Conceptual links between landscape diversity and diet diversity: A roadmap for transdisciplinary research

Sarah E. Gergel*, Bronwen Powell, Frédéric Baudron, Sylvia L.R. Wood, Jeanine M. Rhemtulla, Gina Kennedy, Laura V. Rasmussen, Amy Ickowitz, Matthew E. Fagan, Erica A.H. Smithwick, Jessica Ranieri, Stephen A. Wood, Jeroen C.J. Groot, Terry C.H. Sunderland

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

39 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Malnutrition linked to poor quality diets affects at least 2 billion people. Forests, as well as agricultural systems linked to trees, are key sources of dietary diversity in rural settings. In the present article, we develop conceptual links between diet diversity and forested landscape mosaics within the rural tropics. First, we summarize the state of knowledge regarding diets obtained from forests, trees, and agroforests. We then hypothesize how disturbed secondary forests, edge habitats, forest access, and landscape diversity can function in bolstering dietary diversity. Taken together, these ideas help us build a framework illuminating four pathways (direct, agroecological, energy, and market pathways) connecting forested landscapes to diet diversity. Finally, we offer recommendations to fill remaining knowledge gaps related to diet and forest cover monitoring. We argue that better evaluation of the role of land cover complexity will help avoid overly simplistic views of food security and, instead, uncover nutritional synergies with forest conservation and restoration.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)563-575
Number of pages13
JournalBioscience
Volume70
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2020

Keywords

  • Food security and nutrition
  • Landscape approach
  • Remote sensing
  • Restoration
  • Sustainable development
  • Tropical forest conservation

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