NORTH-SOUTH CENTRE - ETH - North-South Centre North-South ...

An ecosystem service approach to agricultural
security in a sacred landscape mosaic
The value of pollination services for agricultural production
has been much debated, particularly in the context of
alternative management interventions. Our research seeks
to determine the value of pollination services in the context
of a variety of management interventions in a coffee
producing region in Southern India. Specifically, we seek to
evaluate the relative benefits that forest fragments afford
to coffee pollination and coffee production under a variety
of management scenarios.
Wild bees are known to provide pollinator services to agricultural
crops such as coffee. By supporting a range of bee
species, forest fragments are presumed to be source habitats
for such pollination services. Hence, it is widely expected
that higher coffee yields will be obtained within
plantations that are located close to forest fragments. To
validate this hypothesis, we quantified bee visitation to
coffee flowers at varying distances from forest fragments,
and under a variety of management interventions for more
than 100 coffee plantations in Kodagu district. Using these
data, we attributed the importance of pollination, of proximity
to forest fragments, and of management interventions
to coffee production.
Bees contribute up to 40% of the total coffee produced in
this region. Yet, the distance to forest fragments did not
affect pollinator diversity or abundance on coffee flowers. A
high density of forest fragments in the landscape combined
with comparatively large foraging ranges of the principle
bee pollinators likely account for this. However, pollinator
abundance at coffee flowers was higher at plantations that
are located near to large forest patches. In addition, several
management interventions contributed substantially to
coffee production. Irrigation by farmers stimulated early
coffee flowering, in turn increasing pollinator abundance
and, as a consequence, coffee production. Addition of lime
and other soil management practices also increased coffee
production. In contrast, retention of native shade trees did
not provide a clear benefit for coffee production.
In conclusion, the benefits of pollination services must be
assessed in the context of plantation management. Technical
interventions greatly increase coffee production. Pollinator
services are secured regardless of local proximity to
forest fragments. At this stage and despite the recognised
value of pollination services, there is little direct incentive
for farmers to retain native shade trees or forest fragments.
36 Project leader
Jaboury Ghazoul
Research collaboration
Livestock systems research
Contact persons
Virginie Boreux
Smitha Krishnan
Collaborators
Jean-Pierre Sorg, ETH Zurich, Switzerland;
Uma Shaanker and CG Kushalappa,
UAS Bangalore, India;
Duration
October 2006 – September 2009
Thematic cluster
Livestock and environment
Deity of a sacred forest – Sacred forests are forest
fragments protected by the local community according
to their cultural beliefs.