Abstract

RUELAS-MONJARDIN, Laura C.; NAVA-TABLADA, Martha Elena; CERVANTES, Juan  and  BARRADAS, Víctor L.. Environmental importance of coffee shade agroecosystems of the mountainous central zone of Veracruz state, Mexico. Madera bosques [online]. 2014, vol.20, n.3, pp.27-40. ISSN 2448-7597.

The shade-grown coffee agroecosystem has contributed to mitigate the loss of ecosystem services provided by the tropical cloud forest in the mountainous central region of Veracruz. This is largely due to the fact that this cultivation type is friendly with that forest ecosystem. Although, despite the multiple services that this cultivation provides, coffee production has been losing importance among producers. The objective of this research was to identify the farmers' perception about the importance of growing coffee under shade in the provision of environmental services and whether this influences their willingness to maintain this agroecosystem. This perception is analyzed in the context of regional changes in temperature and precipitation, which could be related to transformations in forest cover. In order to address the perceptions a case study method was employed. The case study was carried out by analyzing the results of a questionnaire administered to 51 producers of the locality of La Orduña, Coatepec, Ver. In order to study the historical changes in regional precipitation and temperature, data from three climatic stations close to La Orduña were employed. Data were analyzed with the procedures recommended by the World Meteorological Organization. Results display changes in regional climate, as well as the producers' identification of the main environmental benefits that shade-grown coffee provide. Similarly, they show their willingness to maintain this culture, providing government policies financially remunerate the environmental services that this agroecosystem supply.

Keywords : deforestation; environmental perceptions; precipitation; forest environmental services; temperature.

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