International: Birds, Bugs, and Beans ? Ecosystem Services and Conservation Incentives in Developing Countries

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This award supports interdisciplinary research and training on ecosystem services by Dr. Matthew Johnson of Humboldt State University, in collaboration with economist Dr. Steven Hackett together with international researchers from ICIPE Nairobi, National Museums of Kenya, the University of the West Indies and the Jamaican Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT). The project trains small groups of undergraduate and graduate students on research to develop coffee cultivation practices that optimize bird biodiversity, insect pest control, and coffee crop yield. Students will take fall semester preparatory courses and then engage in 5 weeks of field research during the winter break (Jamaica in year 1, and Kenya in years 2 and 3).Through a comparative analysis of Jamaican and Kenyan coffee farms, this research will develop knowledge of the complex relationships between bird biodiversity, tree canopies (supply both habitat for birds and shade to coffee farms) and pest control services provided by the birds. In addition to contributing to the science of ecosystem services, this research also provides insight into habitats for migratory birds traveling from northern to tropical climates and trains new scientists competent in collaborative international research.