little is known about the genetic information of shea tree. In this study, we tried to reveal genetic information of shea tree and identified shea TAG biosynthetic genes for future shea butter production in yeast cell factories. First, we measured lipid content, lipid composition, and TAG composition of seven shea fruits at different ripe stages. Then, we performed transcriptome analysis on two shea fruits containing obviously different levels of SOS and revealed a list of TAG biosynthetic genes potentially involved in TAG biosynthesis. In total, 4 glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT) genes, 8 lysophospholipid acyltransferase (LPAT) genes, and 11 diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) genes in TAG biosynthetic pathway were predicted from the assembled transcriptome and 14 of them were cloned from shea fruit cDNA. Furthermore, the heterologous expression of these 14 potential GPAT, LPAT, and DGAT genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae changed yeast fatty acid and lipid profiles, suggesting that they functioned in S. cerevisiae. Moreover, two shea DGAT genes, VpDGAT1 and VpDGAT7, were identified as functional DGATs in shea tree, showing they might be useful for shea butter (SOS) production in yeast cell factories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjun Wei
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of State Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Henan province for Drug Quality Control and Evaluation, Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, 450001, Henan, China.,Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-41296, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-41296, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Boyang Ji
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-41296, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-41296, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Verena Siewers
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-41296, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-41296, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Deyang Xu
- DynaMo Center, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Barbara Ann Halkier
- DynaMo Center, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Jens Nielsen
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-41296, Gothenburg, Sweden. .,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-41296, Gothenburg, Sweden. .,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs., DK-2800, Lyngby, Denmark.
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23
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Can Multifunctional Landscapes Become Effective Conservation Strategies? Challenges and Opportunities From a Mexican Case Study. LAND 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/land8010006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Protected Areas (PA) are the main strategy for nature conservation. However, PA are not always efficient for ecological conservation and social wellbeing. A possible alternative for conservation in human-dominated landscapes are Multifunctional Landscapes (ML), which allow the coexistence of multiple objectives, such as nature conservation and resource use. Using the activity system framework, we analyzed whether the ML concept was an operative alternative to PA within an area of interest for conservation in Veracruz, Mexico. Activity systems refer to the set of productive strategies that result from the mobilization of resources and which, within particular environmental governance contexts, shape the landscape. To understand the challenges and opportunities of our case study, we: (1) delimited the landscape according to local conservation interests; and (2) analyzed the role of stakeholders in shaping this landscape. The delimited landscape included areas considered wildlife reservoirs and water provisioning zones. Our results suggested that the existence of local conservation areas (private and communal), combined with shaded-coffee agroforestry practices, made this region an example of ML. Although local conservation initiatives are perceived as more legitimate than top-down approaches, agreements amongst stakeholders are essential to strengthen environmental governance. In specific socio-ecological contexts, ML can be effective strategies for conservation through agroecosystems that maintain a high-quality landscape matrix, allowing nature preservation and delivering economic benefits.
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24
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Asubonteng K, Pfeffer K, Ros-Tonen M, Verbesselt J, Baud I. Effects of Tree-crop Farming on Land-cover Transitions in a Mosaic Landscape in the Eastern Region of Ghana. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2018; 62:529-547. [PMID: 29752495 PMCID: PMC6132851 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-018-1060-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Tree crops such as cocoa and oil palm are important to smallholders' livelihoods and national economies of tropical producer countries. Governments seek to expand tree-crop acreages and improve yields. Existing literature has analyzed socioeconomic and environmental effects of tree-crop expansion, but its spatial effects on the landscape are yet to be explored. This study aims to assess the effects of tree-crop farming on the composition and the extent of land-cover transitions in a mixed cocoa/oil palm landscape in Ghana. Land-cover maps of 1986 and 2015 produced through ISODATA, and maximum likelihood classification were validated with field reference, Google Earth data, and key respondent interviews. Post-classification change detection was conducted and the transition matrix analyzed using intensity analysis. Cocoa and oil palm areas have increased in extent by 8.9% and 11.2%, respectively, mainly at the expense of food-crop land and forest. The intensity of forest loss to both tree crops is at a lower intensity than the loss of food-crop land. There were transitions between cocoa and oil palm, but the gains in oil palm outweigh those of cocoa. Cocoa and oil palm have increased in area and dominance. The main cover types converted to tree-crop areas are food-crop land and off-reserve forest. This is beginning to have serious implications for food security and livelihood options that depend on ecosystem services provided by the mosaic landscape. Tree-crop policies should take account of the geographical distribution of tree-commodity production at landscape level and its implications for food production and ecosystems services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwabena Asubonteng
- Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR), University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 15629, 1001 NC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa, PMB, Kotoka International Airport, Accra, Ghana.
