Effects of native and non-native shade trees on insect predation pressure on Kenyan coffee farms
IntroductionAgroecosystem practices that aim to increase biodiversity and ecosystem services have the potential to benefit both wildlife and farmers. Shade-coffee systems are well-studied in the Neotropics, but less is known about the relationships among farm management, biodiversity, and ecosystem...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Conservation Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2025.1529450/full |
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| author | Ximena Oviedo Moura Julie A. Jedlicka Samuel Lopes Oliveira Matthew D. Johnson |
| author_facet | Ximena Oviedo Moura Julie A. Jedlicka Samuel Lopes Oliveira Matthew D. Johnson |
| author_sort | Ximena Oviedo Moura |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionAgroecosystem practices that aim to increase biodiversity and ecosystem services have the potential to benefit both wildlife and farmers. Shade-coffee systems are well-studied in the Neotropics, but less is known about the relationships among farm management, biodiversity, and ecosystem services in East Africa, where the most commonly used shade trees are native Cordia africana and non-native Grevillea robusta. Ecological theory and empirical evidence suggests that native shade trees should harbor more insects and insectivorous birds than non-native trees, which could translate to more pronounced pest control services on the coffee crop grown below.MethodsWe used artificial plasticine “caterpillars” in a sentinel pest experiment to test the prediction that predation is higher on coffee shrubs near native Cordia than non-native Grevillea shade trees.ResultsWe found that there was no significant effect of tree species on bird predation, while predation by arthropods and total predation (birds + arthropods + unknown) was higher near Grevillea than Cordia.DiscussionWhile unexpected, these results demonstrated that predators readily attacked sentinel pests on coffee shrubs under both shade tree species. The two tree species may balance and complement each other in attracting avian and arthropod ecosystem providers, with Grevillea attracting arthropod predators and generalist birds, and Cordia attracting insectivorous specialists. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a035b4fd446a41f19680c8748ea0061c |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2673-611X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Conservation Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-a035b4fd446a41f19680c8748ea0061c2025-08-20T03:14:47ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Conservation Science2673-611X2025-04-01610.3389/fcosc.2025.15294501529450Effects of native and non-native shade trees on insect predation pressure on Kenyan coffee farmsXimena Oviedo Moura0Julie A. Jedlicka1Samuel Lopes Oliveira2Matthew D. Johnson3Department of Wildlife, Cal Poly Humboldt, Arcata, CA, United StatesDepartment of Biology, Missouri Western State University, St. Joseph, MO, United StatesDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Santa Cruz, CA, United StatesDepartment of Wildlife, Cal Poly Humboldt, Arcata, CA, United StatesIntroductionAgroecosystem practices that aim to increase biodiversity and ecosystem services have the potential to benefit both wildlife and farmers. Shade-coffee systems are well-studied in the Neotropics, but less is known about the relationships among farm management, biodiversity, and ecosystem services in East Africa, where the most commonly used shade trees are native Cordia africana and non-native Grevillea robusta. Ecological theory and empirical evidence suggests that native shade trees should harbor more insects and insectivorous birds than non-native trees, which could translate to more pronounced pest control services on the coffee crop grown below.MethodsWe used artificial plasticine “caterpillars” in a sentinel pest experiment to test the prediction that predation is higher on coffee shrubs near native Cordia than non-native Grevillea shade trees.ResultsWe found that there was no significant effect of tree species on bird predation, while predation by arthropods and total predation (birds + arthropods + unknown) was higher near Grevillea than Cordia.DiscussionWhile unexpected, these results demonstrated that predators readily attacked sentinel pests on coffee shrubs under both shade tree species. The two tree species may balance and complement each other in attracting avian and arthropod ecosystem providers, with Grevillea attracting arthropod predators and generalist birds, and Cordia attracting insectivorous specialists.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2025.1529450/fullpest controlecosystem servicecoffeebirdsAfricasentinel pest |
| spellingShingle | Ximena Oviedo Moura Julie A. Jedlicka Samuel Lopes Oliveira Matthew D. Johnson Effects of native and non-native shade trees on insect predation pressure on Kenyan coffee farms Frontiers in Conservation Science pest control ecosystem service coffee birds Africa sentinel pest |
| title | Effects of native and non-native shade trees on insect predation pressure on Kenyan coffee farms |
| title_full | Effects of native and non-native shade trees on insect predation pressure on Kenyan coffee farms |
| title_fullStr | Effects of native and non-native shade trees on insect predation pressure on Kenyan coffee farms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of native and non-native shade trees on insect predation pressure on Kenyan coffee farms |
| title_short | Effects of native and non-native shade trees on insect predation pressure on Kenyan coffee farms |
| title_sort | effects of native and non native shade trees on insect predation pressure on kenyan coffee farms |
| topic | pest control ecosystem service coffee birds Africa sentinel pest |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2025.1529450/full |
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