villanueva@ftz.czu.cz

Keywords:

Tree diversity

Timber production

Dendrometric variables

Diversity and productive potential of timber trees in cocoa agroforestry systems in Alta

Verapaz, Guatemala

Diversidad y potencial productivo de árboles maderables en sistemas agroforestales de cacao en Alta

Verapaz, Guatemala

Diversidade e potencial produtivo de árvores

Alta Verapaz, Guatemala

Cristóbal Villanueva

 



Rev. Fac. Agron. (LUZ). 2024, 41(1): e244108

ISSN 2477-9407

DOI: https://doi.org/10.47280/RevFacAgron(LUZ).v41.n1.08

Crop production

Associate editor: Dra. Rosa Razz

University of Zulia, Faculty of Agronomy

Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

Abstract

Timber production in agroforestry systems can improve environmental

and economic sustainability, especially for families living in rural areas.



         

systems. This study aims to analyze the timber resources in cocoa agroforestry

         

composition, species diversity, and the potential to obtain timber from the









(χ

)

 

         

Gliricidia sepium

%), Swietenia macrophylla (19.11 %), and Inga sapindoides

total shade trees occupied a basal area of 33.29 m

, and a total volume of













of shade tree species. These results provide a solid basis for promoting

sustainable practices that foster the productivity and preservation of these



Department of Crop Sciences and Agroforestry, Faculty of

Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences

Prague, Kamýcká 129, Praha  Suchdol 165 00, Czech

Republic

Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales y Agrícolas, Universidad





















Alta Verapaz, Guatemala.

Facultad

Agronomía,

Universidad

San

Carlos

Guatemala,

Ciudad

Universitaria

Zona

12,

010012,

Guatemala.

Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza,

19-7170, Turrialba, Cartago, Costa Rica.

Received: 03-11-2023

Accepted: 03-02-2024

 272

Carlos Enrique Villanueva-González

1,2*

José Alejandro Ruiz-Chután

1,3

Zbynek Polesny

Marie Kalousova

This scientic publication in digital format is a continuation of the Printed Review: Legal Deposit pp 196802ZU42, ISSN 0378-7818.

Rev. Fac. Agron. (LUZ). 2024, 41(1): e244108. January-March. ISSN 2477-9407.2-7 |

Resumen

La producción de madera en sistemas agroforestales puede

mejorar la sostenibilidad ambiental y económica, especialmente

para las familias que viven en zonas rurales. Este estudio tuvo

como objetivo analizar los recursos maderables en SAF de cacao de



la diversidad de especies y el potencial de obtención de madera de

las especies presentes en los SAF evaluados. Se establecieron 20

      

y en

todas ellas se midieron variables dendrométricas. La presencia de

especies se analizó estadísticamente mediante tabulación cruzada y la

(χ

) para determinar la distribución

de frecuencia de las especies entre las edades de SAF evaluadas.

Se determinaron taxonómicamente 827 árboles de 38 especies

pertenecientes a 19 familias. Las especies más representadas en el

rango de edad de los SAF evaluados fueron Gliricidia sepium

%), Swietenia macrophylla (19,11 %) e Inga sapindoides

Los árboles de sombra total ocuparon un área basal de 33,29 m

, y se



, de los cuales 148,9 m

fueron

de uso comercial. Los usos más frecuentes de la madera fueron leña



el uso de tabla gruesa fue el menos común (8,71 %). Estos resultados

proporcionan una base sólida para promover prácticas sostenibles

que fomenten la productividad y la preservación de estos sistemas,

contribuyendo así a la sostenibilidad y el bienestar de los agricultores.

Palabras clave: diversidad de árboles; producción de madera;

variables dendrométricas.

Resumo

       

a sustentabilidade ambiental e econômica, especialmente em

ambientes rurais. Na Guatemala, a importância dos recursos

     

plenamente reconhecida. Este estudo concentra-se em analisar os





diversidade de espécies e o potencial de obtenção de madeira. Foram



, on

de foram registradas variáveis dendrométricas. A análiseestatística,

        (χ

) 

827 árvores de 38 espécies pertencentes a 19 famílias. As espécies

predominantes nos CAFS avaliados foram Gliricidia sepium

%), Swietenia macrophylla (19,11 %) e Inga sapindoides

As árvores de sombra ocuparam uma área basal de 33,29 m

, comum

    

, incluindo 148,9 m

destinados ao uso

comercial. A madeira foi principalmente utilizada como lenha (38,21



foram menos comuns (8,71 %). Os CAFS naregião se destacam pela

ampla diversidade de espécies de árvores de sombra. Esses resultados



e o meio ambiente, contribuido assim para a sustentabilidade e o bem-

estar em áreas rurais.

