Traditional agroforestry on peatlands conserves biodiversity while supporting the livelihoods of rural communities. This study characterized species composition and community structure, compared plant diversity and dominance, and evaluated the livelihood functions of traditional peatland agroforestry in three villages in Tapung Subdistrict, Kampar, Riau, Indonesia. Vegetation data collection came from 12 20 m × 20 m plots, and the documentation of plant utilization continued through semi-structured interviews with agroforestry owners. These agroforestry systems contained 14–20 plant species, with different dominant species across the villages. Agricultural crops were dominant with oil palm, coconut, banana, and areca palm, while matoa, jackfruit, mango, rambutan, and water apple were the dominant tree species. All sites exhibited moderate species diversity (H’ = 2.18–2.69), high evenness (J = 0.83–0.91), and low dominance (C = 0.08–0.16). Fruit species represent the largest utilization category, with 57%–65% of harvested produce consumed by households and the remainder sold as supplementary income. These findings indicate that traditional agroforestry on peatlands effectively integrates productive crops with various tree species, supports rural livelihoods and ecological diversity, and provides a scientific basis for the sustainable selection of species in tropical peatland agroforestry.
Biodiversity, community livelihoods, traditional agroforestry, trees, tropical peatlands
Traditional peatland agroforestry maintained moderate species diversity, high evenness, and low dominance despite differences in dominant agricultural crops and tree species among villages. Integrating productive crops with diverse multipurpose tree species supports household food security and supplementary income while maintaining ecological diversity, providing valuable guidance for species selection in sustainable peatland agroforestry.