Tree diversity and composition in Mexican traditional smallholder cocoa agroforestry systems

The cultivation of cocoa is a commodity of great importance worldwide. In Mexico, cocoa is grown in Tabasco and Chiapas states in agroforestry systems since pre-Hispanic times, where cocoa is grown under the canopy of shade trees. Crops such as sugarcane and extensive livestock production have gradually reduced the area devoted to cocoa cultivation in the region. Yet, farmers keep small portions of the cocoa agroforestry systems to maintain the local floristic diversity. This practice seems to be a successful contribution to plant conservation. To determine the management practices used by farmers in the agroforestry cocoa systems and the diversity of products they harvest, a non-probabilistic sampling was carried out in 38 shade cocoa plots of 20 x 50 m each (19 in Tabasco and 19 in Chiapas). We counted and identified all trees with DBH >= 5 cm, recording their height. We estimated canopy cover at 20 points within each plot. Our results show no tree species richness differences between states, but there were differences at the municipality level; Pichucalco (Chiapas) had the highest tree species richness. Considering all tree species, there was a higher tree density in Tabasco than in Chiapas. Regarding only cocoa trees, there was also a higher abundance in Tabasco than in Chiapas. In both cases, farmers obtain a wide variety of products for self-consumption and local market sale from their cocoa agroforestry systems (e.g., timber, fruit, and grains). The wide floristic diversity in these agroecosystems aids native plant species conservation and could favor the increase of agroforestry plantations associated with cocoa cultivation.Peer reviewe

ESCUELAS DE CAMPO PARA AGRICULTORES EN CULTIVO DE CACAO EN MÉXICO

El extensionismo agrícola ha sido una forma de difundir los nuevos conocimientos y tecnologías hacia los trabajadores del campo. Dentro de las metodologías existentes de ésta forma de difusión se encuentran las Escuelas de Campo para Agricultores (ECAs). Las cuales han sido planteadas como una alternativa para el mejoramiento de la productividad de los sistemas agrícolas y así mejorar las condiciones de vida de los pequeños agricultores. Esta metodología ha sido aplicada en diversos países a través de programas de apoyo (gubernamentales y no gubernamentales) a pequeños agricultores, para solucionar una problemática específica del campo

Affectation of COVID-19 pandemic on the use and abundance of wild resources in Tabasco, Mexico: A qualitative assessment.

Southern Mexico is particularly rich in natural resources, yet unemployment has risen to 8% during the COVID-19 pandemic. The effect of the pandemic on the use and abundance of Tabasco's wild resources was examined through personal surveys. By using Microsoft Forms® with cell phones 1,963 surveys were collected. Cronbach's alpha, Z-value, and chi2 were calculated using the MAXQDA Analytics Pro program. A higher abundance of wild resources before the pandemic than today (57% vs. 11%) was observed. During the pandemic, people referred more to a high use (28%) of resources than to a low use (20%). This caused the low abundance or scarcity of wild products to be greater during the pandemic than before the pandemic (43% vs. 4%). Wild foods and timber were the most used products. The pandemic has produced a greater use of natural resources probably due to the high unemployment rate in rural areas. Future studies of wild products should address the relevant products in the locality and their even sampling. Finding suitable respondents is highly recommended

Percentage of respondents who had a qualitative appreciation of greater or lesser use of natural resources during the COVID-19 in Tabasco, from March 20, 2020.

Different letters indicate the difference from the highest value using the Z test at P < 0.05.</p

Cumulative number of surveys completed from August 18 to September 23, 2021.

Cumulative number of surveys completed from August 18 to September 23, 2021.</p

Percentage of respondents who spent more and less time at home during COVID-19 compared to before the pandemic.

Different letters indicate the difference from the highest value using the Z test at P < 0.05.</p

Percentages of the respondents (1,963) who had a qualitative appreciation of high or low use and abundance of the different natural resources before and during the pandemic in the state of Tabasco.

Percentages of the respondents (1,963) who had a qualitative appreciation of high or low use and abundance of the different natural resources before and during the pandemic in the state of Tabasco.</p

Percentage of respondents who had a qualitative appreciation of the abundance (abundant or scarce) of natural resources during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic in Tabasco, Mexico.

Different letters indicate the difference from the highest value using the Z test at P < 0.05.</p