A review of the ecosystem functions in oil palm plantations,using forests as a reference system |
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Authors: | Alexander C. Keyel Jan Salecker Yael Kisel Katrin M. Meyer Mark Auliya Andrew D. Barnes Marife D. Corre Kevin Darras Heiko Faust Bastian Hess Stephan Klasen Alexander Knohl Holger Kreft Ana Meijide Fuad Nurdiansyah Fenna Otten Guy Pe'er Stefanie Steinebach Suria Tarigan Merja H. Tölle Teja Tscharntke Kerstin Wiegand |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Ecosystem Modelling, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of G?ttingen, G?ttingen, Germany;2. Department of Conservation Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research ‐ UFZ, Leipzig, Germany;3. Department of Systemic Conservation Biology, Faculty of Biology and Psychology, University of G?ttingen, G?ttingen, Germany;4. Department of Soil Science of Tropical and Subtropical Ecosystems, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of G?ttingen, G?ttingen, Germany;5. Department of Crop Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of G?ttingen, G?ttingen, Germany;6. Department of Human Geography, Faculty of Geoscience and Geography, University of G?ttingen, G?ttingen, Germany;7. Department of Development Economics, Faculty of Economic Science, University of G?ttingen, G?ttingen, Germany;8. Department of Bioclimatology, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of G?ttingen, G?ttingen, Germany;9. Department of Biodiversity, Macroecology & Conservation Biogeography, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of G?ttingen, G?ttingen, Germany;10. German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig, Germany;11. Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of G?ttingen, G?ttingen, Germany;12. Department of Soil Sciences and Land Resources Management, Bogor Agriculture University, Bogor, Indonesia;13. Institute for Geography, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany |
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Abstract: | Oil palm plantations have expanded rapidly in recent decades. This large‐scale land‐use change has had great ecological, economic, and social impacts on both the areas converted to oil palm and their surroundings. However, research on the impacts of oil palm cultivation is scattered and patchy, and no clear overview exists. We address this gap through a systematic and comprehensive literature review of all ecosystem functions in oil palm plantations, including several (genetic, medicinal and ornamental resources, information functions) not included in previous systematic reviews. We compare ecosystem functions in oil palm plantations to those in forests, as the conversion of forest to oil palm is prevalent in the tropics. We find that oil palm plantations generally have reduced ecosystem functioning compared to forests: 11 out of 14 ecosystem functions show a net decrease in level of function. Some functions show decreases with potentially irreversible global impacts (e.g. reductions in gas and climate regulation, habitat and nursery functions, genetic resources, medicinal resources, and information functions). The most serious impacts occur when forest is cleared to establish new plantations, and immediately afterwards, especially on peat soils. To variable degrees, specific plantation management measures can prevent or reduce losses of some ecosystem functions (e.g. avoid illegal land clearing via fire, avoid draining of peat, use of integrated pest management, use of cover crops, mulch, and compost) and we highlight synergistic mitigation measures that can improve multiple ecosystem functions simultaneously. The only ecosystem function which increases in oil palm plantations is, unsurprisingly, the production of marketable goods. Our review highlights numerous research gaps. In particular, there are significant gaps with respect to socio‐cultural information functions. Further, there is a need for more empirical data on the importance of spatial and temporal scales, such as differences among plantations in different environments, of different sizes, and of different ages, as our review has identified examples where ecosystem functions vary spatially and temporally. Finally, more research is needed on developing management practices that can offset the losses of ecosystem functions. Our findings should stimulate research to address the identified gaps, and provide a foundation for more systematic research and discussion on ways to minimize the negative impacts and maximize the positive impacts of oil palm cultivation. |
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Keywords: | ecosystem functions ecosystem services biodiversity oil palm land‐use change Elaeis guineensis |
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