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Dr Wilma J. Blaser Hart
Dr

Wilma J. Blaser Hart

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Overview

Background

How do we feed the world, adapt to and mitigate climate change, and conserve biodiversity? My research addresses these critical questions by quantifying the trade-offs between agricultural production, climate change, and biodiversity in tropical agricultural landscapes. A key focus of my work is agroforestry—the strategic integration of trees into cultivated lands. While agroforests are not a one-size-fits-all solution, my research shows that agroforestry, when informed by a quantitative understanding of these trade-offs, can improve biodiversity and climate outcomes without compromising agricultural productivity.

Through fieldwork and conservation planning, and in collaboration with my wonderful colleagues at the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science (CBCS), I aim to understand how agricultural landscapes can be optimized across large geographic areas, to best meet conflicting goals and improve biodiversity outcomes. The goal of this work is to improve sustainability outcomes across West Africa, where tropical forests have been rapidly converted in order to produce 60% of the world’s cocoa.

Availability

Dr Wilma J. Blaser Hart is:
Available for supervision

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Environmental Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zürich
  • Masters (Coursework), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zürich
  • Doctor of Philosophy of Science (Advanced), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zürich

Research interests

  • Agroforestry

  • Cocoa

Works

Search Professor Wilma J. Blaser Hart’s works on UQ eSpace

25 works between 2011 and 2025

1 - 20 of 25 works

Featured

2023

Journal Article

Cocoa plantations are associated with deforestation in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana

Kalischek, Nikolai, Lang, Nico, Renier, Cécile, Daudt, Rodrigo Caye, Addoah, Thomas, Thompson, William, Blaser-Hart, Wilma J., Garrett, Rachael, Schindler, Konrad and Wegner, Jan D. (2023). Cocoa plantations are associated with deforestation in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. Nature Food, 4 (5), 384-393. doi: 10.1038/s43016-023-00751-8

Cocoa plantations are associated with deforestation in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana

Featured

2021

Journal Article

The effectiveness of cocoa agroforests depends on shade-tree canopy height

Blaser-Hart, W. J., Hart, S. P., Oppong, J., Kyereh, D., Yeboah, E. and Six, J. (2021). The effectiveness of cocoa agroforests depends on shade-tree canopy height. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 322 107676, 1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2021.107676

The effectiveness of cocoa agroforests depends on shade-tree canopy height

Featured

2018

Journal Article

Climate-smart sustainable agriculture in low-to-intermediate shade agroforests

Blaser, W. J., Oppong, J., Hart, S. P., Landolt, J., Yeboah, E. and Six, J. (2018). Climate-smart sustainable agriculture in low-to-intermediate shade agroforests. Nature Sustainability, 1 (5), 234-239. doi: 10.1038/s41893-018-0062-8

Climate-smart sustainable agriculture in low-to-intermediate shade agroforests

2025

Journal Article

Ecosystem changes caused by hydrological change are associated with population decline in a formerly-common grazing herbivore

Blaser-Hart, W. J., Shanungu, G. K., Edwards, P. J., Harms, J., Hart, S. P. H., Ellenbroek, G. A., van Gils, H. A. M. J., Simukonda, C. and Olde Venterink, H. (2025). Ecosystem changes caused by hydrological change are associated with population decline in a formerly-common grazing herbivore. Ecosystems, 28 (1) 14, 1. doi: 10.1007/s10021-024-00951-8

Ecosystem changes caused by hydrological change are associated with population decline in a formerly-common grazing herbivore

2024

Journal Article

Correction to: Smallholder farmer resilience to extreme weather events in a global food value chain

Thompson, William J., Varma, Varun, Joerin, Jonas, Bonilla-Duarte, Solhanlle, Bebber, Daniel P., Blaser-Hart, Wilma, Kopainsky, Birgit, Späth, Leonhard, Curcio, Bianca, Six, Johan and Krütli, Pius (2024). Correction to: Smallholder farmer resilience to extreme weather events in a global food value chain. Climatic Change, 177 (11) 168. doi: 10.1007/s10584-024-03818-y

Correction to: Smallholder farmer resilience to extreme weather events in a global food value chain

2024

Journal Article

Drivers of cocoa yield and growth in young monoculture and agroforestry systems

Ariza-Salamanca, Antonio Jesús, Navarro-Cerrillo, Rafael Mª., Crozier, Jayne, Stirling, Clare, Mancini, Agnese, Blaser-Hart, Wilma and González-Moreno, Pablo (2024). Drivers of cocoa yield and growth in young monoculture and agroforestry systems. Agricultural Systems, 219 104044, 104044. doi: 10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104044

Drivers of cocoa yield and growth in young monoculture and agroforestry systems

2024

Other Outputs

The feasibility of cocoa production in Tonga: an assessment

Hine, Damian, Mitter, Neen, Blaser-Hart, Wilma, Shabbir Ahmad, Xiong, Ling, Wei, Tao and Howard, Alice (2024). The feasibility of cocoa production in Tonga: an assessment. Brisbane, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland.