| | - Karin Pfeffer
- Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), Department of Urban and Regional Planning and Geo-Information Management, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Mirjam Ros-Tonen
- Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR), University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 15629, 1001 NC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Verbesselt
- Laboratory of Geo-Information Science and Remote Sensing, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Isa Baud
- Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research (AISSR), University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 15629, 1001 NC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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25
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Wei Y, Bergenholm D, Gossing M, Siewers V, Nielsen J. Expression of cocoa genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae improves cocoa butter production. Microb Cell Fact 2018; 17:11. [PMID: 29370801 PMCID: PMC5784687 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-018-0866-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cocoa butter (CB) extracted from cocoa beans (Theobroma cacao) is the main raw material for chocolate production, but CB supply is insufficient due to the increased chocolate demand and limited CB production. CB is mainly composed of three different kinds of triacylglycerols (TAGs), 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycerol (POP, C16:0-C18:1-C16:0), 1-palmitoyl-3-stearoyl-2-oleoyl-glycerol (POS, C16:0-C18:1-C18:0) and 1,3-distearoyl-2-oleoyl-glycerol (SOS, C18:0-C18:1-C18:0). In general, Saccharomyces cerevisiae produces TAGs as storage lipids, which consist of C16 and C18 fatty acids. However, cocoa butter-like lipids (CBL, which are composed of POP, POS and SOS) are not among the major TAG forms in yeast. TAG biosynthesis is mainly catalyzed by three enzymes: glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT), lysophospholipid acyltransferase (LPAT) and diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT), and it is essential to modulate the yeast TAG biosynthetic pathway for higher CBL production. RESULTS We cloned seven GPAT genes and three LPAT genes from cocoa cDNA, in order to screen for CBL biosynthetic gene candidates. By expressing these cloned cocoa genes and two synthesized cocoa DGAT genes in S. cerevisiae, we successfully increased total fatty acid production, TAG production and CBL production in some of the strains. In the best producer, the potential CBL content was eightfold higher than the control strain, suggesting the cocoa genes expressed in this strain were functional and might be responsible for CBL biosynthesis. Moreover, the potential CBL content increased 134-fold over the control Y29-TcD1 (IMX581 sct1Δ ale1Δ lro1Δ dga1Δ with TcDGAT1 expression) in strain Y29-441 (IMX581 sct1Δ ale1Δ lro1Δ dga1Δ with TcGPAT4, TcLPAT4 and TcDGAT1 expression) further suggesting cocoa GPAT and LPAT genes functioned in yeast. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated that cocoa TAG biosynthetic genes functioned in S. cerevisiae and identified cocoa genes that may be involved in CBL production. Moreover, we found that expression of some cocoa CBL biosynthetic genes improved potential CBL production in S. cerevisiae, showing that metabolic engineering of yeast for cocoa butter production can be realized by manipulating the key enzymes GPAT, LPAT and DGAT in the TAG biosynthetic pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjun Wei
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden.,CAS-Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - David Bergenholm
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Michael Gossing
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Verena Siewers
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jens Nielsen
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden. .,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden. .,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs., Lyngby, Denmark.
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26
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Wei Y, Gossing M, Bergenholm D, Siewers V, Nielsen J. Increasing cocoa butter-like lipid production of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by expression of selected cocoa genes. AMB Express 2017; 7:34. [PMID: 28168573 PMCID: PMC5293708 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-017-0333-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cocoa butter (CB) extracted from cocoa beans mainly consists of three different kinds of triacylglycerols (TAGs), 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycerol (POP, C16:0–C18:1–C16:0), 1-palmitoyl-3-stearoyl-2-oleoyl-glycerol (POS, C16:0–C18:1–C18:0) and 1,3-distearoyl-2-oleoyl-glycerol (SOS, C18:0–C18:1–C18:0), but CB supply is limited. Therefore, CB-like lipids (CBL, which are composed of POP, POS and SOS) are in great demand. Saccharomyces cerevisiae produces TAGs as storage lipids, which are also mainly composed of C16 and C18 fatty acids. However, POP, POS and SOS are not among the major TAG forms in yeast. TAG synthesis is mainly catalyzed by three enzymes: glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (GPAT), lysophospholipid acyltransferase (LPAT) and diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT). In order to produce CBL in S. cerevisiae, we selected six cocoa genes encoding GPAT, LPAT and DGAT potentially responsible for CB biosynthesis from the cocoa genome using a phylogenetic analysis approach. By expressing the selected cocoa genes in S. cerevisiae, we successfully increased total fatty acid production, TAG production and CBL production in some S. cerevisiae strains. The relative CBL content in three yeast strains harboring cocoa genes increased 190, 230 and 196% over the control strain, respectively; especially, the potential SOS content of the three yeast strains increased 254, 476 and 354% over the control strain. Moreover, one of the three yeast strains had a 2.25-fold increased TAG content and 6.7-fold higher level of CBL compared with the control strain. In summary, CBL production by S. cerevisiae were increased through expressing selected cocoa genes potentially involved in CB biosynthesis.
