Tag: Land Use
Effects of converting forest to avocado orchards on topsoil properties in the trans-Mexican volcanic system, Mexico
In the present work, land cover and land use changes between 2003 and 2008 were assessed in the Cupatitzio River sub-basin located in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic System and Balsas Depression in Mexico. The effects of land cover conversion from temperate forest to avocado orchards on soil properties were determined. Land cover and land use databases were built for the years 1975, 2003, and 2008 using available cartographic information and interpretation of panchromatic SPOT images for the year 2008.
Optimal Planning for Sustainable Production of Avocado in Mexico
The global avocado market has increased significantly in recent years. The state of Michoacán in Mexico is one of the largest producers of avocado in the world. The ideal climatic conditions and favorable yields have spurred an interest in growing new orchards for enhancing avocado production. Such growth has a major impact on the environment due to the land use change and the substantial use of fresh water. Therefore, there is a need for an optimal strategic planning for the avocado production
Environmental and social consequences of the increase in the demand for 'superfoods' world-wide
The search for healthy diets has led to a surge in the demand for functional foods or 'superfoods', which have now become popular among the middle- and high-income fractions of the society in developed regions of the world. 'Superfoods' are predominantly consumed far from their centres of origin and out of their cultural context with different environmental and social effects. Here, we present a series of case studies to provide an overview of the different environmental impacts driven by superfood
Carbon Removal in Forests and Farms in the United States
The purpose of this working paper is to explore the potential for carbon removal in forests and farms in the United States, to identify needs likely to arise on the pathway to large-scale deployment, and to consider ways to begin addressing those needs. This working paper is part of a World Resources Institute (WRI) publication series CarbonShot: Creating Options for Carbon Removal at Scale in the United States. The series presents findings from a WRI-led assessment of needs for scaling candidate
Carbon content in vegetation, litter, and soil under 10 different land-use and land-cover classes in the Central Highlands of Michoacan, Mexico
In this study we estimated the carbon content in vegetation, litter, and soil, under 10 different classes of land-use and land-cover classes (LU/LC) in the Purepecha Region, located in the Central Highlands of Mexico. Forests in this area are representative of the montane forests of Central and Southern Mexico and are subject to rapid degradation and deforestation by human pressure. Carbon data for each of the LU/LC classes and the main pools (vegetation, soil and litter) were collected at 92 sites
Spatial patterns and determinants of avocado frontier dynamics in Mexico
The surging demand for commodity crops has led to rapid and severe agricultural frontier expansion globally and has put producing regions increasingly under pressure. However, knowledge about spatial patterns of agricultural frontier dynamics, their leading spatial determinants, and socio-ecological trade-offs is often lacking, hindering contextualized decision making towards more sustainable food systems. Here, we used inventory data to map frontier dynamics of avocado production, a cash crop of