IDENTIFYING RESEARCH AREAS ON CARBON AND NITROGEN DINAMYC IN COFFEE AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS IN MEXICO

Abstract

Background. Current research advances related to carbon and nitrogen dynamic and the environmental problems, that impact on the socioeconomic functions of agroforestry systems, and the importance of their floristic diversity, have not yet been analyzed in an integrated way for coffee agroforestry systems in Mexico. Objective. It consisted to identify the areas in need of research on carbon and nitrogen dynamic in coffee agroforestry systems in Mexico. Methodology. Publications were compiled until 2018, on the potential of agroforestry systems to keep carbon and nitrogen reserves, which influence in the carbon and nitrogen biogeochemical cycles, and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as socioeconomic importance, productive diversification, and the problems faced by small producers with their ability to adapt to climatic variations. This information was organized and subjected to a cluster analysis with the NVivo12 program, which allowed evaluating the frequency of research for each topic and the relationship between them. Results. 43% of publications are related to carbon storage and 13% on nitrogen dynamic in agroforestry systems, while 37 and 35% evidenced their environmental importance and ability to adapt to climatic variations, respectively. The socioeconomic characteristics show that there is a productive diversity, a floristic composition in multi-strata and traditional management, which affects on carbon and nitrogen dynamic, since the quality of organic matter depends on the diversity of the floristic composition of the system and the type of management applied by the producer. Implications. At present this analysis contributes to detect the advances of investigations on carbon and nitrogen dynamic to generate integrated research according to the Mexican national reality. Conclusions. Researchs should focus on: (1) the productive diversification and carbon and nitrogen dynamic; (2) effect of socioeconomic variations on carbon and nitrogen dynamic; (3) degree of sensitivity of carbon and nitrogen dynamic to climatic variations; (4) identification of adaptive capacities, that allows carbon and nitrogen dynamic to be maintained.