Ecological intensification and multifunctionality of genetically diverse cacao agroforestry in Peruvian landscapes (Eco-Peru)

在增加生态粮食生产的同时促进生物多样性和相关服务的养护是可持续未来的一项重大挑战。热带农林的生态集约化及其多功能性是对这一目标的重要贡献。然而，迄今为止，很少有研究涉及当地因素(即可可品种的遗传多样性)、场地条件(即土壤肥力)和景观结构(即周围栖息地类型；景观连通性)之间在害虫抑制、授粉服务、作物产量和可能的权衡或协同作用方面的高度复杂的相互作用。在秘鲁和亚马逊，可可基因多样性的生态和商业作用，包括野生原生近亲，是一个最重要的特征，但研究很少。针对关键的知识差距，我们设计了一项实验研究，以量化当地可可遗传多样性和景观背景对多种生态系统服务(鸟类、蝙蝠、蚂蚁和进一步的节肢动物对生物病虫害控制和授粉的贡献)以及作物产量的相对作用。我们在24个田间地点进行了生物防治和授粉围隔试验，并量化了可可生命周期的所有阶段，以在传统耕作方式的背景下提出生态集约化建议。我们将与秘鲁伙伴合作，通过出版物和信息丰富的讲习班向农民、国家和国际社会生态非政府组织等利益攸关方传播成果。

Promoting the conservation of biodiversity and associated services while increasing ecological food production is a major challenge for a sustainable future. Ecological intensification of tropical agroforestry and their multifunctionality presents an important contribution to this goal. However, few studies have so far addressed the highly complex interactions between local factors (i.e. genetic diversity of cacao varieties), site conditions (i.e. soil fertility) and landscape structure (i.e. surrounding habitat types; landscape connectivity) on pest suppression, pollination services, crop yields and possible tradeoffs or synergies in a comprehensive approach. In Peru and the Amazon, the ecological and commercial role of genetic diversity of cacao, including wild native relatives, is a most important, yet little studied feature. Addressing key knowledge gaps, we designed an experimental study to quantify the relative role of local cacao genetic diversity and landscape context on multiple ecosystem services (of birds, bats, ants and further arthropods contributing to biological pest control and pollination) as well as crop yield. We implement biocontrol and pollination exclosure experiments on 24 field sites and quantify all stages of the cacao life-cycle to develop suggestions for ecological intensification in the context of traditional farming practices. In collaboration with our Peruvian partners, we will disseminate results via publications and informative workshops to stakeholders such as farmers, national and international social-ecological NGOs.