Coffee Agroecosystems Research Articles

Landscape drivers of connectivity for a forest rodent in a coffee agroecosystem

The majority of remaining tropical forests exist as fragments embedded in a matrix of agricultural production. Understanding the effects of these agricultural landscapes on species dispersal is crucial in the development of successful conservation planning. The objective of this study was to examine the influence of five landscape features within a coffee agroecosystem (i.e., slope, elevation, streams, riparian effect, and tree cover) on Heteromys desmarestianus goldmani gene flow. We expected that landscape variables linked to more intense agricultural management (e.g., low tree cover, riparian effect) would reduce gene flow in H. d. goldmani. This study was conducted in a 4 km × 2 km area within the coffee growing region of Soconusco in Chiapas, Mexico. We used 12 microsatellite markers to calculate individual-based estimates of gene flow as a measure of dispersal. We used resistance surface modelling, using ResistanceGA (Peterman in Methods Ecol Evol 9:1638–1647, 2018) to identify if any of the landscape features analyzed explained the patterns of gene flow. Our results showed patterns of population structure and weak isolation-by-distance, as found previously for H. d. goldmani by Otero Jimenez et al. (Conserv Genet 19:495–499, 2018). Slope and tree cover were the two landscape features that could best explain gene flow patterns. More specifically, intermediate slopes and tree cover represent the lowest resistance to gene flow for H. d. goldmani and, thus, have a role in promoting gene flow in this species. This study highlights the potential of integrating molecular and landscape data to explore population connectivity of elusive species, such as terrestrial small mammals. Our study adds to the growing body of literature in landscape genetics by demonstrating that a rodent species shows population structure at a small scale resulting from landscape factors linked to agricultural management.

Aboveground Carbon Storage in Coffee Agroecosystems: The Case of the Central Region of the State of Veracruz in Mexico

This study quantifies the aboveground C storage of coffee agroecosystems (AESs) present in the Xalapa–Coatepec region of the state of Veracruz, one of the most important coffee producing regions in Mexico. We identified and determined the spatial distribution of five different types of coffee AESs. Then, through the point-centered quarter method, we measured canopy coverage, total height, diameter at breast height and density of tree species at 160 randomly selected sampling sites. Using allometric models, we estimated the aboveground biomass and the stored aboveground C by tree species and type of AES; and finally, we scaled up our results at the regional level. We found out that the coffee AESs with the greatest and the lowest potential for storing aboveground C are coffee (Co) + talltrees (tree stratum mainly composed of species taller than 15 m) and Co + AcaciaInga (tree stratum mainly composed by Acacia pennatula), with a carbon density as 73.27 Mg C ha − 1 and 38.47 Mg C ha − 1 respectively. The 91.2% of the total aboveground C in the studied region is stored by two coffee AES types: Co + talltrees and Co + Inga (tree stratum composed by Inga sp.). The aboveground C storage potential of all five coffee AESs in the central region of Veracruz is 2.43 million Mg C with an average carbon density of 55.12 Mg C ha − 1 . These results assert that coffee AESs should be considered important C sinks that contribute to the adaptation and mitigation of climate change.

Pengaruh Agroekosistem Pertanaman Kopi terhadap Keanekaragaman dan Kelimpahan Semut (Formicidae)

<em>Ant (Formicidae: Hymenoptera) is one of the dominant groups of insects and has significant biological and ecological properties. The presence of ants in coffee plantations plays an important role as it functions as a predator. The study aimed to investigate the effect of coffee plantation agroecosystem on the diversity and abundance of ant species. The study was conducted from February to June 2018 at Pakuwon Experimental Station. The coffee plants were divided into 4 groups, based on their locations and agroecosystems, where each group consisted of 4 observation plots. Ants sampling were taken from 15 sample plants in each plot. Observation was conducted on ants found in the stems, leaves, twigs and fruits of coffee plants. The ants were taken for 5 to 10 minutes from each plant. The differences in coffee agroecosystem were grouped based on location, altitude, coffee species, shade plant, and vegetation around the observation site. The study found 59 ant morphospecies with a total of 2,535 individuals. The dominant ant was Dolichoderus sp1. There were 4 ant species that were found in all four locations, namely Camponotus sp1., Crematogaster sp1., Dolichoderus sp1., Polyrhachis sp1. which are predatory. The analysis result showed that different coffee agroecosystem affects diversity and abundance of ants.</em>

