A survey of agrobiodiversity in Gachsaran county and influence of climatic factors

Document Type : Scientific - Research

Authors

• Fakhrodin Hashemi Shadegani ¹
• Kouros Khoshbakht ²
• Abdolmajid Mahdavi Damghani ²
• Hadi Veisi ²
• Hooman Liaghati ²

¹ Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran

² Department of Agroecology, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Iran

10.22067/jag.v2i1.7591

Abstract

Biodiversity is an important component in sustainability assessment of agroecosystems. Along with increasing or decreasing of biodiversity, ecosystem services in agroecosystems will be varied. Agricultural experts take into account different factors which affect agroecosystems variation. In this study, farming systems of two areas including a protected mountainous area and also a plain – hilly area in southwestern Iran from agrobiodiversity aspects are studied. In case of field crops species richness, plain – hilly area (average 4.35 versus 3.25 in mountainous area) and in horticultural systems, mountainous protected area (average 2.76 versus 0.9 species in plain area) had better situations. Shannon – Weiner index had the scores range from 1.25 to 1.87 in different villages which was harmonious with former estimations in Iran. Simple regression showed that mean horticultural species richness raised significantly with increasing altitudes, however in other systems, no significant trend were observed. It seems that in mountainous areas, investment on sustainable rural livelihood should be concentrated on gardening development. Homegardens species richness reduced significantly, in villages thar were far from urban centers. Results showed that there is significant and positive correlation between agronomic and horticultural systems regarding species richness and relative household income

Keywords

• Agroecosystems
• Income
• Protected areas
• Species richness
• Sustainability

---

References

1- Abdoellah, O.S., Hadikusumah, H.Y., Takeuchi, K., Okubo, S., and Parikesit, D. 2006. Commercialization of homegardens in an Indonesian village: vegetation composition and functional changes. Agroforest Syst. 68: 1–13

2- Abebe, T., 2005. Diversity in homegarden agroforestry systems of southern Ethiopia. PhD Dissertation, Wageningen University, Wageningen.

3- Bardsley, D., and Thomas, I. 2006. Valuing local wheat landraces for agrobiodiversity conservation in Northeast Turkey. Agric Ecosystems Environ. 106: 407-412.

4- Benton, T.G., Vickery, J.A., and Wilson, J.D. 2003. Farmland biodiversity: is habitat heterogeneity the key. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 18(4): 182–188.

5- Biala, K., Peeters, A., Muys, B., Hermy, M., Brouckaert, V., Garcia, V., Van der Vaken, B., and Valckx, J. 2003. Biodiversity indicators as tools to assess sustainability levels of agroecosystem, with a special consideration of grassland areas. Options Mediterraneennes, Series A, No. 67

6- Binswanger, H.P., and McIntire, J. 1987. Behavior and material determinants of production relations in land abundant tropical agriculture. Economic Development and Cultural Change 36: 73–99.

7- Blaikie, P.M. 1971. Spatial organization of agriculture in some north Indian villages: part II. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 53: 15–30.

8- Boserup, E. 1965. The Conditions of Agricultural Growth: the Economics of Agrarian Change under Population Pressure. Earthscan Publications, London.

9- Fernandes, E.C.M., and Nair, P.K.R. 1986. An evaluation of the structure and function of tropical homegardens. Agric. Syst. 21: 279–310.

10- Gonçalves-Gomes, E., de Mello, J.C., da Silva e Souza, G., Angulo Meza, L., and Mangabeira, J.A. 2009. Efficiency and sustainability assessment for a group of farmers in Brazilian Amazon. Ann Oper Res.169:167-181.

11- Hoogerbrugge, I.D., and Fresco, L.O. 1993. Homegarden systems: agricultural characteristics and challenges. Gatekeeper Series No. 39. IIED, London

12- Kabir, M.E., and Webb, E.L., 2009. Household and homegarden characteristics in southwestern Bangladesh. Agroforest Syst.75:129-145.

13- Kaya, M., Kammesheidt, L., and Weidelt, H.J. 2002. The forest garden system of Saparua Island, Central Maluku, Indonesia, and its role in maintaining tree species diversity. Agroforest Syst. 54: 225–234.

14- Kehlenbeck, K., and Maass, B.L. 2005. Crop diversity and classification of homegardens in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Agroforest. Syst. 63: 53–62.

15- McMillan, D.E., Sanders, J.H., Koenig, D., Akwabi-ameyaw, K., and Painter, T.M. 1998. New land is not enough: agricultural performance of new lands settlement in West Africa. World Development 26: 187–211.

16- Nassiri, M., Koochaki, A., and Mazaheri, D. 2005. Crop species diversity of Iran. Desert 10 (1): 39-42. (In Persian with English Summary)

17- Peyre, A., Guidal, A., Wiersum, K.F., and Bongers, F. 2006. Homegarden dynamics in Kerala, India. In: Kumar, B.M., Nair, P.K.R. (Eds.) Tropical homegardens: a time-tested example of sustainable agroforestry. Springer, Dordrecht, the Netherlands, pp. 87–103.

18- Rana, R.B., Garforth, C., Sthapit, B., and Jarvis, D. 2007. Influence of socio-economic and cultural factors in rice varietal diversity management on-farm in Nepal. Agriculture and Human Values 24: 461-472.

19- Reardon, T., Barrett, C.B., Kelly, V., and Savadogo, K. 2001. In: Lee, D.R., Barrett, C.B. (Eds.), Tradeoffs or Synergies? Agricultural Intensification, Economic Development and the Environment. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, UK.

20- Ruthenberg, H. 1980. Farming Systems in the Tropics, second ed. Clarendon Press, Oxford.

21- Thapa, G.B., and Rasul, G. 2005. Patterns and determinants of agricultural systems in the Chittagong hill tracts of Bangladesh. Agricultural Systems 84: 255-277.

22- Trinh, L.N., Watson, J.W., Hue, N.N., De, N.N., Minh, N.V., Chu, P., Sthapit, B.R., and Eyzaguirre, P.B. 2003. Agrobiodiversity conservation and development in Vietnamese home gardens. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 97: 317-344.

23- Turner II, B.L., and Brush, S.B. 1987. Comparative Farming Systems. The Guildford Press, New York.

24- van Ittersum, M.K., Ewert, F., Heckelei, T., Wery, J., Olsson, J.A., Andersen, E., Bezlepkina, I., Brouwer, F., Donatelli, M., Flichman, G., Olsson, L., Rizzoli, A.E., van der Wal, T., Wien, J.E., and Wolf, J. 2008. Integrated assessment of agricultural systems – a component-based framework for the European Union (SEAMLESS). Agricultural Systems 96: 150-165.