Diversidad y uso tradicional de árboles de sombra en cafetales agroecológicos

Abstract

Coffee plantations under shade present high diversity and a complex composition linked to socio-environmental conditions. In addition, the identity and culture of coffee families influence the richness of trees, allowing the use and conservation of the ecosystem services. This research had as objectives: to identify the species of shade trees and their main uses, in agroecological coffee plantations of the municipalities of Amatlán de Los Reyes (AMR) and Ixhuatlán del Café (IXC), Veracruz, as well as to estimate the alpha and beta diversity indices. This project was carried out with a Participatory Action Research approach. To identify shade trees in the coffee plantation, participatory transects were conducted, and a questionnaire was applied. Forty eight species of shade trees were registered in AMR and 102 species in IXC, grouped into 25 and 35 botanical families respectively. The Shannon-Wiener index was estimated (3.04 for AMR and 3.59 for IXC; Estimate SWin8.2.0) values considered as high, however, at an individual level (coffee plantation per family), these are poorly diversified and share a small number of species. The tree species most used are: chalahuite (Inga vera), avocado (Persea americana) and ixpepe (Trema micrantha) and its uses are: firewood, food, construction and medicinal.