Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026
08:20
A Method for Quantifying Foliage-Dwelling Arthropods
Published on: October 20, 2019
Agroforestry: a refuge for tropical biodiversity?
Shonil A Bhagwat1, Katherine J Willis, H John B Birks
1Biodiversity Research Group, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, University of Oxford, UK. shonil.bhagwat@gmail.com
Trends in Ecology & Evolution
|March 25, 2008
Summary
Agroforestry, the practice of integrating trees with crops, can help conserve biodiversity in human-altered landscapes. This approach offers a way to support rural livelihoods while protecting species outside of traditional protected areas.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Sustainable Agriculture
Background:
- Rising deforestation rates in tropical regions necessitate innovative conservation strategies.
- Traditional conservation often focuses on 'pristine nature' within protected areas.
- There's a growing understanding of human influence on forest dynamics and the need for conservation beyond protected areas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the role of agroforestry systems in maintaining species diversity.
- To assess the potential of agroforestry for biodiversity conservation in human-dominated landscapes.
- To explore how agroforestry can support rural livelihoods alongside conservation efforts.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on agroforestry systems and biodiversity.
- Analysis of species diversity within various agroforestry management practices.
- Assessment of agroforestry's capacity to provide habitats and alleviate pressure on protected areas.
Main Results:
- Agroforestry systems can provide valuable habitats for various species.
- These systems contribute to maintaining species diversity in landscapes with significant human activity.
- Agroforestry can connect fragmented nature reserves, enhancing landscape connectivity.
Conclusions:
- Agroforestry systems are a viable strategy for biodiversity conservation in human-dominated landscapes.
- Implementing agroforestry can help mitigate the impacts of deforestation and support rural economies.
- Conservation efforts should increasingly consider the role of sustainable land-use practices like agroforestry.
Related Concept Videos
01:50Threats to Biodiversity
There have been five major extinction events throughout geological history, resulting in the elimination of biodiversity, followed by a rebound of species that adapted to the new conditions. In the current geological epoch, the Holocene, there is a sixth extinction event in progress. This mass extinction has been attributed to human activities and is thus provisionally called the Anthropocene. In 2019 the human population reached 7.7 billion people and is projected to comprise 10 billion by...
02:31Habitat Fragmentation
Habitat fragmentation describes the division of a more extensive, continuous habitat into smaller, discontinuous areas. Human activities such as land conversion, as well as slower geological processes leading to changes in the physical environment, are the two leading causes of habitat fragmentation. The fragmentation process typically follows the same steps: perforation, dissection, fragmentation, shrinkage, and attrition.
01:24Biodiversity and Human Values
Human civilization relies on biodiversity in many ways. Sudden changes in species biodiversity result in environmental changes that can modify weather patterns and therefore human civilizations.
01:19What is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity describes the variety of living things at multiple organizational levels: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity. Species diversity includes all branches of the evolutionary tree from single-celled prokaryotic organisms, bacteria, and archaea, to the eukaryotic kingdoms: plants; animals; fungi; and protists. To date, there have been about 1.75 million species identified, and new species are discovered every week.
02:22Introduction to Plant Diversity
From Water to Land
00:48Optimal Foraging
How animals obtain and eat their food is called foraging behavior. Foraging can include searching for plants and hunting for prey and depends on the species and environment.