Impact of Nutritional Management on Available Mineral Nitrogen and Soil Quality Properties in Coffee Agroecosystems

Coffee crop management is guided by an approach of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers application in order to guarantee high production rates; however, this type of management increases soil degradation. A study was conducted in order to evaluate the impact of changing soil nutritional management from Chemical (NPK) to Organic (Farmyard Manure-FYM), and from Chemical (NPK) to Mixed (NPK + FYM) regarding soil quality properties and mineral nitrogen available in coffee agroecosystems; a multi-spatial analysis was carried out considering a unifactorial design; soil samples were taken from depths between 0.10 and 0.20 m in 42 plots; physical and chemical variables were measured (ammonium, nitrates, pH, organic matter, moisture, bulk density and texture). It was found that Chemical Management affects the physical and chemical properties of soil quality (organic matter, humidity, bulk density, and pH), resulting in significant differences (p < 0.05) comparing to Mixed and Organic Management. The lowest level of organic matter was found under chemical management, being of 3% and increasing up to 4.41% under mixed management. Mineral nitrogen availability in the form of ammonium, was not affected by nutritional management. A higher concentration of nitrate was found under Mixed Management (105.02 mg NO3 kg−1), presenting significant differences (p < 0.05) against Chemical and Organic. There was no significant difference between Organic and Chemical Management. The study allowed us to determine that, through coffee organic nutritional management, it is possible to keep suitable soil quality conditions in order to reduce soil degradation, and to keep mineral nitrogen available for the development of coffee plants.

The Community Ecology of Herbivore Regulation in an Agroecosystem: Lessons from Complex Systems

AbstractWhether an ecological community is controlled from above or below remains a popular framework that continues generating interesting research questions and takes on especially important meaning in agroecosystems. We describe the regulation from above of three coffee herbivores, a leaf herbivore (the green coffee scale, Coccus viridis), a seed predator (the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei), and a plant pathogen (the coffee rust disease, caused by Hemelia vastatrix) by various natural enemies, emphasizing the remarkable complexity involved. We emphasize the intersection of this classical question of ecology with the burgeoning field of complex systems, including references to chaos, critical transitions, hysteresis, basin or boundary collision, and spatial self-organization, all aimed at the applied question of pest control in the coffee agroecosystem.

The important role of coffee agroecosystem for rural development

Rural development based on local resources utilization has been promoted as a strategy to achieve people prosperity in Indonesia. Although many studies have found that resource-based strategy is no longer relevant nowadays, for many areas this is still considered an appropriate approach. In order to examine the significance, we conducted a study in Sumba Barat Daya District of East Nusa Tenggara, focussing on coffee as one of the most abundant products in the region. Utilizing a socio-ecological approach, we collected data and information to depict the dynamics of coffee-based activities. A detailed study in Kadi Roma Village of Sumba Barat Daya on coffee ecosystem contribution to local community revealed that despite traditionally managed, coffee plays a significant role socially and economically. As a source of income to almost 17,000 smallholder farmers in Sumba Barat Daya, it can be concluded that coffee can become a gateway to attain successful rural development program. It also provides various opportunities for the community to participate which requires supportive innovation ecosystem to be established systematically by relevant local institutions, including include local government.

Response of Coffee Farms to Hurricane Maria: Resistance and Resilience from an Extreme Climatic Event

Resistance and resilience have become important concepts in the evaluation of disturbance events, providing a framework that is useful in light of the expected increase in frequency and occurrences of hurricanes as a consequence of climate change. Hurricane Maria landed on Puerto Rico as a category 4 storm in September of 2017. Among the affected elements were agricultural systems, including coffee agroecosystems. Historically, coffee has been a major backbone of the island’s agricultural sector. Grown with a range of management styles, the coffee agroecosystem provides an excellent model system to study the resistance/resilience of agroecosystems faced with hurricane disturbance. Sampling 28 farms and comparing pre-hurricane data (2013) with post hurricane data we find that management style had only a small effect on either resistance or resilience, likely due to the especially strong nature of the storm. Rather, the socio-political context of individual farms seems to be a more useful predictor of resilience.