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27
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Denmead LH, Darras K, Clough Y, Diaz P, Grass I, Hoffmann MP, Nurdiansyah F, Fardiansah R, Tscharntke T. The role of ants, birds and bats for ecosystem functions and yield in oil palm plantations. Ecology 2017; 98:1945-1956. [PMID: 28464275 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.1882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2016] [Revised: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa H. Denmead
- Agroecology; University of Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
- Marine and Environmental Management; Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology; Tauranga New Zealand
| | - Kevin Darras
- Agroecology; University of Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
| | - Yann Clough
- Agroecology; University of Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Research; Lund University; Lund Sweden
| | | | - Ingo Grass
- Agroecology; University of Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
| | - Munir P. Hoffmann
- Tropical Plant Production and Agricultural Systems Modelling; University of Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
| | - Fuad Nurdiansyah
- Agroecology; University of Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
- University of Jambi; Jambi Indonesia
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28
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Forbes SJ, Northfield TD. Increased pollinator habitat enhances cacao fruit set and predator conservation. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2017; 27:887-899. [PMID: 28019052 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2016] [Revised: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/22/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The unique benefits of wild pollinators to the productivity of agricultural crops have become increasingly recognized in recent decades. However, declines in populations of wild pollinator species, largely driven by the conversion of natural habitat to agricultural land and broad-spectrum pesticide use often lead reductions in the provision of pollination services and crop production. With growing evidence that targeted pollinator conservation improves crop yield and/or quality, particularly for pollination specialist crops, efforts are increasing to substitute agriculturally intensive practices with those that alleviate some of the negative impacts of agriculture on pollinators and the pollination services they provide, in part through the provision of suitable pollinator habitat. Further, similarities between the responses of some pollinators and predators to habitat management suggest that efforts to conserve pollinators may also encourage predator densities. We evaluated the effects of one habitat management practice, the addition of cacao fruit husks to a monoculture cacao farm, on the provision of pollination services and the densities of two groups of entomophagous predators. We also evaluated the impacts of cacao fruit husk addition on pollen limitation, by crossing this habitat manipulation with pollen supplementation treatments. The addition of cacao fruit husks increased the number of fruits per tree and along with hand pollination treatments, increased final yields indicating a promotion of the pollination ecosystem service provided by the specialist pollinators, midges. We also found that cacao fruit husk addition increased the densities of two predator groups, spiders and skinks. Further, the conservation of these predators did not inhibit pollination through pollinator capture or deterrence. The findings show that, with moderate habitat management, both pollinator and predator conservation can be compatible goals within a highly specialized plant-pollinator system. The effectiveness of this habitat manipulation may be attributable to the increased availability of alternative habitat and food resources for both pollinators and predators. The results exemplify a win-win relationship between agricultural production and biological conservation, whereby agricultural practices to support vital pollinators and pollination services can increase production as well as support species conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha J Forbes
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, P.O. Box 6811, Cairns, Queensland, 4870, Australia
| | - Tobin D Northfield
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, P.O. Box 6811, Cairns, Queensland, 4870, Australia
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Wei Y, Siewers V, Nielsen J. Cocoa butter-like lipid production ability of non-oleaginous and oleaginous yeasts under nitrogen-limited culture conditions. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2017; 101:3577-3585. [PMID: 28168314 PMCID: PMC5395598 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-017-8126-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cocoa butter (CB) extracted from cocoa beans is the main raw material for chocolate production. However, growing chocolate demands and limited CB production has resulted in a shortage of CB supply. CB is mainly composed of three different kinds of triacylglycerols (TAGs), POP (C16:0–C18:1–C16:0), POS (C16:0–C18:1–C18:0), and SOS (C18:0–C18:1–C18:0). The storage lipids of yeasts, mainly TAGs, also contain relative high-level of C16 and C18 fatty acids and might be used as CB-like lipids (CBL). In this study, we cultivated six different yeasts, including one non-oleaginous yeast strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae CEN.PK113-7D, and five oleaginous yeast strains, Trichosporon oleaginosus DSM11815, Rhodotorula graminis DSM 27356, Lipomyces starkeyi DSM 70296, Rhodosporidium toruloides DSM 70398, and Yarrowia lipolytica CBS 6124, in nitrogen-limited medium and compared their CBL production ability. Under the same growth conditions, we found that TAGs were the main lipids in all six yeasts and that T. oleaginosus can produce more TAGs than the other five yeasts. Less than 3% of the total TAGs were identified as potential SOS in the six yeasts. However, T. oleaginosus produced 27.8% potential POP and POS at levels of 378 mg TAGs/g dry cell weight, hinting that this yeast may have potential as a CBL production host after further metabolic engineering in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjun Wei
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Verena Siewers
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jens Nielsen
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96, Gothenburg, Sweden. .,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96, Gothenburg, Sweden. .,Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
