
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
Fields of research
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
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Agroforestry
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Cocoa
Works
Search Professor Wilma J. Blaser Hart’s works on UQ eSpace
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Wilma J. Blaser Hart is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Improving biodiversity outcomes in West African cocoa
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Richard Fuller, Associate Professor Matthew Luskin, Dr Simon Hart
Media
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