Palavras-chave: diversidade de árvores; produção de madeira;

variáveis dendrométricas

Introduction

Currently, agroforestry presents multiple opportunities to

improve ecosystem services to people and communities and, at the

same time, decrease pressure on the environment (Braga et al., 2019;

Manaye et al      

such as fruit, is commonly employed by smallholders to diversify

land use in agroforestry systems (AFS) (Mercedes and Rangel-Ch.,

2020). Trees play a fundamental role in agroforestry production and





and productivity of agricultural and forestry systems and improving

the resilience and adaptation of rural communities to the impacts of

climate change (Morán-Villa et alet al., 2023).

          



et al          

recorded in traditional cocoa-agroforestry systems (CAFS) (Roa-

Mero et al



(Suatune et al., 2003;

Vebrova et al., 2014).

In these systems, trees are highly valued for their timber potential

and the opportunities they provide to diversify household income

and livelihoods. For example, in the Kichwa indigenous community

of Ecuador, in the CAFS called Chakras, Cordia alliodora (Ruiz &

Cedrela odorata

the highest timber potential (22 m

.ha

-1

) (Jadán et al

in Cardenas, México, the species Erythrina poeppigiana (Walp.)



.ha

-1

), E. americana Mill. (40.3 m

.ha

-1

), and C.

odorata

.ha

-1

) recorded the highest values (Sánchez et al.,





et al., 2022; Tapia-Vera et al., 2021).

   et al. (2020) the total deforested area in



        

as the timber supply in the country. Agroforestry is considered an



socioeconomic and environmental phenomena, including deforestation

(Braga et al

timber potential and its contribution to the sustainability of traditional

CAFS. This study aims to examine the timber resource in CAFS of

        



present in the CAFS located in four municipalities of the department

of Alta Verapaz, Guatemala.

Material and methods

Study area







        

(c)) (Holdridge, 2000). The temperature varies slightly over the year





4,071 mm.

This scientic publication in digital format is a continuation of the Printed Review: Legal Deposit pp 196802ZU42, ISSN 0378-7818.

Villanueva-González et al. Rev. Fac. Agron. (LUZ). 2024 40(1): e2441083-7 |

Study plot and sampling procedure





This approach resulted in 20 plots distributed across the entire study



. A non-probabilistic

        

selection criteria such as time availability of producers, age of the

CAFSs, management, and crop area (Maza et al



of plots (11) in the age range of 7 to 12 years.

Floristic composition and dendrometric variables

       

         th),

commercial height (hc) and diameter at breast height (DBH

The formulas recommended by Sánchez et al

BA), commercial volume (VC), and

total volume (VT): BADBH



constant. Total volume and merchantable volume (VT, VC, m



V=BA x  x H=

shape factor (0.70) and H= total or merchantable height.

Botanists and local producers assisted in taxonomic determination



        

corresponding to botanical specimens. Utilized various resources

         

), the Tropics nomenclature database



Characterization of the vertical structure and uses

The method proposed by Somarriba (2004) based on the forest

          



trees and their seedlings/saplings 1-8 m tall), 2) the middle stratum

(indicated by trees 9-24 m in height), and 3) the tallest stratum



production, the DBH 



et al

Data analysis

         

       

          



  





(χ

)

        



Results and discussion

Floristic diversity and composition

      











originates from the prioritization by the producers of Cobán in

managing trees of high commercial value in their agroforestry designs.

In terms of species diversity, the CAFS of Alta Verapaz are similar



Morales et al., 2020; Suárez-Venero et al

carried out in Colombia by Jadán et al   

Mercedes and Ranchel-Ch (2020), suggest that traditional CAFS

managed by smallholders have an even greater diversity at species





Compared to the results of our study, there are other cocoa-

gro  

could be because, in the Amazon, cocoa plantations are established





Additionally, some trees already existing in the place at the time of

   



of biodiversity since they indicate that the management of CAFS by

small producers can foster a greater diversity of species and families

compared to other cultivation systems (Neither et al., 2020).

Frequency of trees by CAFS-age



G. sepium and

S. macrophylla area the predominant species; (ii) CAFS in Cobán,

characterized by the presence of S. macrophylla and I. sapindoides;

sepium and Protium copal (Schltdl.



  sepium and C. odorota prevail. A pattern of species



are not distributed indistinctly from the age of the CAFS in each



       

of certain tree species cultivated in diverse AFS designs to produce

  

            

Sousa et al    

G. sepium,

S. macrophylla, I. sapindoides, P. copal, and C. odorota, can have

substantial economic implications for local communities that depend

on agricultural production. According to Nicli et al. (2019) report,



have been crucial for their adoption, leading to the recognition of



of agroforestry systems.

