Characteristics of banana fruit from nearby organic versus conventional plantations: A case study

This case study reports the post-harvest qualities of conventionally versus organically grown banana fruit from nearby plantations in the Dominican Republic. The comparison involved six repeated harvests over the transition from cooler to hotter seasons. Green mature Cavendish 'Grande Naine' banana fruit were shipped to the UK. They were triggered to ripen with ethylene gas and kept under simulated retail conditions. Fruit mass, colour, firmness and flavour parameters were measured every second day over 12 d of shelf life. Sensory comparisons were conducted on four of the six harvest times. Significant differences (P<0.05) in measured quality attributes between conventionally and organically grown fruit were few and marginal. Moreover, any differences were inconsistent across harvest-times and during shelf life. Thus, organically and conventionally grown product had almost identical qualities. Sensory comparison confirmed that there was no flavour difference. This case study provides data that challenge a general perception that organic bananas have better flavour than conventional bananas.

Tree species diversity and ecosystem function: Can tropical multi-species plantations generate greater productivity?

Results from the humid tropics of Australia demonstrate that diverse plantations can achieve greater productivity than monocultures. We found that increases in both the observed species number and the effective species richness were significantly related to increased levels of productivity as measured by stand basal area or mean individual tree basal area. Four of five plantation species were more productive in mixtures with other species than in monocultures, offering on average, a 55% increase in mean tree basal area. A general linear model suggests that species richness had a significant effect on mean individual tree basal area when environmental variables were included in the model. As monoculture plantations are currently the preferred reforestation method throughout the tropics these results suggest that significant productivity and ecological gains could be made if multi-species plantations are more broadly pursued. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Trade-offs between timber production and biodiversity in rainforest plantations: Emerging issues and an ecological perspective

During the past two centuries there have been three major paradigm shifts in the management of Australian rainforests and the use of their timbers: from felling native forests towards growing plantations; from viewing forests and plantations as mainly providers of timber to viewing them as sources of multiple benefits (e.g. timber, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, catchment protection, recreation, regional economic development); and from timber plantations being developed mainly by government on public land towards those established by private citizens, companies, or joint venture arrangements, on previously-cleared freehold land. Rainforest timber plantations are increasingly established for varied reasons, and with multiple objectives. Landholders are increasingly interested in the biodiversity values of their plantations. However, there are few guidelines on the changes to plantation design and management that would augment biodiversity outcomes, or on the extent to which this might require a sacrifice of production. [Abstract extract]

Biodiversity values of timber plantations and restoration plantings for rainforest fauna in tropical and subtropical Australia

It has been suggested that timber plantations could play an important role in the conservation of biodiversity in cleared rainforest landscapes, not only because of their potential to cost-effectively reforest large areas of land, but also because they may provide habitat for rainforest plants and animals. However, this last claim is largely untested. In this study, we surveyed the occurrence of a range of animal taxa in monoculture and mixed species timber plantations and restoration plantings in tropical and subtropical Australia. We used the richness of ‘rainforest-dependent’ taxa (i.e., birds, lizards and mites associated with rainforest habitats) in reforested sites as our measure of their ‘biodiversity value’. We also examined whether the biodiversity value of reforested sites was correlated with habitat attributes, including plant species richness and vegetation structure and, further, whether biodiversity value was affected by the proximity of reforested sites to intact rainforest.

Species performance and site relationships for rainforest timber species in plantations in the humid tropics of Queensland

The performance of 32 tropical rainforest and eucalypt tree species grown in private, mixed species plantations was examined. There were two objectives: 1) to summarise the growth of species by soil and rainfall classes, 2) to investigate the degree of variability in growth rates with respect to environmental variables. Data were collected from 112 plots established in the Community Rainforest Reforestation Program (CRRP) plantations across sites in the humid tropics of central and north Queensland. Sites ranged from sea level to 1160 m above sea level, with annual rainfall from 800 mm to 4300 mm, on soils derived from basalt, metamorphic and granite parent material. Species performance was significantly related to climatic and edaphic variables but the strength of these relationships differed among taxa.

Stand density management in rainforest plantations

Trees in plantations established for timber production are usually grown at a sufficiently high density that canopy closure occurs within a relatively short time after planting. The trees then shade and outcompete most herbs, shrubs or grasses growing at the site. The closer the spacing (i.e. the greater the density) the faster this will occur. Subsequently, as the trees grow larger, this between-species competition is replaced by within-species competition. If unmanaged, this competition can reduce the commercial productivity of the plantation. Thus, there are two management dilemmas. One is knowing the best initial planting density. The second is knowing how to management the subsequent between-tree competition in order to optimize overall plantation timber productivity. In this chapter we consider initial spacing and thinning for high value timber trees grown in single and mixed species plantations. From growth studies in stands of different ages recommendations are proposed for managing both types of plantations where the primary objective is timber production. It seems that many rainforest species will require more space to achieve optimal growth than most eucalypts and conifers. On the other hand many rainforest species do not have strong apical dominance. Care will be needed to balance these two attributes.

A Neglected Aspect of Business: Human and Social Capital in the Sri Lankan Tea Plantations

This paper examines idiosyncrasies of tea plantation culture and politics in relation to Sri Lankan national and popular cultural typologies, with special reference to female tea plantation workers. Tea production in Sri Lanka is heavily based on manual labour, and it is the largest industry that provides accommodation for employees and their families. In this paper, it is argued that politico-cultural production relations have dominated labour productivity in tea plantations. Ways in which female workers have been marginalized, through patriarchal politics, ethnicity, religion, education, elitism, and employment are explained. This culture of the plantation community operates negatively with respect to the management agenda. It is also argued that social capital development in tea plantations is important not only for productivity improvement, but also for reasons of political and social obligation for the nation, because migrant plantation workers have been working and living in plantations over 150 years.