New Indices for the Evaluation of Agrobiodiversity

Abstract

To date, agrobiodiversity has been evaluated using indices developed to assess ecosystem biodiversity in general (Alfa, Beta and Gamma diversity). However, although these tools have been widely used for agroecosystem evaluation, they are lacking indices designed to measure sustainability based on an agroecosystem’s functional diversity, or the degree to which it meets man’s nutritional, material and spiritual needs. The research presented here is based on a 3 year participatory evaluation of agrobiodiversity in 15 agroecosystems located within the municipality of San José de Las Lajas, Mayabeque Province, Cuba. Four groups of species were considered: human food species(FER); animal food species (FE); soil microorganisms (AVA), and non-nutrition related complementary species (COM).These groups were further subdivided into fourteen more specific categories, based on the roles played within an agroecoystem. A participatory process was then undertaken to develop a scale of values to be applied to each of the fourteen species categories.This value scale measures the relationship between the real vs.the desired presence of a particular species category within an agroecosystem. Integrating the analysis of each of the four general groups provides an Agroecosystem Diversity Index (ADI) that can be expressed by a mathematical function (see in full text): where: Vi = the value of importance of each component (0-3); Vi max = the maximum value of importance on the scale of values, and; S = the total number of components. Specific indices were established for each species group (IFER, IFE, IAVA and ICOM) based on functions within an agroecosystem. These indices together determine the ADI, (0 -1.0) which can be used as an indicator of overall agroecosystem sustainability. IDA is considered efficient when greater than 0.7.