Skip to main content
Log in

A comparison of agrisilvicultural systems with plantation forestry in the Atlantic Lowlands of Costa Rica

Part I. Tree survival and growth

  • Published:
Agroforestry Systems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Survival and growth data (ages 0–5 years) are presented for two timber species (Acacia mangium, Cordia alliodora) planted in monocultures or in association with a sequence of agricultural cropsZea mays, Zingiber officinale andEugenia stipitata (a fruit shrub) in the tropical humid Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica. Average annual height and diameter growth rates were 3.2 m and 4.0 cm (C. alliodora), 3.5 m and 3.8 cm (A. mangium).C. alliodora associated with crops gave the greatest productivity with an average total stem volume increment of 19 m3 ha−1 yr−1. Root rot ofA. mangium (mainlyRosellinia sp.), leading to tree mortality, was greater in pure plots compared to associated plots.A. mangium can not be recommended for similar sites because of this problem.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arguedas M (1993) Diagnóstico y recomendaciones de manejo de problemas fitosanitarios en especies forestales del proyecto agroforestal CATIE-GTZ, ITCR, Cartago, Costa Rica, 45 pp (unpublished consultant report)

    Google Scholar 

  • Beer J (1991) Implementing on-farm agroforestry research: lessons learned in Talamanca, Costa Rica. Agrofor Syst 15: 229–243

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beer J, Clarkin K, De Las Salas G and Glover N (1981) A case study of traditional agroforestry practices in a wet tropical zone: the La Suiza project. In: Chavarría M (ed) Simposio Internacional sobre las Ciencias Forestales y su Contribución al Desarrollo de la América Tropical, pp 191–209, San José, Costa Rica, CONICIT/Asociación Interciencia/SCITEC

    Google Scholar 

  • Beer J, Borel R and Bonnemann A (1990) On-farm agroforestry planning in Costa Rica. In: Budd WW, Duchhart I, Hardesty LH and Steiner F (eds) Planning for Agroforestry, pp 58–78. Elsevier, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Beer J, Kapp G and Lucas C (1994) Alternativas de reforestación: taungya y sistemas agrosilviculturales permanentes vs plantaciones puras, CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica (Serie Técnica, Informe Técnico No 230)

    Google Scholar 

  • CATIE (1992) Mangium (Acacia mangium). Especie de árbol de uso múltiple en América Central. Informe Técnico No 196. CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica, 54 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Djazuli S, Weinland G and Soeyitno S (1985) The effect of the initial spacing on the form, structure and yield of a youngAcacia mangium stand at PT, ITCI, Kenangan. Forestry and forest products GFG report No 3. Mulawarman University, Samarinda, Indonesia, pp 33–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Dufner J, Jensen, U and Schumacher E (1992) Statistik mit SAS. Teubner, Stuttgart, 398 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Greaves A and McCarter PS (1990)Cordia alliodora. A Promising Tree for Tropical Agroforestry, Oxford Forestry Institute, Oxford, 37 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Herrera A (1985) Vegetación y clima de Costa Rica. San José, EUNED, v 2, 118 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiménez V y Picado W (1987) Algunas experiencias con Acacia mangium en Costa Rica. Silvoenergía No 22, 4 pp

  • Kapp GB, Beer J and Luján R (1995) Timber tree planting trials on farm boundaries in the Atlantic lowlands of Costa Rica and Panama. Part I: Tree growth and survival. For Ecol Manage (submitted)

  • Lucas C, Beer J and Kapp G (1995) Reforestación con maderables,—sistemas agrosilviculturales vs plantaciones puras en Talamanca, Costa Rica: resultados agrícolas y forestales. CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica, 64 pp (Serie Técnica, Informe Técnico No 243)

    Google Scholar 

  • Luján R y Camacho A (1994) Manejo y crecimiento de linderos: resultados de ensayos del Proyecto Agroforestal CATIE/GTZ, de tres especies maderables en la zona de Talamanca, Costa Rica. CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica. 94 pp (Serie Técnica, Informe Técnico No 224)

    Google Scholar 

  • Morrobel Diaz JC (1989) Comportamiento deAcacia mangium Willd. en diferentes sistemas de plantación manejados por pequeños agricultores en Zambrana, Cotuí, República Dominicana. MSc Thesis, CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica

    Google Scholar 

  • National Research Council (1983) Mangium and Other Fast Growing Acacias for the Humid Tropics. National Academy Press, Washington DC, 56 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Nieuwenhuyse A (1994) Clasificación de los suelos en los ensayos agroforestales del Proyecto CATIE/GTZ. CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica (unpublished consultant report)

    Google Scholar 

  • Oliva E and Hughell D (1990) Modelo de crecimiento y rendimiento de Mangium (Acacia mangium Willd) en Costa Rica, Honduras y Panamá. Silvoenergía No 35, 4 pp

  • Parraguirre C and Salazar, R (1992) Fuentes promisorias de germoplasma deAcacia mangium Willd, para América Central. Silvoenergía No 50, CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica, 4 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Peck RB (1976) Selección preliminar de especies aptas para el establecimiento de bosques artificiales en tierra firme del litoral pacífico de Colombia. Boletín, Instituto Forestal Latino-Americano, Merida No 50: 29–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Platen H (1995) Alternativas de reforestación: taungya y sistemas agrosilviculturales permanentes vs plantaciones puras. Evaluación económico, CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica, (Serie Técnica, Informe Técnico, in preparation)

    Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute (1987) SAS/STAT Guide for Personal Computers, Version 6 Edition, SAS Institute Inc, Cary, NC, 1028 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Somarriba E and Beer J (1987) Dimensions, volumes and growth ofCordia alliodora in agroforestry systems. For Ecol Manage 18: 113–126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Somarriba E, Domínguez L y Lucas C (1994) Cacao—plátano—laurel: manejo, producción agrícola y crecimiento maderable: resultados de ensayos del proyecto agroforestal CATIE/GTZ en la región de Changuinola, Panamá. CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica, 64 pp (Serie Técnica, Informe Técnico No 233)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kapp, G.B., Beer, J. A comparison of agrisilvicultural systems with plantation forestry in the Atlantic Lowlands of Costa Rica. Agroforest Syst 32, 207–223 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00711710

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00711710

Key words

Navigation