Conserving native Kalimantan species: the role of agroforestry in biodiversity conservation and carbon storage

The rich biodiversity of Kalimantan is threatened by land use changes, making it essential to adopt conservation strategies. The implementation of agroforestry systems by the local community is a potential conservation strategy to sustainably preserve the biodiversity. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to determine the role of agroforestry in conserving native species diversity and its potential for storing carbon in the North Penajam Paser and Kutai Kartanegara districts, East Kalimantan. Vegetation analysis and interviews were carried out to identify plant species and agroforestry patterns in this region. Data were analyzed using the Shannon–Wiener index, importance value index, species association tests, Pearson correlation, and principal component analysis, whereas biomass estimates were derived using an allometric model. Results showed that 58.70% of all cultivated species were native to Kalimantan. Species association analysis revealed positive interactions that facilitated coexistence and resource use efficiency. The agroforestry system integrated native fruit species, economically valuable non native species, high carbon stock species, and species included in the IUCN Red List such as Durio kutejensis, Baccaurea lanceolata , and Aquilaria microcarpa . This approach, exemplified in Sungai Merdeka Village, optimized financial benefits while supporting conservation. The estimated average carbon stock was 33.28 Mg C ha⁻¹, highlighting the contribution of agroforestry systems for carbon storage. Consequently, the agroforestry system provided economic benefits, playing a role in conserving native species by storing and sequestering carbon.