Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Testing an ecologically based classification tool on fruit-based agroforestry in northern Thailand

Testing an ecologically based classification tool on fruit-based agroforestry in northern Thailand Ecologists are increasingly using multivariate analytical approaches to reveal relationships between communities. These methods have promise in other fields as well. The use of multivariate methods to delineate relationships and classify an agroforestry system was tested among fruit-based agroforestry gardens in northern Thailand. Data on crop species composition, species abundance, perennial-crop age groups, and other physical and ecological factors from 82 gardens in three villages in a Highland watershed in northern Thailand were used in this study. Using Hierarchical Cluster Analysis the gardens were divided into clusters, each representing a different garden type (or fruit-based agroforestry subsystem). Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) analysis was used to assist in the interpretation of classification groupings and analysis gradients. The NMS analysis shows overall crop diversity, herbaceous food crops, size and market potential of the fruit planting as important classifying factors. However, this analysis did not produce as clear distinctions as hoped among gardens in a continuum of gradually changing and overlapping characteristics. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Agroforestry Systems Springer Journals

Testing an ecologically based classification tool on fruit-based agroforestry in northern Thailand

Loading next page...
 
/lp/springer-journals/testing-an-ecologically-based-classification-tool-on-fruit-based-pHXrw30Lxm

References (23)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 2005 by Springer
Subject
Life Sciences; Agriculture; Forestry
ISSN
0167-4366
eISSN
1572-9680
DOI
10.1007/s10457-004-6720-z
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Ecologists are increasingly using multivariate analytical approaches to reveal relationships between communities. These methods have promise in other fields as well. The use of multivariate methods to delineate relationships and classify an agroforestry system was tested among fruit-based agroforestry gardens in northern Thailand. Data on crop species composition, species abundance, perennial-crop age groups, and other physical and ecological factors from 82 gardens in three villages in a Highland watershed in northern Thailand were used in this study. Using Hierarchical Cluster Analysis the gardens were divided into clusters, each representing a different garden type (or fruit-based agroforestry subsystem). Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) analysis was used to assist in the interpretation of classification groupings and analysis gradients. The NMS analysis shows overall crop diversity, herbaceous food crops, size and market potential of the fruit planting as important classifying factors. However, this analysis did not produce as clear distinctions as hoped among gardens in a continuum of gradually changing and overlapping characteristics.

Journal

Agroforestry SystemsSpringer Journals

Published: Nov 1, 2005

There are no references for this article.