While I agree with Dave (et al? Who else?) completely, I interpreted Wendee as drawing on her experience but having lost/forgotten the references that support her conclusion that monocultures = lower species diversity than the tropical forest removed to plant the plantations. Is there any question that as diversity goes up diversity goes up--to the carrying capacity of the system? What evidence is there to the contrary?
WT ----- Original Message ----- From: "Wendee Nicole" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, June 24, 2013 9:26 AM Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] banana monocultures & wildlife - ref needed! Dave (et al) I know it may seem that way from my request, but that's not the case. I know from my two decades of familiarity with ecology literature that monocultures support less biodiversity than intact forest and ag systems with forest. I have seen such studies time and again, and was writing from my knowledge of the overall situation but did not have the literature handy. For example, Rainforest Alliance certifies bananas using certain ag techniques such as allowing forest to grow up in between banana plots, and they wouldn't do this without some evidence that such practices benefit wildlife. Bananas use something like 100 times the pesticide volume compared to a typical US ag plot, and Costa Rica has the highest pesticide use in the WORLD! That clearly is going to have an impact on wildlife… I have referenced the whole industry with more than 50 citations already, but just didnt have one specifically talk about wildlife biodiversity on plantations versus agroforestry systems (perhaps because the latter are rare, and another reason is that there are some studies in Spanish that I wasn't able to access). I did find some studies - thanks very much to those here who pointed some out, in English and Spanish! http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10531-007-9194-2 for example… If any of you are interested in reading my article, it will appear at http://ehponline.org on July 1! :) Or of course on my website I will include a link www.wendeenicole.com PS I have an online writing class starting July 20 if anyone is interested :) Thanks! Wendee Wendee Nicole, M.S. Wildlife Ecology ~ Freelance Writer * Photographer * Bohemian Web: [ http://www.wendeenicole.com ] Blog: [ http://bohemianadventures.blogspot.com ] Twitter: twitter.com/bohemianone Email: [email protected] Online Magazine Writing Classes starts July 20, 2013 - Ask me! On 6/24/13 11:16 AM, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote: >Wendee, I admire your work, and have for a long time. > >In this instance, you seem to be looking for support for a position >you've taken. But a review of relevant literature might or might not >support such a position. What I am trying to say is that in science a >position comes after information, not before . You may hypothesize that >such a relationship exists. Then the first step is to find out what >relevant published information says on the subject. If there is no such >published information (a direction you seem to be headed), then no >position one way or the other can be supported until the relevant data >are in. > >Maybe in your article, you need to point out what experienced and >knowledgeable workers in Costa Rica believe on the subject, and state >that you have been unable to find studies that support their beliefs, >whatever those beliefs might be. And it seems like here is an area >fruitful for investigation by conservationists. > >:-) > >David McNeely > >---- Wendee Nicole <[email protected]> wrote: >> I have an article coming out July 1 on the quite impressive EARTH >>University >> in Costa Rica, and how they've transform the banana industry in that >>area >> (their bananas are sold at Whole Foods they're not organic, but they >>are >> grown in between shade trees, and they've cut way down on the use of >> chemicals, etc). Here's where i need your help? >> >> Anyway, so this pub (Environmental Health Perspectives ehponline.org) >> requires citations, and I am desperately looking for a study to >>reference >> that backs up a statement I made that traditional banana plantations are >> inhospitable to wildlife (or, at least, have much less wildlife than >>say a >> shade-grown plantation). I looked online, ad in Google scholar, and just >> can't seem to find anything but it seems obvious there MUST be such a >>study! >> >> Any suggestions? >> Wendee >> >> Wendee Nicole, M.S. Wildlife Ecology ~ Freelance Writer * Photographer >>* >> Bohemian >> >> Web: [ http://www.wendeenicole.com ] >> Blog: [ http://bohemianadventures.blogspot.com ] >> Twitter: twitter.com/bohemianone >> Email: [email protected] >> >> Online Magazine Writing Classes start Jun 8 & July 20, 2013 - Ask me! > >-- >David McNeely ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1432 / Virus Database: 3199/5936 - Release Date: 06/24/13
