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Soil Fertility, Emergy Evaluation, and Improvements to Milpa in Indigenous Zapotec Agroforestry Systems

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Soil Fertility, Emergy Evaluation, and Improvements to Milpa in Indigenous Zapotec Agroforestry Systems SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Digital Commons @ ESF Dissertations and Theses Fall 12-16-2017 SOIL FERTILITY, EMERGY EVALUATION, AND IMPROVEMENTS TO MILPA IN INDIGENOUS ZAPOTEC AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS Isaias Martinez-Bautista SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.esf.edu/etds Recommended Citation Martinez-Bautista, Isaias, "SOIL FERTILITY, EMERGY EVALUATION, AND IMPROVEMENTS TO MILPA IN INDIGENOUS ZAPOTEC AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS" (2017). Dissertations and Theses. 10. https://digitalcommons.esf.edu/etds/10 This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons @ ESF. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ ESF. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. SOIL FERTILITY, EMERGY EVALUATION, AND IMPROVEMENTS TO MILPA IN INDIGENOUS ZAPOTEC AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS by Isaias Martinez-Bautista A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry Syracuse, New York November 2017 Graduate Program of Environmental Science Approved by: Stewart Diemont, Major Professor Scott Shannon, Chair Examining Committee Russell Briggs, Director Scott Shannon, Dean, The Graduate School ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my advisor Stewart Diemont for his support and guidance during my studies. I am also grateful to my professors and steering committee members: Robin Kimmerer, Russell Briggs, and Theresa Selfa. I consider you all mentors and friends. I am grateful to the following organizations that sponsored my doctoral studies. COMEXUS México. Fulbright-García-Robles scholarship. CONACYT México. CONACYT scholarship. SEP-DGRI México. Beca complemento para estudios de posgrado. SUNY-ESF Graduate School. Tuition scholarship award. I am thankful to the following organizations that provided funding for my field research. SUNY-ESF Graduate School. Tropical Social Forestry Scholarship. International Fellowship Program Ford Foundation. IFP Alumni award. SUNY-ESF. Randolph G. Pack Environmental Institute. SUNY-ESF. Graduate Student Association GSA. Research Grant. Thanks to Dr. Celerino Robles from CIIDIR-IPN Oaxaca, for his support for my fieldwork. Thanks to Dr. Francisco Bautista from CIGA-UNAM for his role as an examiner. Dedicated to my classmate, sister, study mate, adventure partner, now my lovely wife, and mother of Jeremiah, our son from the winter; Veronica Argelis Gonzalez Quintero To mi compadre Arturo, and his beautiful wife, mi comadre Berenice, and to Mariana, heart-warm Mexicans with whom was easier to endure long and lovely Syracuse winters. To Jessica Saville, our friend from the north. To Dorlan, JC, Daniela, Carlos, Yvonne, thanks for your friendship and support. Dedicated to my family in Oaxaca Mexico for his invaluable support, and to be a source of inspiration. To the farmers of Lalopa and indigenous farmers around the world for preserving natural resources that could be our insurance for the future. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................................... v LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... vi ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................. vii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 Agroforestry ..............................................................................................................................................2 Agroforestry in tropical areas ....................................................................................................................4 Indigenous agroforestry in Mexico. ..........................................................................................................6 Ecosystem services by traditional agroforestry systems ...........................................................................8 Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) in agroforestry .........................................................................9 Challenges and opportunities in traditional farming systems ..................................................................10 The study area ..........................................................................................................................................13 The Zapotec indigenous agroforestry ......................................................................................................16 Research goal and objectives ...................................................................................................................19 SYNOPSIS AND SIGNIFICANCE OF CHAPTERS .................................................................. 20 CHAPTER 2. HOW VALUABLE COULD TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE BE FOR A RESOURCE-LIMITED FUTURE? AN EMERGY EVALUATION IN A ZAPOTEC VILLAGE IN OAXACA MEXICO ............................................................................................. 24 Abstract ....................................................................................................................................................24 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................25 Materials and methods .............................................................................................................................29 Results .....................................................................................................................................................36 Discussion ................................................................................................................................................40 Conclusions .............................................................................................................................................45 CHAPTER 3. SOIL FERTILITY ON INDIGENOUS ZAPOTEC AGROFORESTRY OF OAXACA, MEXICO. ................................................................................................................... 47 Abstract ....................................................................................................................................................47 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................48 Materials and methods .............................................................................................................................50 Results .....................................................................................................................................................53 iii Discussion ................................................................................................................................................56 Conclusions .............................................................................................................................................63 CHAPTER 4 CARBON STOCKS IN ABOVEGROUND BIOMASS AND LITTERFALL FROM INGA IN SHADED COFFEE .......................................................................................... 65 Abstract ....................................................................................................................................................65 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................66 Materials and methods .............................................................................................................................68 Results .....................................................................................................................................................72 Discussion ................................................................................................................................................75 Conclusions .............................................................................................................................................82 CHAPTER 5 IMPROVING MILPA YIELDS AND SOIL FERTILITY WITH Inga vera MULCHING DERIVED FROM SHADED COFFEE. BUILDING NEW LINKS IN ZAPOTEC AGROFORESTRY. ...................................................................................................................... 83 Abstract ....................................................................................................................................................83 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................84 Materials and methods .............................................................................................................................87 Results .....................................................................................................................................................89 Discussion ................................................................................................................................................93
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