Agroforestry. Research Essay
Agroforestry is an integrated approach of using the interactive benefits from combining trees and shrubs with crops and/or livestock. It combines agricultural and forestry technologies to create more diverse, productive, profitable, healthy, and sustainable land-use systems.[1] A narrow definition of agroforestry is "trees on farms."[2]
Contents
• 1 As a science
• 2 Benefits o 2.1 Adaptation to Climate Change
• 3 Applications o 3.1 Parkland o 3.2 Shade systems o 3.3 Crop-over-tree systems o 3.4 Alley cropping o 3.5 Strip cropping o 3.6 Fauna-based systems o 3.7 Boundary systems o 3.8 Taungyas o 3.9 Physical support systems o 3.10 Agroforests
• 4 See also
• 5 References
• 6 Further reading
• 7 External links
As a science
The theoretical base for agroforestry comes from ecology, via agroecology.[3] From this perspective, agroforestry is one of the three principal land-use sciences. The other two are agriculture and forestry.[4]
The efficiency of photosynthesis drops off with increasing light intensity, and the rate of photosynthesis hardly increases once the light intensity is over about one tenth that of direct overhead sun. This means that plants under trees can still grow well even though they get less light. By having more than one level of vegetation, it is possible to get more photosynthesis than with a single layer.
Agroforestry has a lot in common with intercropping. Both have two or more plant species (such as nitrogen-fixing plants) in close interaction, both provide multiple outputs, as a consequence, higher overall yields and, because a single application or input is shared, costs are reduced. Beyond these, there are gains specific to agroforestry.
Benefits
Further information: Ecoscaping
Agroforestry systems can be advantageous over conventional agricultural and forest production methods. They can offer increased productivity, economic benefits, and more diversity in the ecological goods and services provided.[5]
Contents
• 1 As a science
• 2 Benefits o 2.1 Adaptation to Climate Change
• 3 Applications o 3.1 Parkland o 3.2 Shade systems o 3.3 Crop-over-tree systems o 3.4 Alley cropping o 3.5 Strip cropping o 3.6 Fauna-based systems o 3.7 Boundary systems o 3.8 Taungyas o 3.9 Physical support systems o 3.10 Agroforests
• 4 See also
• 5 References
• 6 Further reading
• 7 External links
As a science
The theoretical base for agroforestry comes from ecology, via agroecology.[3] From this perspective, agroforestry is one of the three principal land-use sciences. The other two are agriculture and forestry.[4]
The efficiency of photosynthesis drops off with increasing light intensity, and the rate of photosynthesis hardly increases once the light intensity is over about one tenth that of direct overhead sun. This means that plants under trees can still grow well even though they get less light. By having more than one level of vegetation, it is possible to get more photosynthesis than with a single layer.
Agroforestry has a lot in common with intercropping. Both have two or more plant species (such as nitrogen-fixing plants) in close interaction, both provide multiple outputs, as a consequence, higher overall yields and, because a single application or input is shared, costs are reduced. Beyond these, there are gains specific to agroforestry.
Benefits
Further information: Ecoscaping
Agroforestry systems can be advantageous over conventional agricultural and forest production methods. They can offer increased productivity, economic benefits, and more diversity in the ecological goods and services provided.[5]