Study: Biodiversity leads to Better Coffee Harvests

According to a new study by researchers at University of Würzburg published in Proceedings Of The Royal Society B, bird, bee and bat access to coffee plants to grown in the Kilimanjaro greatly enhanced quantity and quality of harvests.  In each of the area's traditional growing systems (sun, shade and Chagga gardens), coffee fruit sets rose almost ten percent and showed reduced leaf damage and pest infestation.  Although the examined coffee variety is self-pollinating, bee access to coffee blossoms also resulted in coffee cherries that were about seven percent heavier, which contributes to a higher quality coffee.  The effect of birds and bats helping control pests combined with the bees effects on quality is a great one-two punch for coffee lovers.
In related news, the new crop of Tanzania Peaberry has arrived and is now once again available online.