BIODIVERSITY IN AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS ABOUT AGROFORESTRY Agroforestry is
BIODIVERSITY IN AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS
ABOUT AGROFORESTRY • Agroforestry is a collective name for land-use systems and technologies where woody perennials (trees, shrubs, etc. ) are deliberately used on the same land-management units as agricultural crops and/or animals. • a dynamic, ecologically based, natural resource management system that, through the integration of trees on farms and in the agricultural landscape, diversifies and sustains production for increased social, economic and environmental benefits for land users at all levels. • Hungarian traditions: wood pasture, shelterbelts, farm tree plantages • Current support system rules: – at least 50% of the land is used for plant production or livestock production – number of trees with the border trees does not exceed 200 -250 pcs / ha
AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS Silvoarable Silvopastoral Agrosilvopastoral Alley cropping Hedge Forest garden Shelterbelt Riparian buffer Wood pasture Tree plantage Fruit plantage Grazed forest Etc…
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURE CONSERVATION • Confrontation of intensive agricultural areas with the interests of the environment: – – soil erosion, chemicals, biodiversity loss climatic factors. • Trees planted on an agricultural land can increase soil fertility, production, and biodiversity. • Landscape diversity has a recreational value • Complex land use offers a wider range of income
BIODIVERSITY • Definition: „"Biological diversity" means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part: this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems. ” (Convention on Biological Diversity – United Nations 1992) • Metrics: • • • Number of species Texture: mass of species Kotexture: the frequency of each species combination Shannon and Simpson indexes: in addition to the number of components, the dominance structure of the community is also taken into account Equilibrium: it expresses how well the aggregate number of collisions (covering, biomass) is distributed equally among the constructive species.
AGROFORESTRY AND BIODIVERSITY Direct Complex structure, more species more diversified than monoculture Indirect • Specific microclimate: windbreak, shading, protection from weather extremes • Presence of different plant species diversity of food supply • Structure: attractive for nesting, hiding, nutrition • Border effect: the biodiversity is larger than the two adjacent associations • The secondary grasslands formed by grazing are very rich in species
ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF AF BIODIVERSITY • Offering habitat for natural enemies of pests and pathogens: besides the more common species, eagles (Aquila heliaca and Heliaeetus albicilla) also nest in shelterbelts. Less chemicals need • Other predatory birds can use the trees as viewing, sitting point • Maintenance of wood pastures supports gene conservation of Hungarian animal species (cattle, sheep) • Through extended, diversed food supply, an agroforestry system can be appropriate for game management purposes
ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF AF BIODIVERSITY • Supporting pollinating and bee keeping by • • Mechanical protection Extension of pollen collecting period
ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF AF BIODIVERSITY • Agro-forestry systems contribute significantly to maintaining and increasing biodiversity, but the way of treatment also has a strong impact. • An inappropriately managed facility can also spread invasive species • The lack of treatment can transform the tree structure in a direction unfavorable to biodiversity • Favorable for biodiversity: ash, willow and maple species • Unprofitable tree species: evergreen oak and summer species • Suitable: nuts, hazelnuts, cherries and pines
SLIDE HEADING • based on first field visits and tests, in shelterbelt systems the structure has the main effect on herbal diversity. Under Robinia and Ailanthus tree rows can appear a range variety of herbaceous plants, if the system contains a 1 -2 m wide chemical-free border between the crop and the trees, but not in autochton shelterbelts without border.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
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