Tree basal area reecting particular species and CAFS age



of establishment of the CAFS evaluated, and the BA variable for each



occupying a BA of 33.29 m



.ha

-1

, ranging



.ha

-1



.ha

-1

) has





.ha

-1

The dominance of G. sepium, S. macrophylla, C. odorata, and C.

alliodora

       

   lity, the ability to thrive in agroforestry

This scientic publication in digital format is a continuation of the Printed Review: Legal Deposit pp 196802ZU42, ISSN 0378-7818.

Rev. Fac. Agron. (LUZ). 2024, 41(1): e244108. January-March. ISSN 2477-9407.4-7 |

environments, and potential economic value (Sol-Sánchez et al.,

      

and interactions of these species, further research is needed to fully

understand their ecological and socio-economic relevance in the

studied AFS.

In the three and 4-year-old CAFS, S. macrophylla



-1



G. sepium

trees.ha

-1

. It is essential to highlight that the 10-year-old CAFS stood



.ha

-1

. The



as V. guatemalensis and C. alliodora, could be a crucial component

contributing to this prominent BA value.

        

    

.ha

-1

. This disparity could be attributed

       

        

       

    et al., 2012). These factors

have been mentioned in previous studies as possible causes of the

variability in the values of BA in AFSs (Haggar et al

Venero et al., 2019; Tapia-Vera et al., 2021).

Total and commercial volume of timber

      

     



.ha

-1

, varying from

4.9 m

.ha

-1

to 171.4 m

.ha

-1

. As for the commercial volume, 148.9



.ha

-1

per

plot, ranging from 2.9 m

.ha

-1

to 73.1 m

.ha

-1







(Jadán et al



each region, such as climatic conditions and management practices

(Esche et al., 2023). This underscores the importance of considering



The results of this study indicate that the most relevant species

for commercial timber production are S. macrophylla

.ha

-1

C. odorata

.ha

-1

), G. sepium

.ha

-1

), C. alliodora (4.3

.ha

-1

) and V. guatemalensis (3.2 m

.ha

-1

). Other studies have



potential and high economic value (Ebratt-Matute, 2022). G. sepium

stood out in all municipalities for its versatility in providing ecosystem

services to the local population (Burgos et al

Figure 1. Frequency description and Chi-square test of species distribution by the age of cocoa agroforestry systems among the study

localities.

This scientic publication in digital format is a continuation of the Printed Review: Legal Deposit pp 196802ZU42, ISSN 0378-7818.

Villanueva-González et al. Rev. Fac. Agron. (LUZ). 2024 40(1): e2441085-7 |



.ha

-1

, suggesting their







.ha

-1

) and 14-year-old (8.0 m

.ha

-1

)

       



DBH and H. The



49.3 m

.ha

-1



.ha

-1













in turn, have the capacity to provide shade and improve soil fertility

(Matey et al., 2013; Villanueva-González et al., 2023).

Vegetation structure and potential use of the trees as a

function of DBH





            

       G. sepium,

I. sapindoides, and P. copal 



practices and management of natural regeneration. The middle

 

G. sepium

and S. macrophylla

represented by 19 individuals and concentrating only 2.3 % of the

total, had C. alliodora as the dominant species.



ranging from 2 m for G. sepium to 27 m for V. guatemalensis. The

statistical analysis of the DBH variable revealed that the average







            



total of 72 individuals.

Upon analyzing the results, it is evident that the primary use of

 

accounting for 38.1 % of the cases (Nicli et al., 2019). Additionally,

       

at 30.2 % and posts at 22.8 %. These materials are used to construct



Figure 2. Distribution of the volume of each species by age of the CAFS between study locations.

This scientic publication in digital format is a continuation of the Printed Review: Legal Deposit pp 196802ZU42, ISSN 0378-7818.

Rev. Fac. Agron. (LUZ). 2024, 41(1): e244108. January-March. ISSN 2477-9407.6-7 |

properties and agricultural areas. Furthermore, they produce furniture

such as tables, chairs, and beds. On the other hand, the least frequent



To increase the diversity of timber trees and ensure usable volumes in



to improve agroforestry designs and apply silvicultural planning tools

(Esche et al., 2023).

Conclusions

The results of this study provide essential insight into the richness

and productive potential of timber trees in CAFS in Alta Verapaz,







  



selection of critical species, stand out. CAFS emerged as a viable





life of the communities involved.

Funding source



The Internal Grant Agency of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences,





on Agriculture (IICA), its Regional Agricultural Research Consortia



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