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30
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Kelley LC, Evans SG, Potts MD. Richer histories for more relevant policies: 42 years of tree cover loss and gain in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:830-839. [PMID: 27421109 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Understandings of contemporary forest cover loss are critical for policy but have come at the expense of long-term, multidirectional analyses of land cover change. This is a critical gap given (i) profound reconfigurations in land use and land control over the past several decades and (ii) evidence of widespread 'woodland resurgence' throughout the tropics. In this study, we argue that recent advancements within the field of land change science provide new opportunities to address this gap. In turn, we suggest that multidecadal and multidirectional analyses of land cover change can facilitate richer social analyses of land cover change and more relevant conservation policies and practice. Our argument is grounded in a case study from Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. Using a novel analytical platform, Google Earth Engine, and open access to high-quality Landsat data, we map land cover change in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, from 1972 to 2014. We find that tree cover loss constitutes the single largest net change over the period 1972-2014 but that gross rates of tree cover gain were three times higher than gross loss rates from 1972 to 1995 and equivalent to loss rates from 1995 to 2014. We suggest the smallholder tree crop economy likely produced both forest loss and Imperata grassland restoration in this region. This case points to the need to expand rather than collapse the baselines used to study carbon and biodiversity change in tropical regions. It also demonstrates the possible utility of applying such methods to other regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa C Kelley
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, UC Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall, Berkeley, CA, 94720-3114, USA
| | - Samuel G Evans
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, UC Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall, Berkeley, CA, 94720-3114, USA
| | - Matthew D Potts
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, UC Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall, Berkeley, CA, 94720-3114, USA
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31
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Romero Navarro JA, Phillips-Mora W, Arciniegas-Leal A, Mata-Quirós A, Haiminen N, Mustiga G, Livingstone III D, van Bakel H, Kuhn DN, Parida L, Kasarskis A, Motamayor JC. Application of Genome Wide Association and Genomic Prediction for Improvement of Cacao Productivity and Resistance to Black and Frosty Pod Diseases. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 8:1905. [PMID: 29184558 PMCID: PMC5694496 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.01905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/23/2017] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Chocolate is a highly valued and palatable confectionery product. Chocolate is primarily made from the processed seeds of the tree species Theobroma cacao. Cacao cultivation is highly relevant for small-holder farmers throughout the tropics, yet its productivity remains limited by low yields and widespread pathogens. A panel of 148 improved cacao clones was assembled based on productivity and disease resistance, and phenotypic single-tree replicated clonal evaluation was performed for 8 years. Using high-density markers, the diversity of clones was expressed relative to 10 known ancestral cacao populations, and significant effects of ancestry were observed in productivity and disease resistance. Genome-wide association (GWA) was performed, and six markers were significantly associated with frosty pod disease resistance. In addition, genomic selection was performed, and consistent with the observed extensive linkage disequilibrium, high predictive ability was observed at low marker densities for all traits. Finally, quantitative trait locus mapping and differential expression analysis of two cultivars with contrasting disease phenotypes were performed to identify genes underlying frosty pod disease resistance, identifying a significant quantitative trait locus and 35 differentially expressed genes using two independent differential expression analyses. These results indicate that in breeding populations of heterozygous and recently admixed individuals, mapping approaches can be used for low complexity traits like pod color cacao, or in other species single gene disease resistance, however genomic selection for quantitative traits remains highly effective relative to mapping. Our results can help guide the breeding process for sustainable improved cacao productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Allan Mata-Quirós
- Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center, Turrialba, Costa Rica
| | - Niina Haiminen
- IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, New York, NY, United States
| | | | | | - Harm van Bakel
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, New York, NY, United States
| | - David N. Kuhn
- Subtropical Horticulture Research Station, United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Laxmi Parida
- IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Andrew Kasarskis
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Icahn Institute of Genomics and Multiscale Biology, New York, NY, United States
| | - Juan C. Motamayor
- Mars Incorporated, Miami, FL, United States
- *Correspondence: Juan C. Motamayor
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32
