Indian shade grown coffee plantations harbor a number of trees both introduced and native. Beneath the canopy of these forests one can find a wide array of birds. The most noticeable, is the Malabar Grey Horn bill which is an endemic species of the Western Ghats. Their loud distinctive alarming calls at the break of […]
Eco-friendly Indian Shade Coffee and the Importance of Shade trees & Roots.
The area under coffee plantations in India has increased by more than three times, from 120.32 thousand hectares in 1960-61 to 397.147 thousand hectares in 2015-16. Most of this area is concentrated in the southern states of Karnataka (54.95%), Kerala (21.33%) and Tamil Nadu (8.18%). Sustainability Coffee farmers throughout the ages have played a vital […]
Snake Senses
Coffee forests in India are unique because of the multi-tiered shade system and the evergreen canopy provided by a diverse array of shade trees . The floor of the coffee forest is always full of leaf litter keeping the soil temperatures low. This is indeed an ideal habitat for all types of snakes and reptiles. […]
Bird Friendly Shade Coffee And Beak Adaptations
Shade grown coffee plantations are ideal bird sanctuaries, where birds of different species occupy every available niche inside the coffee forests. Because of the multi-tiered shade system comprising of timber value trees, Plantation crops, fruit trees and flowering trees, one can spot bird species of various hues and colors throughout the seasons. In a nutshell, […]
Tree Criteria And It’s Importance In Shade Coffee
A close look at India’s unique shade grown coffee forest’s reveal’s a very interesting story. These Coffee forests are home to a heterogeneous tree population. A hectare of coffee can easily accommodate around two hundred to two hundred and fifty trees with differential root system. Studying the ecology of the region helps one understand that […]
The Azolla anabaena symbiosis
Azolla partners a blue green algae inside its lobes and is capable of harvesting atmospheric nitrogen. Due to this invisible partnership the fern multiplies very fast. The symbiotic association of the algae aids in the creation of a huge amount of biomass on the surface of the water. It is then harvested, dried and used […]