@misc{01GQHQCFMP1AKHX7VBHHBCAMJW,
  abstract     = {{Shade trees are used in many coffee production systems across the globe. Beyond the benefits on biodiversity conservation, climate buffering, carbon sequestration and pathogen regulation, shade trees can impact the soil nutrient status via, for instance, litter inputs and nitrogen fixation. Since soil nutrients affect coffee quality and taste, there is also a potential indirect effect of shade tree species on coffee quality. Yet, in spite of the potentially large impact of shade tree species, quantitative data on the effects of shade trees on (i) soil biogeochemistry and (ii) the associated coffee bean quality remain scarce. We quantified to what extent four widely used shade trees species (Acacia abyssinica, Albizia gummifera, Cordia Africana and Croton macrostachyus) in a plantation coffee agroforestry system in Ethiopia impact soil biogeochemistry, and how this in turn affects coffee quality, measured as cupping scores. We found especially significant negative impacts of N-fixing shade tree species on soil pH and base cation concentrations. Plant-available and total phosphorus was enhanced by the presence of Albizia gummifera. Thus, the present findings demonstrate that careful selection and integration of shade tree species such as Acacia abyssinica and Albizia gummifera into coffee production systems is a good practice for sustaining soil chemical properties in coffee agroecosystem. In spite of the impacts on soil characteristics, the shade tree species did not impact cupping scores of the resulting coffee beverage except some effect on the bean mass. Hence, further research should focus more on coffee-shade tree associations such that our understanding of the biogeochemical impacts can be improved, especially given the microclimatic importance of shade tree species in buffering the negative impacts from heatwaves and droughts due to climate change.}},
  author       = {{Gebre, Merkebu Getachew and Verheyen, Kris and Tolassa, Kassaye and Tack, Ayco and Hylander, Kristoffer and Ayalew, Biruk and Boeckx, Pascal and De Frenne, Pieter}},
  issn         = {{1556-5068}},
  keywords     = {{Coffee quality,soil biogeochemistry,shade tree species identity,Ethiopia}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{30}},
  series       = {{SSRN Electronic Journal}},
  title        = {{Shade tree species effects on soil biogeochemistry and coffee bean quality in plantation coffee agroforestry}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4250821}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}

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