Effects of Ecosystem Services Provided by Birds and Bats in Smallholder Cacao Plantations of Central Sulawesi

Cacao agroforestry systems are common in Indonesia, but differences in local management affect biodiversity and related ecosystem services. Importantly, birds and bats alike strongly contribute to biological pest control in cacao, thereby promoting yields and sustainable farming. Our findings from many years of ecological field research, in close collaboration with Indonesian cacao farmers, are summarized and discussed in this bilingual book, written in both English and Indonesian. It is designed to communicate scientific information as well as to facilitate transdisciplinary discussions and more biodiversity-friendly management in tropical agroforestry systems. We consider this book as a tool to improve the collaboration of local communities, farmers and scientists, as well as to improve the application of scientific knowledge in agricultural practice – particularly in tropical land use areas. Bea Maas, the first author of this book, is postdoctoral researcher at the University of Vienna (Austria), working in the fields of biology, ecology and conservation. She conducted the research and workshops presented here in close collaboration and with support from the University of Göttingen (Germany) and the University of Tadulako (Indonesia).