A multifunctional approach for achieving simultaneous biodiversity conservation and farmer livelihood in coffee agroecosystems

Ecologically complex agroecosystems often provide multiple conservation benefits, yet understanding the agricultural practices that favor biodiversity is often a theoretical task until we simultaneously demonstrate the economic impact of such practices on farmers. We provide a multifunctional analysis of both biodiversity and ecosystem services that influence coffee farm profit in Puerto Rico. We show that the vegetation heterogeneity of an agroecosystem, more so than any one ecological component (e.g. shade), is associated with a higher biodiversity of plants, birds, lizards, bees, ants, and parasitoid wasps. However, a farm's vegetation heterogeneity does not consistently correlate with profit-related ecosystem services, including coffee yield and biological control of coffee pests and pathogens, due to tradeoffs between services. Therefore, inherent financial incentives that would encourage farmers to manage farms in ways that maintain high associated biodiversity may be lacking. We explored several economic incentives that would allow farms to be simultaneously biodiverse and profitable, which we show is possible through realistic incentive schemes. We found that the combination of a certification premium plus carbon payments (50% premium plus $16 t−1 CO2e) or a restructuring of agricultural subsidies using currently experienced subsidy amounts may be sufficient to make farms that are more heterogeneous, and therefore more biodiverse, the most profitable option for farmers. If these biodiverse farms can also be profitable, it will open critical opportunities for maintaining rural landscapes that support farmers' livelihoods, as well as protect the planet's biodiversity.

Hysteresis and critical transitions in a coffee agroecosystem

Seeking to employ ecological principles in agricultural management, a classical ecological debate provides a useful framing. Whether ecosystems are controlled from above (predators are the limiting force over herbivores) or from below (overutilization of plant resources is the limiting force over herbivores) is a debate that has motivated much research. The dichotomous nature of the debate (above or below) has been criticized as too limiting, especially in light of contemporary appreciation of ecological complexity-control is more likely from a panoply of direct and indirect interactions. In the context of the agroecosystem, regulation is assumed to be from above and pests are controlled, a way of using ecological insights in service of an essential ecosystem service-pest control. However, this obvious resolution of the old debate does not negate the deeper appreciation of complexity-the natural enemies themselves constitute a complex system. Here we use some key concepts from complexity science to interrogate the natural functioning of pest regulation through spatially explicit dynamics of a predator and a disease operating simultaneously but distributed in space. Using the green coffee scale insect as a focal species, we argue that certain key ideas of complexity science shed light on how that system operates. In particular, a hysteretic pattern associated with distance to a keystone ant is evident.

Seasonal and microhabitat differences alter ant predation of a globally disruptive coffee pest

Agroecosystems benefit from biological control services, yet predatory activity by natural enemies, like ants, can be highly spatio-temporally variable. Heterogeneity in perennial coffee agroecosystems is not driven by the crop itself, but rather climate at the regional scale and managed shade trees and herbaceous plant layers at the local scale. We examined the effects of both inter-annual seasonal and microhabitat variation on the predatory function of ground-foraging ants on a globally disruptive coffee pest, the coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei). During the dry and rainy seasons, we measured prey removal rates of the borer by ants across three distinct litter treatments. We found significantly higher rates of prey removal during the dry season and, to a lesser extent, in plots with greater leaf litter and lower soil temperatures. Our results indicate that both large scale processes like inter-annual seasonal variation in climate and small-scale differences in microhabitat refugia can influence pest predation activity by natural pest control agents in coffee agroecosystems.

Stabilizing intransitive loops: self‐organized spatial structure and disjoint time frames in the coffee agroecosystem

AbstractIt is familiar knowledge that population dynamics occur in both time and space. In this work, we incorporate three distinct but related theoretical schemata to qualitatively interrogate the complicated structure of part of a real agroecosystem. The three schemata are first, local dynamics translated into intransitive oscillators through spatial movement, second, stabilizing the system through spatial pattern, and third, formation of a self‐organized spatial pattern. The real system is the well‐studied autonomous pest control in the coffee agroecosystem, in which five insect species (one of which is a pest) are involved in creating a complex community structure that keeps the pest under control (the five species are an ant, Azteca sericeasur, a phorid fly parasitoid, Pseudacteon sp., a hymenopteran parasitoid, Coccophagus sp., a beetle predator, Azya orbigera, and the pest itself, the green coffee scale, Coccus viridis). We use the qualitative framing of the three theoretical schemata to develop a cellular automata model that casts the basic predator/prey (natural enemy/pest) system as an intransitive oscillator, and then explore the interaction of the two basic predator/prey systems as coupled oscillators within this model framework. We note that Gause's principle of competitive exclusion is not violated with this basic framing (i.e., the two control agents cannot coexist theoretically), but that with a change in the spatial structure of the background habitat, coexistence can be maintained through the tradeoff between regional dispersal and local consumption. Finally, we explore how the other oscillator in the system (the ant and its phorid parasitoid) can act as a pilot system, creating the spatial structure in which the other two oscillators operate, but only in the context of disjoint time frames (between the two control agents and the pilot subsystem).

