Murugan, Muthusamy and Shetty, Paddu Krishnappa and Ravi, Raju and Subbiah, A and Hiremath, MB
(2011)
Environmental Impacts of Intensive Cardamom (Small) Cultivation in Indian Cardamom Hills: The Need for Sustainable and Efficient Practices.
Recent Research in Science and Technology, 3 (2).
pp. 9-15.
ISSN 2076-5061
| Abstract: |
The recent intensification of small cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum Maton) farming, and the prospects of intensification, will
have the major detrimental impacts on the Indian cardamom hills (ICH) ecosystem. The increased (4 fold) cardamom
production during the past 30 years was associated with a several fold increase in the consumption of fertilizers and pesticides
as well as drastic reduction in erstwhile rainforest land and canopy cover. Based on simple linear extension of past trends, and
the anticipated future demand of cardamom would be associated with approximately 3 fold increase in both nitrogen and
phosphorus fertilizer rates as well as pesticides ( 4-5 fold increase in number of spray rounds) and further reduction in forest
canopy cover (40%). These projected changes would have dramatic impacts on the functioning of the cardamom ecosystem
because of complete loss of biodiversity and land and forest degradation. The largest impacts would be on fresh water
ecosystem, which would be greatly eutrophied by high rates of nitrogen and phosphorus release from cardamom and tea
plantations, and contaminated with various toxic pesticides. These detrimental environmental impacts of intensive cardamom
agriculture can be minimized only if there is much more efficient use and recycling of nutrients between forest and soil. |
| Item Type: |
Journal Paper
|
| Keywords: |
Ecosystem services, Environmental impact, Indian cardamom hills, Intensive cardamom agriculture |
| Subjects: |
School of Natural and Engineering Sciences > Environment
Doctoral Programme > PhD Scholar Publications |
| Divisions: |
Schools > Natural Sciences and Engineering |
| Date Deposited: |
25 Apr 2011 05:29 |
| Last Modified: |
28 Aug 2023 10:35 |
| Official URL: |
http://recent-science.com/article/viewFile/5074/25... |
| Related URLs: |
|
| Funders: |
UNSPECIFIED |
| Projects: |
UNSPECIFIED |
| DOI: |
|
| URI: |
http://eprints.nias.res.in/id/eprint/191 |
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