Plant diversity in cocoa, coffee and cashew agroforest in southern Ghana

Abstract The understanding of the significance of cocoa, coffee, and cashew agroforestry systems in maintaining biodiversity and providing ecosystem services is limited in tropical and humid regions worldwide. The aim of this study was to measure the plant species and diversity in these agroforest systems compared to natural forests. We utilized the line transect method and sampled farm plots that were 20 meters by 20 meters and marked every 50 meters in the cocoa, coffee, cashew agroforest, and natural forests. We determined vegetation parameters such as relative density, relative dominance, relative frequency, and important value index of the most common tree species. The majority of individual shade trees were found in the forest reserve. The mean density and basal area of native forest trees were higher in the forest reserves and lower in the cashew agroforest farmland. Khaya ivorensis had the highest relative frequency, followed by the coffee farmlands, while the least was observed in the cashew agroforest. The findings of this study have implications for sustainable management of tropical agricultural production landscapes and contribute to biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes.