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Biodiversity conservation, yield, and alternative products in coffee agroecosystems in Sumatra, Indonesia

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Abstract

Agroecology and conservation must overlap to protect biodiversity and farmer livelihoods. Coffee agroecosystems with complex shade canopies protect biodiversity. Yet, few have examined biodiversity in coffee agroecosystems in Asia relative to the Americas and many question whether coffee agroecosystems can play a similar role for conservation. We examined vegetation, ant and bird diversity, coffee yields and revenues, and harvest of alternative products in coffee farms and forests in SW Sumatra, Indonesia near Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBS). BBS is among the last habitats for large mammals in Sumatra and >15,000 families illegally cultivate coffee inside of BBS. As a basis for informing management recommendations, we compared the conservation potential and economic outputs from farms inside and outside of BBS. Forests had higher canopy cover, canopy depth, tree height, epiphyte loads, and more emergent trees than coffee farms. Coffee farms inside BBS had more epiphytes and trees and fewer coffee plants than farms outside BBS. Tree, ant, and bird richness was significantly greater in forests than in coffee farms, and richness did not differ in coffee farms inside and outside of BBS. Species similarity of forest and coffee trees, ants, and birds was generally low (<50%). Surprisingly, farms inside the park were significantly older, but farm size, coffee yields, and revenues from coffee did not depend on farm location. Farmers outside BBS received higher prices for their coffee and also more often produced other crops in their coffee fields such that incentives could be created to draw illegal farmers out of the park. We also discuss these results with reference to similar work in Chiapas, Mexico to compare the relative contribution of coffee fields to conservation in the two continents, and discuss implications for working with farmers in Sumatra towards conservation plans incorporating sustainable coffee production.

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Acknowledgements

Field work could not have been possible without the help of our collaborators in Sumatra. Jangi Yanto, Sumargi, Supri, and A. Nurchayo greatly assisted in the project as did local guides in all communities. We thank members of the following communities in Sumatra (Suka Banjar, Talang Suharto, Sukabumi, Sidodadi, Kububalak, Sedayu, Kuyung Arang, and Kali Sembilan) that allowed us access to their farms and housed us. Dr. D. Buchori of IPB Bogor was the official research sponsor in Indonesia and we give sincere thanks to her for her help. Staff of LIPI, Departemen Kehutanan, Balai Taman Nasional Bukit Barisan Selatan, ICRAF, and Wildlife Conservation Society assisted with permits. A. Gorog and G. Paoli provided invaluable logistical support. M. Reiskind and S. Van Bael gave valuable comments on previous versions of the manuscript. Research funding was provided by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center in Washington, DC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, National Zoological Park, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20008, USA

    Stacy M. Philpott, Peter Bichier, Robert A. Rice & Russell Greenberg

  2. Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Toledo, 2801 W. Bancroft St, Toledo, OH, 43606, USA

    Stacy M. Philpott

Authors
  1. Stacy M. Philpott
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  2. Peter Bichier
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  3. Robert A. Rice
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  4. Russell Greenberg
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Correspondence to Stacy M. Philpott.

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Philpott, S.M., Bichier, P., Rice, R.A. et al. Biodiversity conservation, yield, and alternative products in coffee agroecosystems in Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodivers Conserv 17, 1805–1820 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-007-9267-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-007-9267-2

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