The feasibility of cocoa production in Tonga: an assessment

2024

Journal Article

Mycorrhizal fungi-mediated uptake of tree-derived nutrients by crops –the role of tree-maintained versus crop-associated fungal mycelia

Dierks, Janina, Gamper, Hannes A., Blaser-Hart, Wilma J., Morales Kuan, Betsabe and Six, Johan (2024). Mycorrhizal fungi-mediated uptake of tree-derived nutrients by crops –the role of tree-maintained versus crop-associated fungal mycelia. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 188 109243, 1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.soilbio.2023.109243

Mycorrhizal fungi-mediated uptake of tree-derived nutrients by crops –the role of tree-maintained versus crop-associated fungal mycelia

2023

Journal Article

Smallholder farmer resilience to extreme weather events in a global food value chain

Thompson, William J., Varma, Varun, Joerin, Jonas, Bonilla-Duarte, Solhanlle, Bebber, Daniel P., Blaser-Hart, Wilma, Kopainsky, Birgit, Späth, Leonhard, Curcio, Bianca, Six, Johan and Krütli, Pius (2023). Smallholder farmer resilience to extreme weather events in a global food value chain. Climatic Change, 176 (11) 152, 152. doi: 10.1007/s10584-023-03586-1

Smallholder farmer resilience to extreme weather events in a global food value chain

2022

Journal Article

Can sustainability certification enhance the climate resilience of smallholder farmers? The case of Ghanaian cocoa

Thompson, W.J., Blaser-Hart, W.J., Joerin, J., Krütli, P., Dawoe, E., Kopainsky, B., Chavez, E., Garrett, R.D. and Six, J. (2022). Can sustainability certification enhance the climate resilience of smallholder farmers? The case of Ghanaian cocoa. Journal of Land Use Science, 17 (1), 407-428. doi: 10.1080/1747423x.2022.2097455

Can sustainability certification enhance the climate resilience of smallholder farmers? The case of Ghanaian cocoa

2021

Journal Article

Mycorrhizal fungi-mediated uptake of tree-derived nitrogen by maize in smallholder farms

Dierks, Janina, Blaser-Hart, Wilma J., Gamper, Hannes A. and Six, Johan (2021). Mycorrhizal fungi-mediated uptake of tree-derived nitrogen by maize in smallholder farms. Nature Sustainability, 5 (1), 64-70. doi: 10.1038/s41893-021-00791-7

Mycorrhizal fungi-mediated uptake of tree-derived nitrogen by maize in smallholder farms

2021

Journal Article

Trees enhance abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, soil structure, and nutrient retention in low-input maize cropping systems

Dierks, Janina, Blaser-Hart, Wilma J., Gamper, Hannes A., Nyoka, Isaac Betserai, Barrios, Edmundo and Six, Johan (2021). Trees enhance abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, soil structure, and nutrient retention in low-input maize cropping systems. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 318 107487. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2021.107487

Trees enhance abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, soil structure, and nutrient retention in low-input maize cropping systems

2020

Journal Article

Cocoa agroforestry systems versus monocultures: A multi-dimensional meta-analysis

Niether, Wiebke, Jacobi, Johanna, Blaser, Wilma J., Andres, Christian and Armengot, Laura (2020). Cocoa agroforestry systems versus monocultures: A multi-dimensional meta-analysis. Environmental Research Letters, 15 (10) 104085, 104085. doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/abb053

Cocoa agroforestry systems versus monocultures: A multi-dimensional meta-analysis

2020

Journal Article

Author Correction: Climate-smart sustainable agriculture in low-to-intermediate shade agroforests

Blaser, W. J., Oppong, J., Hart, S. P., Landolt, J., Yeboah, E. and Six, J. (2020). Author Correction: Climate-smart sustainable agriculture in low-to-intermediate shade agroforests. Nature Sustainability, 3 (9), 768-768. doi: 10.1038/s41893-020-0594-6

