Agroforestry systems have the potential to increase the movements of
plants and animals across the landscape and thereby contribute to biodiversity
conservation. There is a great variation in the habitat quality, structure, and
natural dynamics of different agroforestry systems that will affect the wild
species that use them (see Part III of this volume). For example, a windbreak
in a pasture may provide habitat for edge and generalist species such as insects
and rodents, whereas riparian corridors may contain remnant vegetation and
be more beneficial for forest interior species.
One feature that many agroforestry systems share is that they tend to be
situated on high-quality sites (Perfecto et al. 1996), whereas forest remnants
are most likely to be preserved on infertile soils or on steep topography. These
productive areas may once have supported populations of native plants and
animals in high densities and been important sources of dispersing individu-
als (Thiollay 1995). For this reason, agroforestry lands could play a key role in
wildlife conservation if plantations can attempt to follow some simple recom-
mendations that are aimed to facilitate the movement and persistence of ani-
mal and plant species.
First, remnant primary and riparian forests should be protected, and any
patches of primary rainforest should be incorporated into the plantation.
Small remnants may harbor locally endemic species and act as stepping stones
for faunal and floral dispersal. Second, traditional shade plantations that
maintain original canopy species or plant mixed canopies should be encour-
aged and some natural recruitment allowed. Third, agroforestry plantings
should be diverse and include native fruiting and flowering plants that pro-
duce large fruit crops for long periods (e.g., fig trees or large palms). Fourth,
linear plantings such as windbreaks should be as wide as possible and have a
complex structure rather than a single tree row. Fifth, tree plantings should fill
in canopy gaps and maintain canopy connectivity. And finally, domestic ani-
mals should be confined where possible and hunting controlled, especially for
extinction-prone species. Agroforestry methods that attempt to achieve these
goals will have the greatest benefits for species that are highly vulnerable to
habitat loss, disturbance, and fragmentation. Such methods should be an inte-
gral part of regional conservation strategies in the tropics.
References
Angelstam, P. 1986. Predation on ground-nesting birds’ nests in relation to predator den-
sities and habitat edge. Oikos47:365–373.
Bennett, A. F. 1990. Habitat corridors: their role in wildlife management and conservation.
Victoria, Australia: Department of Conservation and Environment.
Bennett, A. F. 1998. Linkages in the landscape: the role of corridors and connectivity in wildlife
conservation.Gland, Switzerland: International Union for the Conservation of Nature
and Natural Resources.
60 I. Conservation Biology and Landscape Ecology in the Tropics