Assessing the Conservation Value of Shade-Grown Coffee: a Biological Perspective using Neotropical Birds.

Abstract

Shade-grown coffee has been marketed as a less intensive management practice that may help improve biodiversity conservation (Perfecto et al. 1996). Studies have shown higher species richness in shade-grown coffee than sun, however, effects on bird species of conservation concern are not clear. This study uses two international conservation lists produced by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to evaluate potential benefits for Neotropical birds. Sixty-six species of birds observed in coffee grown with a shade component were found on either the IUCN or CITES lists. An alternative approach may be to use range-restricted endemic birds as indicators of conservation success (ICBP 1992). Countries with high numbers of these endemics are among the highest-ranked producers of coffee. Biodiversity-friendly agriculture is only in its infancy, with coffee as an important test case. Improved assessment and monitoring of species at risk, Neotropical birds in this case, can provide an important guide for future research while improving consumer confidence in this complicated effort.

A number of studies have shown that coffee farms using less intensive management practices (shade-grown) contain a higher diversity of resident and migratory birds (Wunderle & Latta 1996, Greenburg, et al. 1997b). The initial promise of these studies has spurred a movement to market certified "shade-grown" coffees. These coffees currently focus on producing high quality taste to compete with other gourmet coffees, but are sold at higher prices (by including a price premium) to provide incentives for farmers to use less intensive growing practices. While these marketing efforts have emphasized the general benefits to tropical biodiversity and migratory birds, the direct benefits of shade-grown coffee for species identified as meriting conservation attention has received little attention. Higher numbers of species does not necessarily translate into better conservation since common species often move into human-managed landscapes artificially inflating species richness. Consequently, a better measure is needed to assess the conservation value of alternative land-use management practices like shade-grown coffee. This paper uses two well-known international lists that identify species which merit conservation attention produced by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to assess how many birds species of conservation concern might benefit from shade-grown coffee in the Neotropics.

This study compared IUCN and CITES bird lists with those found in eight research publications on birds found in coffee plantations that contained some level of shade canopy as defined by the authors, excluding those found in areas defined as sun coffee. Sixty-six species of Neotropical birds listed by IUCN or CITES have been observed in shade coffee plantations (Table 1) suggesting there may be some conservation value that may enhance traditional conservation programs (i.e., park conservation). While CITES gives us a good snapshot of species that could benefit from changes in habitat management, the list is somewhat selective since species are placed on the list to impede the international wildlife trade. Several groups including birds of prey, parrots, and hummingbirds receive blanket coverage to improve enforcement efforts. However, even with these groups removed from Table 1, ten species remain based on other criteria including the Golden-cheeked Warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia; U.S. Endangered Species and long distance migrant), rare endemics like the Azure-rumped Tanager (Tangara cabanisi) and national symbols like the Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno).

Table 1. Neotropical bird species of international concern observed in shade coffee plantations as listed by the World Conservation Union (IUCN), where END= endangered and NT=threatened) (Collar, et al. 1992, Collar, et al. 1994) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES appendix listing, see Figure 1), grouped by order and family. Data compiled by author.

Common            Scientific        IUCN    CITES       REFS
 Name               Name

FALCONIFORMES

Barred            Micrastur                  II          i
Forest-Falcon      ruficolis
Sharp-skinned     Accipeter                  II         d, f
 Hawk              striatus
White Hawk        Leucopternis               II           f
                   albicollis
Black             Spizaetus                  II           f
 Hawk-Eagle        tyrannus
Grey Hawk         Buteo                      II           f
                   nitidus
Roadside Hawk     Buteo                      II       b, d, f, i
                   magnirostris
Red-throated      Daptrius                   II       b, d, f, i
 Caracara          americanus

GALLIFORMES
(Cracidae)
Great             Crax rubra                 III          f
 Currasow
Highland Guan     Penelopina        NT       III          f
                   nigra
Plain             Ortalis                    III         a, f
 Chachalaca        vetula

PSITTACIFORMES
Blue-and-         Ara ararauna               II           b
 yellow Macaw
Red-bellied       Ara manilata               II           b
 Macaw
Chestnut-         Ara severa                 II           b
 fronted Macaw
White-fronted     Amazona                    II           a
 Parrot            albifrons
Red-lored         Amazona                    II           d
 Parrot            autumnalis
Yellow-crowned    Amazona                    II           b
 Parrot            ochrocephala
Hispaniolan       Amazona           NT       II           j
 Parrot            ventralis
White-crowned     Pionis                     II           d
 Parrot            senilis
Black-headed      Pionites                   II           b
 Parrot            melanocephala
Blue-headed       Pionus                     II           b
 Parrot            menstuus
Olive-throated    Aratinga                   II           e
 Parakeet          astec
Orange-fronted    Aratinga                   II           f
 Parakeet          canicularis
Green             Aratinga                   II           a
 Parakeet          holochlora
Cobalt-winged     Brotogeris                 II           b
 Parakeet          cyanoptera

