Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 027 |
| Journal | CAB Reviews: Perspectives in Agriculture, Veterinary Science, Nutrition and Natural Resources |
| Volume | 10 |
| Publication status | Published - 2015 |
Abstract
More than 90% of the global natural rubber production originates from monoculture plantations in tropical Asia, especially from countries forming the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). Rubber cultivation is expected to further increase strongly in the near future, particularly at the expense of natural forests, and is accompanied by various problems and threats to farmers and the environment. Implications on carbon balance and hydrological conditions as well as socioeconomic consequences referring to the situation in the GMS are reviewed. Results indicate considerable changes in ecosystem functions and services at different spatial and temporal scales with impacts on carbon stocks and sequestration, water quality and quantity, runoff and soil erosion. The long-term dependency on rubber as a single crop affects the socio-economic conditions and livelihood of the farmers and exposes them to economic and ecological hazards. Solutions for these interrelated problems require the development of alternative land-use systems and safeguarding important ecosystem functions and services on the one hand as well as providing economic viability on the other. Common suggestions include crop diversification and improved plantation management on the farm scale, and alternative land-use strategies including conservation and restoration of forest on the landscape scale. Successful implementation of more sustainable concepts is only feasible within a socioeconomic framework, involving farmers and political decision-makers in the conceptualization process and the identification of trade-offs between ecological requirements and economic feasibility.
Keywords
- Deforestation, Intercropping, Land-use change, Land-use scenario, Livelihood
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- veterinary(all)
- General Veterinary
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- General Agricultural and Biological Sciences
- Environmental Science(all)
- Nature and Landscape Conservation
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: CAB Reviews: Perspectives in Agriculture, Veterinary Science, Nutrition and Natural Resources, Vol. 10, 027, 2015.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Environmental and socio-economic impacts of rubber cultivation in the Mekong region
T2 - Challenges for sustainable land use
AU - Hauser, Inga
AU - Martin, Konrad
AU - Germer, Jorn
AU - He, Pia
AU - Blagodatskiy, Sergey
AU - Liu, Hongxi
AU - Krauß, Manuel
AU - Rajaona, Arisoa
AU - Shi, Min
AU - Pelz, Sonna
AU - Langenberger, Gerhard
AU - Zhu, Chao Dong
AU - Cotter, Marc
AU - Stürz, Sabine
AU - Waibel, Hermann
AU - Steinmetz, Heidrun
AU - Wieprecht, Silke
AU - Fror, Oliver
AU - Ahlheim, Michael
AU - Aenis, Thomas
AU - Cadisch, Georg
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - More than 90% of the global natural rubber production originates from monoculture plantations in tropical Asia, especially from countries forming the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). Rubber cultivation is expected to further increase strongly in the near future, particularly at the expense of natural forests, and is accompanied by various problems and threats to farmers and the environment. Implications on carbon balance and hydrological conditions as well as socioeconomic consequences referring to the situation in the GMS are reviewed. Results indicate considerable changes in ecosystem functions and services at different spatial and temporal scales with impacts on carbon stocks and sequestration, water quality and quantity, runoff and soil erosion. The long-term dependency on rubber as a single crop affects the socio-economic conditions and livelihood of the farmers and exposes them to economic and ecological hazards. Solutions for these interrelated problems require the development of alternative land-use systems and safeguarding important ecosystem functions and services on the one hand as well as providing economic viability on the other. Common suggestions include crop diversification and improved plantation management on the farm scale, and alternative land-use strategies including conservation and restoration of forest on the landscape scale. Successful implementation of more sustainable concepts is only feasible within a socioeconomic framework, involving farmers and political decision-makers in the conceptualization process and the identification of trade-offs between ecological requirements and economic feasibility.
AB - More than 90% of the global natural rubber production originates from monoculture plantations in tropical Asia, especially from countries forming the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). Rubber cultivation is expected to further increase strongly in the near future, particularly at the expense of natural forests, and is accompanied by various problems and threats to farmers and the environment. Implications on carbon balance and hydrological conditions as well as socioeconomic consequences referring to the situation in the GMS are reviewed. Results indicate considerable changes in ecosystem functions and services at different spatial and temporal scales with impacts on carbon stocks and sequestration, water quality and quantity, runoff and soil erosion. The long-term dependency on rubber as a single crop affects the socio-economic conditions and livelihood of the farmers and exposes them to economic and ecological hazards. Solutions for these interrelated problems require the development of alternative land-use systems and safeguarding important ecosystem functions and services on the one hand as well as providing economic viability on the other. Common suggestions include crop diversification and improved plantation management on the farm scale, and alternative land-use strategies including conservation and restoration of forest on the landscape scale. Successful implementation of more sustainable concepts is only feasible within a socioeconomic framework, involving farmers and political decision-makers in the conceptualization process and the identification of trade-offs between ecological requirements and economic feasibility.
KW - Deforestation
KW - Intercropping
KW - Land-use change
KW - Land-use scenario
KW - Livelihood
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85014011090&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1079/PAVSNNR201510027
DO - 10.1079/PAVSNNR201510027
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85014011090
VL - 10
JO - CAB Reviews: Perspectives in Agriculture, Veterinary Science, Nutrition and Natural Resources
JF - CAB Reviews: Perspectives in Agriculture, Veterinary Science, Nutrition and Natural Resources
M1 - 027
ER -