Effect of ecological and conventional managements on soil enzymatic activities in coffee agroecosystems

ABSTRACT Understanding the impacts of agricultural practices on soil quality indicators, such as enzymatic activities, is of great importance, in order to advance in their diagnosis and sustainable management. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of ecological and conventional agricultural managements on enzymatic activities of a soil under coffee agroecosystems. The enzymatic activities were associated with the biogeochemical cycles of nitrogen (urease and protease), phosphorus (acid and alkaline phosphatase) and carbon (β-glucosidase), during the rainy and dry seasons. Physical-chemical soil proprieties were also assessed and related to resilience scores linked to the climatic variability reported for the areas under study. The activities of urease, alkaline and acid phosphatase and ß-glucosidase were statistically higher in ecological agroecosystems than in conventional ones. This may be attributed to the greater application of organic waste in the ecological environment, as well as to the absence of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, which allow better conditions for the microbial activity. The resilience scores to the climate variability that showed the highest correlations with the assessed enzymatic activities were: the farmers' knowledge on soil microorganisms, non-use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers and non-dependence on external supplies. It was concluded that the enzymatic activities are modified by the management systems, being specifically favored by the ecological management. This agroecosystem, in the long term, ensures an efficient use of the soil resources, with a lower degradation and contamination.

PHYSIOLOGICAL SELECTIVITY OF INSECTICIDES TO EGGS AND LARVAE OF PREDATOR Chrysoperla externa (HAGEN) (NEUROPTERA: CHRYSOPIDAE)

Given the importance of green lacewings as agents of biological pest control, the present study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of insecticides used on coffee crops on the eggs and larvae of Chrysoperla externa . The insecticides tested were (g or mL a.i./L) chlorpyrifos (2.25), cartap hydrochloride (1.66), pyriproxyfen (0.33), profenofos/lufenuron (1.33/0.13), fenpropathrin (0.40), triazophos/deltamethrin (0.70/0.02) and zetacypermethrin (0.05). The insecticides, when applied directly on the eggs, caused no adverse effects on the duration of the embryonic period. After the application of triazophos/deltamethrin, pyriproxyfen, profenofos/lufenuron and zetacypermethrin, a reduction in egg viability was induced. The insecticides triazophos/ deltamethrin, chlorpyrifos, and profenofos/lufenuron reduced the survival of newly hatched first instar larvae from treated eggs. The first instar larvae that were treated directly were sensitive to the effects of the products used, with the effect of triazophos and chlorpyrifos/deltamethrin being high. The survival of the second instar larvae was reduced by zetacypermethrin, fenpropathrin, profenofos/lufenuron, and cartap hydrochloride. The products chlorpyrifos and triazophos/deltamethrin also did not allow second instar larvae survival. For treated third instar larvae, chlorpyrifos and triazophos/deltamethrin allowed survival of only 20.0 and 57.5%. Eggs and larvae of C. externa showed sensitiveness to insecticides chlorpyrifos and triazophos, being needed more studies in semi-field and field conditions for the confirmation or not of the toxicity aiming the conservation of this predator specie on the coffee agroecosystem.

A new species of myrmecophilous lady beetle in the genus Diomus(Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Diomini) from Chiapas, Mexico that feeds on green coffee scale, Coccus viridis (Green) (Hemiptera: Coccidae).

A new species of myrmecophilous lady beetle, Diomus lupusapudoves, sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Diomini), is described from a coffee agroecosystem in Chiapas, Mexico. The new species was found preying on the green coffee scale pest, Coccus viridis (Green), tended primarily by Azteca sericeasur Longino and Pheidole synanthropica Longino ants. The larval, pupal, and adult stages of the new species are described and habitus illustrations or photos provided along with anatomical details of the adult male and female genitalia. The species is most similar to Diomus thoracicus Fabricius (=type species of Diomus), another myrmecophile, which inhabits ant nests and feeds on ant brood. The new species has a peculiar onisciform larva that lacks dorsal setae, features that it shares with D. thoracicus. The new species is only the second species in the genus reported as a myrmecophile, although the life histories of most species have been poorly documented.