STRIGIFORMES
Mottled Owl       Strix virgata              II           f
Tropical          Otus                       II           b
 Screech-Owl       choliba
Ferruginous       Glaucidium                 II          b, f
 Pygmy-Owl         brasilianum

PICIFORMES
(Rhamphastidae)
Red-billed        Rhamphastos                II           b
 Toucan            tucanus

TROGONIFORMES
Resplendent       Pharomachrus      NT       I            h
 Quetzal           mocinno

CORACIIFORMES
(Todidae)
Narrow-billed     Todus             NT                    j
 Tody              angustirostris

APODIFORMES
Little Hermit     Phaethornis                II          d, e
                   longuemareus
Great-billed      Phaethornis                II           b
Hermit            malaris
Reddish Hermit    Phaethornis                II           b
                   ruber
Long-tailed       Phaethornis                II          d, e
 Hermit            superciliosus
Emerald-          Abeilia                    II           c
 chinned           abeillei
Hummingbird
Jamaican          Anthracothorax             II           g
 Mango             mango
Berylline         Amazilia                   II           f
 Hummingbird       beryllina
White-bellied     Amazilia                   II           f
 Emerald           candida
Azure-crowned     Amazilia                   II          d, e
 Hummingbird       cyanocephala
Blue-tailed       Amazilia                   II           c
 Hummingbird       cyanura
Snowy-bellied     Amazilia                   II           i
 Hummingbird       edward
Cinnamon          Amazilia                   II          a, f
 Hummingbird       rutila
Rufous-tailed     Amazilia                   II         d, e, i
 Hummingbird       tzacatl
Green-fronted     Amazilia                   II           f
 Hummingbird       viridifrons
Antillean         Anthracothorax             II           j
 Mango             viridis
Ruby-throated     Archilochus                II         d, e, f
 Hummingbird       colubris
Wine-throated     Atthis                     II           f
 Hummingbird       ellioti
Violet            Campylopterus              II         d, f, i
 Sabrewing         hemileucurus
Gray-breasted     Campylopterus              II           b
 Sabrewing         largipennis
Rufous            Campylopterus              II           f
 Sabrewing         rufus
Fork-tailed       Chlorostilbon              II           d
 Emerald           canivetti
Hispaniolan       Chlorostilbon              II           j
 Emerald           canivetii
Magnificent       Eugens                     II          d, f
 Hummingbird       fulgens
Plain-capped      Heliomaster                II           f
 Starthroat        constantii
Long-billed       Heliomaster                II          d, f
 Starthroat        longirostris
Blue-throated     Hylocharis                 II           f
 Goldentail        eliciae
White-eared       Hylocharis                 II           d
 Hummingbird       leucotis
Amethyst-         Lampornis                  II           d
 throated          amethystinus
 Hummingbird
Blue-throated     Lampornis                  II           f
 Hummingbird       clemeciae
Green-throated    Lampornis                  II          d, f
 Mountain-gem      viridipallens
Vervain           Mellisuga                  II          g, j
 Hummingbird       minima
Sparkling-        Tilmatura                  II           f
 tailed            dupontii
 Hummingbird
Streamertail      Trochilus                  II           g
                   polytmus

PASSERIFORMES
Parulidae
Golden-cheeked    Dendroica         END                   f
 Warbler           chrysoparia

Thraupidae
Azure-rumped      Tangara           END                   c
 Tanager           cabanisi

Fringillidae
Black-capped      Carduelis         NT                    f
Siskin            atriceps

References

(a) Calvo and Blake 1998 (b) Canaday 1997 (c) Dietsch, pers. obs (d) Greenberg et al. 1997a (e) Greenberg et al. 1997b (f) Fuerrero 1999 (g) Johnson 2000 (h) Puebla et al. 1999 (i) Roberts et al. 2000 (j) Wunderle and Latta 1996

This review focused on the Neotropics where the majority of the work on birds and coffee has been conducted and does not include endangered species lists from individual countries. Another approach evaluating conservation potential may be to use endemic range-restricted (less than 50,000 [km.sup.2]) species as a subset of birds more likely to face conservation problems (ICBP 1992). There seems to be a strong correlation between countries with high coffee production and high numbers of range-restricted endemic birds (Table 2). In the highlands of southern Mexico, 26 of these rare bird species are found and depending on habitat requirements could benefit from the expanded use of sustainable "biodiversity-friendly" coffee growing practices (ICBP 1992). Ten of these endemic species appear on species lists from coffee plantations in southern Mexico and Guatemala (Greenberg et al. 1997a & b, Peters pers. comm., Dietsch pers. obs.). In Jamaica, Johnson (2000) found 17 of 35 endemics in shade coffee plantations.

