Change in oak to pine dominance in secondary forests may reduce shifting agriculture yields: experimental evidence from Chiapas, Mexico

• Published in: Agriculture, ecosystems & environment Vol. 102; no. 3; pp. 389 - 401
• Main Authors: Garcı́a-Barrios, Luis, González-Espinosa, Mario
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.05.2004; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Chiapas, Mexico; corn; crop yield; forest soils; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agroecology; General agroecology. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development. Rural area planning. Landscaping; General agronomy. Plant production; Generalities. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development; Litter quality; Maize; Mexico; oak; Pinus; Pot trial; Quercus; Secondary forests; shifting cultivation; Slash-and-burn; soil fertility; Soil pH; Succession; Sustainable agriculture; Triticum aestivum; Wheat; Zea mays; Mexico; Central America; America; Pot trial; Slash-and-burn; Secondary forests; Soil pH; Succession; Sustainable agriculture; Litter quality; Maize; Wheat; Monocotyledones; Pinus; Cereal crop; Gramineae; Dicotyledones; Agricultural production; Angiospermae; Gymnospermae; Secondary forest; Floristic composition; Zea mays; Litter; Dominance; Natural forest regeneration; Woody plant; Fagaceae; Vegetation succession; Burning; Quercus; Coniferales; Spermatophyta; Fallow land; Triticum aestivum

In areas where fallow agriculture is practiced under increasing pressure on land, reduced soil fertility may derive not only from shorter fallow periods, but also from changes in floristic composition and structure in regenerating forest patches. The possible effects of these latter on soil fertilit...