title: A review of the ecosystem functions in oil palm plantations, using forests as a reference system.
abstract: Oil palm plantations have expanded rapidly in recent decades. This large-scale land-use change has had great ecological, economic, and social impacts on both the areas converted to oil palm and their surroundings. However, research on the impacts of oil palm cultivation is scattered and patchy, and no clear overview exists. We address this gap through a systematic and comprehensive literature review of all ecosystem functions in oil palm plantations, including several (genetic, medicinal and ornamental resources, information functions) not included in previous systematic reviews. We compare ecosystem functions in oil palm plantations to those in forests, as the conversion of forest to oil palm is prevalent in the tropics. We find that oil palm plantations generally have reduced ecosystem functioning compared to forests: 11 out of 14 ecosystem functions show a net decrease in level of function. Some functions show decreases with potentially irreversible global impacts (e.g. reductions in gas and climate regulation, habitat and nursery functions, genetic resources, medicinal resources, and information functions). The most serious impacts occur when forest is cleared to establish new plantations, and immediately afterwards, especially on peat soils. To variable degrees, specific plantation management measures can prevent or reduce losses of some ecosystem functions (e.g. avoid illegal land clearing via fire, avoid draining of peat, use of integrated pest management, use of cover crops, mulch, and compost) and we highlight synergistic mitigation measures that can improve multiple ecosystem functions simultaneously. The only ecosystem function which increases in oil palm plantations is, unsurprisingly, the production of marketable goods. Our review highlights numerous research gaps. In particular, there are significant gaps with respect to socio-cultural information functions. Further, there is a need for more empirical data on the importance of spatial and temporal scales, such as differences among plantations in different environments, of different sizes, and of different ages, as our review has identified examples where ecosystem functions vary spatially and temporally. Finally, more research is needed on developing management practices that can offset the losses of ecosystem functions. Our findings should stimulate research to address the identified gaps, and provide a foundation for more systematic research and discussion on ways to minimize the negative impacts and maximize the positive impacts of oil palm cultivation.
authors: Department of Ecosystem Modelling, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.|Department of Ecological Modelling, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, 04318, Leipzig, Germany.
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Dislich
authors: Department of Ecosystem Modelling, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Alexander C
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5256-6274
authors: AC
authors: Keyel
authors: Department of Ecosystem Modelling, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Jan
authors: J
authors: Salecker
authors: Department of Ecosystem Modelling, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Yael
authors: Y
authors: Kisel
authors: Department of Ecosystem Modelling, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Katrin M
authors: KM
authors: Meyer
authors: Department of Conservation Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, 04318, Leipzig, Germany.
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Auliya
authors: Department of Systemic Conservation Biology, Faculty of Biology and Psychology, University of Göttingen, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Andrew D
authors: AD
authors: Barnes
authors: Department of Soil Science of Tropical and Subtropical Ecosystems, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Marife D
authors: MD
authors: Corre
authors: Department of Crop Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Kevin
authors: K
authors: Darras
authors: Department of Human Geography, Faculty of Geoscience and Geography, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Heiko
authors: H
authors: Faust
authors: Department of Ecosystem Modelling, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Bastian
authors: B
authors: Hess
authors: Department of Development Economics, Faculty of Economic Science, University of Göttingen, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Stephan
authors: S
authors: Klasen
authors: Department of Bioclimatology, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Knohl
authors: Department of Biodiversity, Macroecology & Conservation Biogeography, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Holger
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4471-8236
authors: H
authors: Kreft
authors: Department of Bioclimatology, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Ana
authors: A
authors: Meijide
authors: Department of Ecosystem Modelling, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.|Department of Crop Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Fuad
authors: F
authors: Nurdiansyah
authors: Department of Human Geography, Faculty of Geoscience and Geography, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Fenna
authors: F
authors: Otten
authors: Department of Conservation Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, 04318, Leipzig, Germany.|German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
authors: Guy
authors: G
authors: Pe'er
authors: Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Göttingen, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Stefanie
authors: S
authors: Steinebach
authors: Department of Soil Sciences and Land Resources Management, Bogor Agriculture University, Bogor, Indonesia.
authors: Suria
authors: S
authors: Tarigan
authors: Department of Bioclimatology, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.|Institute for Geography, University of Giessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany.
authors: Merja H
authors: MH
authors: Tölle
authors: Department of Crop Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Teja
authors: T
authors: Tscharntke
authors: Department of Ecosystem Modelling, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
authors: Kerstin
authors: K
authors: Wiegand
mesh_terms: D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000502:physiology*; D017753:Ecosystem; D065928:Forests; D012987:Soil
chemical_list: D012987:Soil
keywords: Elaeis guineensis; biodiversity; ecosystem functions; ecosystem services; land-use change; oil palm