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Delgado DL, Figueroa J, Restrepo C. Using multiple traits to assess the potential of introduced and native vines to proliferate in a tropical region. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:8832-8845. [PMID: 28035272 PMCID: PMC5192952 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2016] [Revised: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Predicting the invasive potential of introduced species remains an ongoing challenge due to the multiple interacting regional and global processes that facilitate the introduction and proliferation of alien species. This may be particularly true in regions where native species are increasingly reported as expanding and impacting ecosystems in ways indistinguishable from alien ones. Current approaches to assess the invasive potential of plants may be limited by the choice of traits used and the exclusion of native species. To overcome these limitations, we develop a novel approach that focuses on all species-native and alien-within a functional group of plants to predict their proliferation status. Our approach relied on the development of an extensive database of extrinsic and intrinsic traits for Puerto Rican vines with the goal of generating a predictive model of vine proliferation status. We test three hypotheses linking origin, extrinsic and intrinsic traits, and proliferation status. We found that the origin of proliferating vines was associated with only one out of seven traits, namely plant use. We also found that proliferation status was associated with all but two traits, namely life span and climbing mechanism. Finally, a classification tree analysis identified five variables as good predictors of proliferation status and used them to split the species into six groups characterized by a unique suite of traits, three of them included proliferating species. The development of tools to identify potential proliferating species is critical for management and conservation purposes. Tools that can minimize biases and make predictions based on trait data easily obtainable are particularly needed in regions with a high taxonomic and functional diversity, and with limited ecological knowledge of individual species. In addition, these tools should be capable of incorporating native species since an increasing number of native species are behaving like invasive aliens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana L Delgado
- Department of Biology University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras San Juan Puerto Rico
| | - Josimar Figueroa
- Department of Biology University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras San Juan Puerto Rico
| | - Carla Restrepo
- Department of Biology University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras San Juan Puerto Rico
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33
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Abou Rajab Y, Leuschner C, Barus H, Tjoa A, Hertel D. Cacao Cultivation under Diverse Shade Tree Cover Allows High Carbon Storage and Sequestration without Yield Losses. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0149949. [PMID: 26927428 PMCID: PMC4771168 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2015] [Accepted: 02/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the main drivers of tropical forest loss is their conversion to oil palm, soy or cacao plantations with low biodiversity and greatly reduced carbon storage. Southeast Asian cacao plantations are often established under shade tree cover, but are later converted to non-shaded monocultures to avoid resource competition. We compared three co-occurring cacao cultivation systems (3 replicate stands each) with different shade intensity (non-shaded monoculture, cacao with the legume Gliricidia sepium shade trees, and cacao with several shade tree species) in Sulawesi (Indonesia) with respect to above- and belowground biomass and productivity, and cacao bean yield. Total biomass C stocks (above- and belowground) increased fivefold from the monoculture to the multi-shade tree system (from 11 to 57 Mg ha-1), total net primary production rose twofold (from 9 to 18 Mg C ha-1 yr-1). This increase was associated with a 6fold increase in aboveground biomass, but only a 3.5fold increase in root biomass, indicating a clear shift in C allocation to aboveground tree organs with increasing shade for both cacao and shade trees. Despite a canopy cover increase from 50 to 93%, cacao bean yield remained invariant across the systems (variation: 1.1-1.2 Mg C ha-1 yr-1). The monocultures had a twice as rapid leaf turnover suggesting that shading reduces the exposure of cacao to atmospheric drought, probably resulting in greater leaf longevity. Thus, contrary to general belief, cacao bean yield does not necessarily decrease under shading which seems to reduce physical stress. If planned properly, cacao plantations under a shade tree cover allow combining high yield with benefits for carbon sequestration and storage, production system stability under stress, and higher levels of animal and plant diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin Abou Rajab
- Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, Albrecht-von-Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Leuschner
- Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, Albrecht-von-Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Henry Barus
- Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Tadulako University, Palu, Sulawesi Tengah, Indonesia
| | - Aiyen Tjoa
- Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Tadulako University, Palu, Sulawesi Tengah, Indonesia
| | - Dietrich Hertel
- Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, Albrecht-von-Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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34
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Andres C, Comoé H, Beerli A, Schneider M, Rist S, Jacobi J. Cocoa in Monoculture and Dynamic Agroforestry. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE REVIEWS 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-26777-7_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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35
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Arshad FM, Bala B, Alias E, Abdulla I. Modelling boom and bust of cocoa production systems in Malaysia. Ecol Modell 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2015.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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36
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Maas B, Karp DS, Bumrungsri S, Darras K, Gonthier D, Huang JCC, Lindell CA, Maine JJ, Mestre L, Michel NL, Morrison EB, Perfecto I, Philpott SM, Şekercioğlu ÇH, Silva RM, Taylor PJ, Tscharntke T, Van Bael SA, Whelan CJ, Williams-Guillén K. Bird and bat predation services in tropical forests and agroforestry landscapes. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015. [PMID: 26202483 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Understanding distribution patterns and multitrophic interactions is critical for managing bat- and bird-mediated ecosystem services such as the suppression of pest and non-pest arthropods. Despite the ecological and economic importance of bats and birds in tropical forests, agroforestry systems, and agricultural systems mixed with natural forest, a systematic review of their impact is still missing. A growing number of bird and bat exclosure experiments has improved our knowledge allowing new conclusions regarding their roles in food webs and associated ecosystem services. Here, we review the distribution patterns of insectivorous birds and bats, their local and landscape drivers, and their effects on trophic cascades in tropical ecosystems. We report that for birds but not bats community composition and relative importance of functional groups changes conspicuously from forests to habitats including both agricultural areas and forests, here termed 'forest-agri' habitats, with reduced representation of insectivores in the latter. In contrast to previous theory regarding trophic cascade strength, we find that birds and bats reduce the density and biomass of arthropods in the tropics with effect sizes similar to those in temperate and boreal communities. The relative importance of birds versus bats in regulating pest abundances varies with season, geography and management. Birds and bats may even suppress tropical arthropod outbreaks, although positive effects on plant growth are not always reported. As both bats and birds are major agents of pest suppression, a better understanding of the local and landscape factors driving the variability of their impact is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bea Maas
- Agroecology, Georg-August University, Grisebachstraße 6, 37077, Goettingen, Germany. .,Division of Tropical Ecology and Animal Biodiversity, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, 1030, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Daniel S Karp
- The Nature Conservancy, 201 Mission Street, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94105, U.S.A.,Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Mulford Hall, 130 Hilgard Way, Berkeley, CA, 94720, U.S.A
| | - Sara Bumrungsri
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand 15 Karnjanavanich Rd., Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand
| | - Kevin Darras
- Agroecology, Georg-August University, Grisebachstraße 6, 37077, Goettingen, Germany
| | - David Gonthier
- The Nature Conservancy, 201 Mission Street, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94105, U.S.A.,School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, 440 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, U.S.A
| | - Joe C-C Huang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Box 43131, Lubbock, TX, 79409, U.S.A.,Southeast Asian Bat Conservation and Research Unit, Department of Biological Science, Box 43131, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409-3131, U.S.A
| | - Catherine A Lindell
- Integrative Biology Department, Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, 288 Farm Lane RM 203, East Lansing, MI, 48824, U.S.A
| | - Josiah J Maine
- Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Center for Ecology, Southern Illinois University, 1125 Lincoln Dr., Carbondale, IL, 62901, U.S.A
| | - Laia Mestre
- CREAF, Carretera de Bellaterra a l'Autònoma, s/n, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès,, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Biologia Animal, de Biologia Vegetal i d'Ecologia, Universitat Autònoma, Carretera de Bellaterra a l'Autònoma, s/n, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Nicole L Michel
- School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, 117 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5C8, Canada
| | - Emily B Morrison
- Integrative Biology Department, Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, 288 Farm Lane RM 203, East Lansing, MI, 48824, U.S.A
| | - Ivette Perfecto
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, 440 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, U.S.A
| | - Stacy M Philpott
- Environmental Studies Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95062, U.S.A
| | - Çagan H Şekercioğlu
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East, Rm. 201, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, U.S.A.,College of Sciences, Koç University, Rumelifeneri, Sariyer, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Roberta M Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Rodovia Ilhéus-Itabuna, km 16, 45662-900, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Peter J Taylor
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, 4000, South Africa.,SARChI Chair on Biodiversity Value & Change and Centre for Invasion Biology, School of Mathematical & Natural Sciences, University of Venda, P. Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa
| | - Teja Tscharntke
- Agroecology, Georg-August University, Grisebachstraße 6, 37077, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Sunshine A Van Bael
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, 6823 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA, 70118, U.S.A.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado Postal 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancon, Republic of Panama
| | - Christopher J Whelan
- Illinois Natural History Survey, c/o Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL, 60607, U.S.A
| | - Kimberly Williams-Guillén
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, 440 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, U.S.A.,Paso Pacífico, PO Box 1244, Ventura, CA, 94302, U.S.A
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37
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From Public to Private Standards for Tropical Commodities: A Century of Global Discourse on Land Governance on the Forest Frontier. FORESTS 2015. [DOI: 10.3390/f6041301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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38
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Harris JBC, Rasmussen PC, Yong DL, Prawiradilaga DM, Putra DD, Round PD, Rheindt FE. A new species of Muscicapa flycatcher from Sulawesi, Indonesia. PLoS One 2014; 9:e112657. [PMID: 25419968 PMCID: PMC4242539 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2014] [Accepted: 10/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Indonesian island of Sulawesi, a globally important hotspot of avian endemism, has been relatively poorly studied ornithologically, to the extent that several new bird species from the region have been described to science only recently, and others have been observed and photographed, but never before collected or named to science. One of these is a new species of Muscicapa flycatcher that has been observed on several occasions since 1997. We collected two specimens in Central Sulawesi in 2012, and based on a combination of morphological, vocal and genetic characters, we describe the new species herein, more than 15 years after the first observations. The new species is superficially similar to the highly migratory, boreal-breeding Gray-streaked Flycatcher Muscicapa griseisticta, which winters in Sulawesi; however, the new species differs strongly from M. griseisticta in several morphological characters, song, and mtDNA. Based on mtDNA, the new species is only distantly related to M. griseisticta, instead being a member of the M. dauurica clade. The new species is evidently widely distributed in lowland and submontane forest throughout Sulawesi. This wide distribution coupled with the species' apparent tolerance of disturbed habitats suggests it is not currently threatened with extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Berton C. Harris