Opportunities for sustainable intensification of coffee agro-ecosystems along an altitudinal gradient on Mt. Elgon, Uganda

The viability of coffee farming in East Africa is endangered by multiple factors including climate change, population pressure, low yields, and coffee price volatility. Sustainable intensification (SI) through intercropping and/or agroforestry has been suggested to improve farmers’ livelihoods, facilitate adaptation of coffee production to climate change and contribute to biodiversity conservation.In order to understand how sustainable intensification through an ecosystem-based approach might offer opportunities to respond to changes in temperature and rainfall, we analyzed a variety of existing coffee agro-ecosystems that differ in vegetation structure, shade tree diversity, and socio-economic characteristics on Mt. Elgon, Uganda along an altitudinal gradient (1100–2100 m.a.s.l.). We (i) compared the performance of the agro-ecosystems regarding coffee yield and shade tree diversity, and (ii) analyzed determinants of adoption of each system. Three different coffee agro-ecosystems were identified: open canopy coffee system, coffee-banana intercropping, and coffee-tree systems, based on the vegetation structure of 144 coffee plots.The vegetation structure of the analyzed coffee systems varied along the altitudinal gradient. Banana density increased with increasing altitude, while shade tree density and diversity increased with decreasing altitude. Coffee yield also increased with increasing altitude, but this relationship varied with shade level. Coffee yields benefited from shade trees at low altitudes, while no yield differences among systems were observed at mid and high altitudes. Increasing water availability and reliance on on-farm food crops with increasing altitude were identified as the main determinants of the increasing intercropped banana densities. High temperatures and longer dry season in combination with reduced access to forest products at lower altitudes, appeared to be the main driver for increased adoption of coffee-tree systems. Furthermore, socio-economic status of farmers influenced the type of coffee system adopted; poor farmers preferred high intercropping (either with bananas and/or shade trees) to diversify income and reduce risks related to open systems, while wealthier farmers mainly owned open canopy coffee systems.Climate, farm and household size, and access to forests and markets, play a crucial role in determining what constellation of plot-level provisioning ecosystem services benefit farmers’ livelihoods on Mt. Elgon. Our findings reveal inherent trade-offs in socio-ecological conditions. Minimizing these is required for achieving the multiple objectives of livelihood improvement, sustainable intensification of coffee production, and biodiversity conservation.

Resting microhabitats of males of the endemic Rheohyla miotympanum (Hylidae) in different habitats of the tropical montane forest in Central Veracruz, Mexico

ABSTRACTAnuran conservation is paramount, as frogs represent a group of vertebrates that is highly threatened by various anthropogenic and environmental factors. Habitat management decisions must therefore be made considering the interactions between amphibians and their microhabitats. We determined the resting microhabitats of an endemic arboreal male frog, considering biotic and abiotic variables in tropical montane forest fragments and shaded coffee agroecosystems in Central Veracruz, Mexico. In a sampling effort undertaken by 580 person-hours, covering 1100 ha, 157 male small-eared treefrogs, Rheohyla miotympanum (Cope, 1863), were recorded resting in 29 plant species. Using coinertia analysis, the resting microhabitats were shown to mainly consist of five herbaceous and shrub species. Post hoc analysis showed that the significant relationship with the resting microhabitats was explained by the importance of the presence of plant species that grow at higher elevations, enabling low frog body temperature, and at a crucial distance of no more than two meters from the nearest water body. We therefore emphasize the importance of conserving coffee agroecosystems and tropical montane forest fragments, which provide resting microhabitats essential to the survival of this endemic frog in Mexico.

Intensificación de la producción en la agricultura orgánica: caso café


 
 
 En la región costeña de Oaxaca, en la parte media de la cuenca, se encuentra el agroecosistema cafetalero, donde además de los servicios ambientales, la producción del aromático es la base de la economía campesina, vulnerable a desastres asociados a tormentas y ciclones tropicales. Por ejemplo, antes del huracán Paulina se producían de 12 a 15 quintales ha, 13 años después del meteoro los cafetales tienen una cubierta vegetal con 81% de sombra, 7 000 kilos de hojarasca ha sobre el suelo y un rendimiento medio de sólo 2.9 qq/ha. La lixiviación del suelo ha conducido a la degradación edáfica donde el pH es de 5.4, la relación C/N de 11.57 y el fósforo disponible de 17.68 mg kg. Por ello, en un esquema de parcelas demostrativas se promueve: la restauración de la biología del suelo, de la materia orgánica, para la remineralización del suelo se incorporan minerales secundarios no metálicos, como zeolitas, dolomitas y roca fosfórica; se practica la inoculación de microorganismos: Azotobacter y micorrizas, así como la incorporación de compostas y la fertilización foliar.
 
