Trees and farming in the dry zone of southern Honduras II: the potential for tree diversity conservation |
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| Authors: | JE Gordon WD Hawthorne G Sandoval AJ Barrance |
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| Institution: | (1) Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RB, United Kingdom;(2) Present address: Department of Geography, University of Durham, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom;(3) Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RB, United Kingdom;(4) Herbario TEFH, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras;(5) Overseas Development Institute, 111 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7JD, United Kingdom |
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| Abstract: | The potential of the dry zone agro-ecosystem of southern Honduras to contribute to the conservation of Mesoamerican dry forest
tree diversity is evaluated. Four rural communities containing eight land uses were surveyed using rapid botanical sampling
resulting in the identification of 241 tree and shrub species. As a result of ordination analysis, it is concluded that the
land uses are relatively similar in their species composition, particularly maize fields (milpas), fallows, pastures and woodlots, because of the predominance of natural regeneration. Therefore all land uses might contribute
to local tree diversity conservation. Those land uses in which planting also contributes to diversity, home gardens (solares) and orchards, are more distinct; however the tree species found there are widespread and often exotics and thus not the usual
focus of conservation measures. Across the landscape the total complement of species considered a global priority for biodiversity
conservation is very low and therefore this agro-ecosystem does not represent a good place in which to implement dry forest
tree diversity conservation programmes. Instead its value is likely to be in the contribution that tree diversity makes to
rural livelihoods. Particular consideration is given to Swietenia humilis Zucc. (small leaved mahogany) and its status as a threatened species is questioned because of its abundance within this landscape
and its wide distribution.
This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. |
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| Keywords: | Biodiversity Dry forest Landscape Mesoamerica Swietenia humilis |
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