I previously discussed the important species and varieties of coffee. An understanding of these varieties can be of great help to consumers looking for sustainable coffee, as different types are typically grown under shade or sun conditions. The species and…
Revised on November 14, 2019Birds and other biodiversity
Coffee growing areas and biodiversity hotspots overlap, illustrating the importance of encouraging — through our purchasing power — coffee farms that preserve habitat.
Revised on August 14, 2011Gordon, C., R. Manson, J. Sundberg, and A. Cruz-Angon. 2006. Biodiversity, profitability, and vegetation structure in a Mexican coffee agrosystem. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment 118:256-266. This study looked at coffee grown in various types of shade in central Mexico, and…
Revised on November 2, 2010Gleffe, J.D., J. A. Collazo, M. J. Groom, and L. Miranda-Castro. 2006. Avian reproduction and the conservation value of shaded coffee plantations. Ornitologia Neotropical 17: 271-282. Most of the research on birds and coffee farms focuses on migrant birds which…
Revised on July 8, 2021The economic value of coffee (Coffea arabica) genetic resources. Wild coffee, and therefore its genetic resources, are only found where the species originated, in the highland forests of Ethiopia.
Revised on December 23, 2018The November/December 2006 issue of Bird Watcher’s Digest has an article on shade coffee by author and well-known birder Paul Baicich. It’s on newstands now, and gives a nice overview of shade coffee benefits and issues.
Revised on January 7, 2022Here are some very brief summaries of research that had to do with coffee growing that were presented at North American Ornithological Conference. I also put together a page with full abstracts, and author contacts. Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea) foraging…
Revised on November 12, 2012Assessing habitat quality for a migratory songbird wintering in natural and agricultural habitats.
Revised on November 28, 2020The Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea) is a bird in trouble. It breeds in the eastern U.S. and winters in South America, and populations have been on the slide in recent decades — faster than any other eastern warbler. It is…
Revised on January 7, 2022Senbeta, F. and M. Denich. 2006. Effects of wild coffee management on species diversity in the Afromontane rainforests of Ethiopia. Forest Ecology and Management 232:68-74. Traditional coffee management in Ethiopia ranges from harvesting cherries in relatively undisturbed forest, to reducing…
Revised on February 21, 2016The main thrust of Coffee & Conservation is how to choose sustainable coffees — those that help preserve biodiversity. The more you understand the depth and urgency of the biodiversity crisis we face on Earth today, the more motivated you…
Revised on July 8, 2021Garcia Estrada, C., A. Damon, C. Sanchez Hernandez, L. Soto Pinto, and G. Ibarra Nunez. 2006. Bat diversity in montane rainforest and shaded coffee under different management practices in southeastern Chiapas, Mexico. Biological Conservation 132:351-361. Southeastern Chiapas is Mexico’s primary…
Revised on December 11, 2018Williams-GuillÁ©n, K., C. McCann, J.C. MartÁnez SÁ¡nchez, and F. Koontz. 2006. Resource availability and habitat use by mantled howling monkeys in a Nicaraguan coffee plantation: can agroforests serve as core habitat for a forest mammal? Animal Conservation (published as an…
Revised on December 23, 2018Borkhataria, R. R., J. A. Collazo, and M. J. Groom. 2006. Additive effects of vertebrate predators on insects in a Puerto Rican coffee plantation. Ecological Applications 16:696-703. The authors used an exclosure study to see if birds and lizards had…
Revised on November 14, 2019Perfecto, I., J. Vandermeer, A. Mas, and L. Soto Pinto. 2005. Biodiversity, yield, and shade coffee certification. Ecological Economics 54:435-446. The more complex overstory (and thus shade) in a coffee plantation, the higher the diversity. However, the more shade, the…
Revised on October 26, 2010