- Environment Institute and School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Pamela C. Rasmussen
- Michigan State University Museum and Department of Integrative Biology, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
- Bird Group, Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum at Tring, Tring, Herts, United Kingdom
| | - Ding Li Yong
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- South-east Asian Biodiversity Society, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Dewi M. Prawiradilaga
- Division of Zoology, Research Centre for Biology, Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia, Cibinong-Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| | | | - Philip D. Round
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Frank E. Rheindt
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Republic of Singapore
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39
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Azhar B, Puan CL, Zakaria M, Hassan N, Arif M. Effects of monoculture and polyculture practices in oil palm smallholdings on tropical farmland birds. Basic Appl Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2014.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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40
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Leakey RRB. The role of trees in agroecology and sustainable agriculture in the tropics. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2014; 52:113-133. [PMID: 24821184 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-phyto-102313-045838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Shifting agriculture in the tropics has been replaced by sedentary smallholder farming on a few hectares of degraded land. To address low yields and low income both, the soil fertility, the agroecosystem functions, and the source of income can be restored by diversification with nitrogen-fixing trees and the cultivation of indigenous tree species that produce nutritious and marketable products. Biodiversity conservation studies indicate that mature cash crop systems, such as cacao and coffee with shade trees, provide wildlife habitat that supports natural predators, which, in turn, reduce the numbers of herbivores and pathogens. This review offers suggestions on how to examine these agroecological processes in more detail for the most effective rehabilitation of degraded land. Evidence from agroforestry indicates that in this way, productive and environmentally friendly farming systems that provide food and nutritional security, as well as poverty alleviation, can be achieved in harmony with wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger R B Leakey
- Department of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia, QLD 4870;
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41
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Abood SA, Lee JSH, Burivalova Z, Garcia-Ulloa J, Koh LP. Relative Contributions of the Logging, Fiber, Oil Palm, and Mining Industries to Forest Loss in Indonesia. Conserv Lett 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 199] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sinan A. Abood
- Department of Environmental Systems Science; ETH Zürich; CHN G 73.2, Universitätstrasse 16 8092 Zürich Switzerland
| | - Janice Ser Huay Lee
- Department of Environmental Systems Science; ETH Zürich; CHN G 73.2, Universitätstrasse 16 8092 Zürich Switzerland
| | - Zuzana Burivalova
- Department of Environmental Systems Science; ETH Zürich; CHN G 73.2, Universitätstrasse 16 8092 Zürich Switzerland
| | - John Garcia-Ulloa
- Department of Environmental Systems Science; ETH Zürich; CHN G 73.2, Universitätstrasse 16 8092 Zürich Switzerland
| | - Lian Pin Koh
- Department of Environmental Systems Science; ETH Zürich; CHN G 73.2, Universitätstrasse 16 8092 Zürich Switzerland
- Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs; Princeton University; Robertson Hall; Princeton NJ 08544-1013 USA
- Environment Institute; and School of Earth and Environmental Sciences; University of Adelaide; Adelaide SA 5005 Australia
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de Lima RF, Viegas L, Solé N, Soares E, Dallimer M, Atkinson PW, Barlow J. Can Management Improve the Value of Shade Plantations for the Endemic Species of São Tomé Island? Biotropica 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo F. de Lima
- Lancaster Environment Centre; Lancaster University; Lancaster LA1 4YQ U.K
- Associação Monte Pico; Monte Café; São Tomé CP 1119 República Democrática de São Tomé e Príncipe
| | - Leonel Viegas
- Associação Monte Pico; Monte Café; São Tomé CP 1119 República Democrática de São Tomé e Príncipe
| | - Nelson Solé
- Associação Monte Pico; Monte Café; São Tomé CP 1119 República Democrática de São Tomé e Príncipe
| | - Estevão Soares
- Associação Monte Pico; Monte Café; São Tomé CP 1119 República Democrática de São Tomé e Príncipe
- Parque Natural Obô de São Tomé; São Tomé CP 510 República Democrática de São Tomé e Príncipe
| | - Martin Dallimer
- Department of Food and Resource Economics; Center for Macroecology; Evolution and Climate; University of Copenhagen; Rolighedsvej 23 1958 Copenhagen Denmark
| | | | - Jos Barlow
- Lancaster Environment Centre; Lancaster University; Lancaster LA1 4YQ U.K
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Harris JBC, Dwi Putra D, Gregory SD, Brook BW, Prawiradilaga DM, Sodhi NS, Wei D, Fordham DA. Rapid deforestation threatens mid-elevational endemic birds but climate change is most important at higher elevations. DIVERS DISTRIB 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- J. Berton C. Harris
- Environment Institute and School of Earth and Environmental Sciences; University of Adelaide; Adelaide SA 5005 Australia
- Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs; Princeton University; Princeton NJ 08542 USA
| | - Dadang Dwi Putra
- Celebes Bird Club; Jl. Thamrin 63A Palu Central Sulawesi Indonesia
| | - Stephen D. Gregory
- Environment Institute and School of Earth and Environmental Sciences; University of Adelaide; Adelaide SA 5005 Australia
- Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust; Salmon and Trout Research Centre; Wareham BH20 6BB UK
| | - Barry W. Brook
- Environment Institute and School of Earth and Environmental Sciences; University of Adelaide; Adelaide SA 5005 Australia
| | - Dewi M. Prawiradilaga