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These results suggest that conservation benefits for endemic and resident birds in the Neotropics merit more attention, especially since these birds are further constrained by breeding requirements. Of the 66 species listed here, only three are long distance migrants, a major focus of the current birds and coffee literature and marketing material. However, much more work is needed, the birds reported in Table 1 are from just a handful of studies in a fraction of the countries currently producing coffee. A number of studies are currently underway that should provide a more complete assessment for the Neotropics including Mexico, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Columbia, and Peru but more work is needed in other major coffee producing areas (i.e., Brazil and Costa Rica). While some work has been done in India, other parts of the world are conspicuously absent from the coffee-and bird literature, most notably Africa and Southeast Asia, both major coffee producing regions (FAO 1999). Evaluating particular groups that may be at risk from management practices should improve assessments of conservation value as research continues.

Numerous challenges still remain before this approach to a conservation problem can be judged a success. Just as higher diversity does not necessarily mean better conservation, neither does the presence of an endangered species. Many of the species listed in Table 1 may have been adversely affected by the removal of original forest and native overstory trees at mid-altitudes (300 to 1,500 meters) as coffee has expanded and intensified in the Neotropics. Consequently, incentives to farmers through certification programs may help reverse this trend by encouraging the retention of native trees in the overstory, but only if gains are not offset by encouraging additional clearing of remaining forests for coffee production. Proposed certification criteria also have yet to be tested for their effectiveness in separating management practices that provide suitable habitat for birds and other taxa. While using these lists highlights the potential connections between the conservation of endangered or threatened Neotropical birds and shade-grown coffee, ultimately, the success of this effort will depend on how readily consumers respond to the idea of paying higher prices and thus contributing directly to the costs of conservation.

Figure 1. CITES Appendix definitions

CITES Appendix definitions

1. Appendix I shall include all species threatened with extinction which are or may be affected by trade. Trade in specimens of these species must be subject to particularly strict regulation in order not to endanger further their survival and must only be authorized in exceptional circumstances.

2. Appendix II shall include:

a) all species which although not necessarily now threatened with extinction may become so unless trade in specimens of such species is subject to strict regulation in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival; and

b) other species which must be subject to regulation in order that trade in specimens of certain species referred to in subparagraph (a) of this paragraph may be brought under effective control.

3. Appendix III shall include all species which any Party identifies as being subject to regulation within its jurisdiction for the purposes of preventing or restricting exploitation, and as needing the cooperation of other parties in the control of trade.

Literature cited

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Canaday, C. Loss of insectivorous birds along a gradient of human impact in Amazonia. Biological Conservation 77: 63-77.

Collar, N.J., M.J. Crosby and A.J. Stattersfield. 1994. Birds to Watch 2. The World List of Threatened Birds. Birdlife conservation series no. 4. Bird life International. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington DC, 407 p.

Collar, N.J., L.P. Gonzaga, N. Krabbe, A. Madrono Nieto, L.G. Naranjo, TA. Parker III, and D.C. Wege. 1992. Threatened Birds of the Americas. The ICBP/IUCN Red Data Book. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington DC, 1150p.

Greenberg, R., P. Bichier, and J. Sterling. 1997a. Bird populations in rustic and planted shade coffee plantations of eastern Chiapas, Mexico. Biotropica 29(4): 501-514.

Greenberg, R., P. Bichier, A. C. Angon, and R. Reitsma. 1997b. Bird Populations in shade and sun coffee in central Guatemala. Conservation Biology 11(2): 448459.

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FAO 1999. FAO Production Yearbook 1998. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome.

ICBP 1992. Putting biodiversity on the map: Priority areas for global conservation. International Council for Bird Preservation, Cambridge, U.K., 90 p.

Johnson, M.D. 2000. Effects of shade-tree species and crop structure on the winter arthropod and bird communities in a Jamaican shade coffee plantation. Biotropica 32(1): 133-145.

Perfecto, I., R. A. Rice, R. Greenberg, and M. E. Van der Voort. 1996. Shade coffee: A disappearing refuge for biodiversity. BioScience 46: 598-608.

Puebla, L.F., J. Guzman Hdz. & R. Villegas-Patraca. 1999. Personal communication. Sixth Neotropical Ornithology Congress, Monterrey, MX.

Roberts, D. L., R. J. Cooper, L. J. Petit. 2000. Flock characteristics of ant-following birds in premontane moist forest and coffee agroecosystems. Ecological Applications 10: 1414-1425.

Peters, W. 1999. Personal communication. Finca Irlanda, Tapachula, Chis., MX.

Wunderle, Jr., J. M., and S. C. Latta. 1996. Avian abundance in sun and shade coffee plantations and remnant pine forest in the Cordillera Central, Dominican Republic. Ornitologia Neotropical 7: 19-34.

Wunderle, J.M. 1999. Avian distribution in Dominican shade coffee plantations: Area and habitat relationships. Journal of Field Ornithology 70(1): 58-70.

Thomas V. Dietsch School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, 430 E. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109; [e-mail]