Tree clearing for coffee production threatens the tropical cloud montane forests of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, with implications for soil fertility

Abstract

Tropical montane cloud forests (TMCFs) are biodiversity hotspots that have been increasingly cleared to cultivate coffee under full sun exposure, replacing traditional shaded agroforestry systems. This study evaluated the impact of TMCF clearing on soil quality by analyzing 108 samples from undisturbed primary and secondary forests and deforested coffee plantations in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Our findings indicate that forest clearing has a substantial adverse impact on soil nutrient status.