Author Correction: Climate-smart sustainable agriculture in low-to-intermediate shade agroforests

2020

Journal Article

Soil fertility and Theobroma cacao growth and productivity under commonly intercropped shade-tree species in Sulawesi, Indonesia

Wartenberg, Ariani C., Blaser, Wilma J., Roshetko, James M., Van Noordwijk, Meine and Six, Johan (2020). Soil fertility and Theobroma cacao growth and productivity under commonly intercropped shade-tree species in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Plant and Soil, 453 (1-2), 87-104. doi: 10.1007/s11104-018-03921-x

Soil fertility and Theobroma cacao growth and productivity under commonly intercropped shade-tree species in Sulawesi, Indonesia

2018

Journal Article

Social network to inform and prevent the spread of cocoa swollen shoot virus disease in Ghana

Andres, Christian, Hoerler, Raphael, Home, Robert, Joerin, Jonas, Dzahini-Obiatey, Henry K., Ameyaw, George A., Domfeh, Owusu, Blaser, Wilma J., Gattinger, Andreas, Offei, Samuel K. and Six, Johan (2018). Social network to inform and prevent the spread of cocoa swollen shoot virus disease in Ghana. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 38 (5) 53. doi: 10.1007/s13593-018-0538-y

Social network to inform and prevent the spread of cocoa swollen shoot virus disease in Ghana

2018

Journal Article

Agroforestry systems can mitigate the severity of cocoa swollen shoot virus disease

Andres, Christian, Blaser, Wilma J., Dzahini-Obiatey, Henry K., Ameyaw, George A., Domfelh, Owusu K., Awiagah, Moses A., Gattinger, Andreas, Schneider, Monika, Offei, Samuel K. and Six, Johan (2018). Agroforestry systems can mitigate the severity of cocoa swollen shoot virus disease. Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment, 252, 83-92. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2017.09.031

Agroforestry systems can mitigate the severity of cocoa swollen shoot virus disease

2018

Journal Article

Farmer perceptions of plant-soil interactions can affect adoption of sustainable management practices in cocoa agroforests: a case study from Southeast Sulawesi

Wartenberg, Ariani C., Blaser, Wilma J., Janudianto, K. N., Roshetko, James M., van Noordwijk, Meine and Six, Johan (2018). Farmer perceptions of plant-soil interactions can affect adoption of sustainable management practices in cocoa agroforests: a case study from Southeast Sulawesi. Ecology and Society, 23 (1) 18. doi: 10.5751/ES-09921-230118

Farmer perceptions of plant-soil interactions can affect adoption of sustainable management practices in cocoa agroforests: a case study from Southeast Sulawesi

2017

Journal Article

Does shade tree diversity increase soil fertility in cocoa plantations?

Wartenberg, Ariani C., Blaser, Wilma J., Gattinger, Andreas, Roshetko, James M., Van Noordwijk, Meine and Six, Johan (2017). Does shade tree diversity increase soil fertility in cocoa plantations?. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 248, 190-199. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2017.07.033

Does shade tree diversity increase soil fertility in cocoa plantations?

2017

Journal Article

Combatting cocoa swollen shoot virus disease: what do we know?

Andres, Christian, Gattinger, Andreas, Dzahini-Obiatey, Henry K., Blaser, Wilma J., Offei, Samuel K. and Six, Johan (2017). Combatting cocoa swollen shoot virus disease: what do we know?. Crop Protection, 98, 76-84. doi: 10.1016/j.cropro.2017.03.010

Combatting cocoa swollen shoot virus disease: what do we know?

Funding

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2027
    Improving biodiversity outcomes in West African cocoa
    Lindt Cocoa Foundation
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2021 - 2023
    Dr Wilma Hart - Maternity Funding
    Advance Queensland Women's Research Assistance Program
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2024
    Sustainable sourcing policies for biodiversity protection, climate mitigation, and improved livelihoods in the cocoa sector (BiodivERsA grant administered by ETH Zurich)
    ETH Zurich
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2023
    Spatially explicit recommendations for optimal levels of shade-tree cover for sustainable cocoa production
    European Cocoa Association AISBL
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2024
    Methods and a tool for remotely estimating shade-tree cover & carbon stocks, and for developing spatially explicit recommendations for cocoa agroforests
    ETH Zurich
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Dr Wilma J. Blaser Hart is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

Media

Enquiries

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