 

The Hawaii Protocol for Scientific Monitoring of Coffee Berry Borer: a Model for Coffee Agroecosystems Worldwide.

Coffee berry borer (CBB) is the most devastating insect pest for coffee crops worldwide. We developed a scientific monitoring protocol that is aimed at capturing and quantifying the dynamics and impact of this invasive insect pest as well as the development of its host plant across a heterogeneous landscape. The cornerstone of this comprehensive monitoring system is timely georeferenced data collection on CBB movement, coffee berry infestation, mortality by the fungus Beauveria bassiana, and coffee plant phenology via a mobile electronic data recording application. This electronic data collection system allows field records to be georeferenced through built-in global positioning systems, and is backed by a network of weather stations and records of farm management practices. Comprehensive monitoring of CBB and host plant dynamics is an essential part of an area-wide project in Hawaii to aggregate landscape-level data for research to improve management practices. Coffee agroecosystems in other parts of the world that experience highly variable environmental and socioeconomic factors will also benefit from implementing this protocol, in that it will drive the development of customized integrated pest management (IPM) to manage CBB populations.

Intermediate disturbance promotes termite functional diversity in intensively managed Vietnamese coffee agroecosystems

The intensive agricultural practices used in coffee plantations have profound impacts on invertebrate biodiversity. We surveyed termite diversity in the central highlands of Vietnam and evaluated it relative to the in situ ecological conditions of the coffee farms. Two survey sites were established at farms that were in place for 1 month and 1, 3, 5, and 25 years at the time of sampling. In addition, two models were tested: the diversity–resource relationship and the diversity–disturbance relationship. Our results demonstrated that the loss of termite diversity due to land perturbation in newly cultivated coffee farms may be as high as 86% compared with the nearest forested site. Only two feeding groups of termite (Group II and Group III) were present in the study sites. Termite composition of young and old farms was similar, but they only shared 48% similarity and differed significantly from the composition of the 1, 3, and 5 year old coffee farms. Understory vegetation cover and moisture content were positively associated with the occurrence of Group II and III termites but negatively associated with soil bulk density. Termite species richness did not increase linearly with the increased biomass production (plant litter) that is characteristic of old coffee farms. In contrast, termite species richness and occurrence were related to the intensity of farm management. Farms subjected to an intermediate level of management intensity due to annual crop cultivation recorded the highest diversity. Our study highlights the importance of annual crop cultivation to enhance termite diversity.

Influences of Species Interactions With Aggressive Ants and Habitat Filtering on Nest Colonization and Community Composition of Arboreal Twig-Nesting Ants.

Ant community assembly is driven by many factors including species interactions (e.g., competition, predation, parasitism), habitat filtering (e.g., vegetation differences, microclimate, food and nesting resources), and dispersal. Canopy ant communities, including dominant and twig-nesting ants, are structured by all these different factors, but we know less about the impacts of species interactions and habitat filters acting at the colonization or recruitment stage. We examined occupation of artificial twig nests placed in shade trees in coffee agroecosystems. We asked whether species interactions-aggression from the dominant canopy ant, Azteca sericeasur Longino (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)-or habitat filtering-species of tree where nests were placed or surrounding vegetation-influence colonization, species richness, and community composition of twig-nesting ants. We found 20 species of ants occupying artificial nests. Nest occupation was lower on trees with A. sericeasur, but did not differ depending on tree species or surrounding vegetation. Yet, there were species-specific differences in occupation depending on A. sericeasur presence and tree species. Ant species richness did not vary with A. sericeasur presence or tree species. Community composition varied with A. sericeasur presence and surrounding vegetation. Our results suggest that species interactions with dominant ants are important determinants of colonization and community composition of twig-nesting ants. Habitat filtering at the level of tree species did not have strong effects on twig-nesting ants, but changes in coffee management may contribute to differences in community composition with important implications for ant conservation in agricultural landscapes, as well as biological control of coffee pests.