- Division of Zoology; Research Centre for Biology-LIPI; Jl. Raya Bogor Km 46 Cibinong-Bogor 16911 Indonesia
| | - Navjot S. Sodhi
- Department of Biological Sciences; National University of Singapore; 14 Science Drive 4 Singapore 117543 Singapore
| | - Dan Wei
- Stawell Secondary College; Patrick St. Stawell Vic. 3380 Australia
| | - Damien A. Fordham
- Environment Institute and School of Earth and Environmental Sciences; University of Adelaide; Adelaide SA 5005 Australia
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Shade tree diversity, cocoa pest damage, yield compensating inputs and farmers' net returns in West Africa. PLoS One 2013; 8:e56115. [PMID: 23520451 PMCID: PMC3592863 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2012] [Accepted: 01/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cocoa agroforests can significantly support biodiversity, yet intensification of farming practices is degrading agroforestry habitats and compromising ecosystem services such as biological pest control. Effective conservation strategies depend on the type of relationship between agricultural matrix, biodiversity and ecosystem services, but to date the shape of this relationship is unknown. We linked shade index calculated from eight vegetation variables, with insect pests and beneficial insects (ants, wasps and spiders) in 20 cocoa agroforests differing in woody and herbaceous vegetation diversity. We measured herbivory and predatory rates, and quantified resulting increases in cocoa yield and net returns. We found that number of spider webs and wasp nests significantly decreased with increasing density of exotic shade tree species. Greater species richness of native shade tree species was associated with a higher number of wasp nests and spider webs while species richness of understory plants did not have a strong impact on these beneficial species. Species richness of ants, wasp nests and spider webs peaked at higher levels of plant species richness. The number of herbivore species (mirid bugs and cocoa pod borers) and the rate of herbivory on cocoa pods decreased with increasing shade index. Shade index was negatively related to yield, with yield significantly higher at shade and herb covers<50%. However, higher inputs in the cocoa farms do not necessarily result in a higher net return. In conclusion, our study shows the importance of a diverse shade canopy in reducing damage caused by cocoa pests. It also highlights the importance of conservation initiatives in tropical agroforestry landscapes.
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Cassano CR, Barlow J, Pardini R. Large Mammals in an Agroforestry Mosaic in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Biotropica 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1744-7429.2012.00870.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jos Barlow
- Lancaster Environment Centre; Lancaster University; Lancaster; LA1 4YQ; U.K
| | - Renata Pardini
- Departamento de Zoologia; Universidade de São Paulo; Rua do Matão, Travessa 14, n°101; São Paulo; SP; 05508-090; Brazil
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Balmford A, Green R, Phalan B. What conservationists need to know about farming. Proc Biol Sci 2012; 279:2714-24. [PMID: 22535780 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.0515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Farming is the basis of our civilization yet is more damaging to wild nature than any other sector of human activity. Here, we propose that in order to limit its impact into the future, conservation researchers and practitioners need to address several big topics--about the scale of future demand, about which crops and livestock to study, about whether low-yield or high-yield farming has the potential to be least harmful to nature, about the environmental performance of new and existing farming methods, and about the measures needed to enable promising approaches and techniques to deliver on their potential. Tackling these issues requires conservationists to explore the many consequences that decisions about agriculture have beyond the farm, to think broadly and imaginatively about the scale and scope of what is required to halt biodiversity loss, and to be brave enough to test and when necessary support counterintuitive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Balmford
- Department of Zoology, Conservation Science Group, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK.
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Wielgoss A, Clough Y, Fiala B, Rumede A, Tscharntke T. A minor pest reduces yield losses by a major pest: plant-mediated herbivore interactions in Indonesian cacao. J Appl Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2012.02122.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Abstract
Local and landscape-scale agricultural intensification is a major driver of global biodiversity loss. Controversially discussed solutions include wildlife-friendly farming or combining high-intensity farming with land-sparing for nature. Here, we integrate biodiversity and crop productivity data for smallholder cacao in Indonesia to exemplify for tropical agroforests that there is little relationship between yield and biodiversity under current management, opening substantial opportunities for wildlife-friendly management. Species richness of trees, fungi, invertebrates, and vertebrates did not decrease with yield. Moderate shade, adequate labor, and input level can be combined with a complex habitat structure to provide high biodiversity as well as high yields. Although livelihood impacts are held up as a major obstacle for wildlife-friendly farming in the tropics, our results suggest that in some situations, agroforests can be designed to optimize both biodiversity and crop production benefits without adding pressure to convert natural habitat to farmland.
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Tscharntke T, Clough Y, Bhagwat SA, Buchori D, Faust H, Hertel D, Hölscher D, Juhrbandt J, Kessler M, Perfecto I, Scherber C, Schroth G, Veldkamp E, Wanger TC. Multifunctional shade-tree management in tropical agroforestry landscapes - a review. J Appl Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2010.01939.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 411] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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50
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Idol T, Haggar J, Cox L. Ecosystem Services from Smallholder Forestry and Agroforestry in the Tropics. ISSUES IN AGROECOLOGY – PRESENT STATUS AND FUTURE PROSPECTUS 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-1309-3_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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