Agroforestry Systems最新文献

{"title":"Tree diversity in indigenous agroforestry systems and its association with household food security in the subtropical lowlands of Pakistan","authors":"Muhammad Waheed,&nbsp;Naila Hadayat,&nbsp;Fahim Arshad,&nbsp;Zokir Mamadiyarov,&nbsp;Nodir Jumaev,&nbsp;Aziz Muratov,&nbsp;Kamola Kilicheva","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01703-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01703-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Agroforestry systems support multifunctional agricultural landscapes, yet their association with household food security remains insufficiently understood in intensively cultivated subtropical lowlands. Limited evidence linking tree diversity with household dietary outcomes constrains the development of nutrition-sensitive agroforestry strategies. This study quantified tree diversity across five indigenous agroforestry systems and assessed its association with household food security in District Kasur, Punjab, Pakistan. A cross-sectional survey of 150 households was conducted with equal representation across the five systems (30 households per system). Tree inventories quantified taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity, while household food security was assessed using the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) and Food Consumption Score (FCS). Adjusted regression models evaluated associations of tree richness with HDDS and FCS while accounting for household size, farm size, livestock number, and agroforestry system. A total of 48 tree species representing 20 families were recorded. The largest system-level species pool occurred in STC (32 species), whereas HTG had the highest household-level richness (10.03 ± 0.32), Shannon diversity (2.14 ± 0.04), and phylogenetic diversity (942.62 ± 32.30). BHT showed the highest functional diversity (0.39 ± 0.01) and evenness (0.96 ± 0.01). Tree richness was positively associated with HDDS (β = 0.383, 95% CI = 0.307–0.458, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001) and FCS (β = 2.920, 95% CI = 2.433–3.407, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). The adjusted models explained 70.1% and 74.4% of variation in HDDS and FCS, respectively. Recorded tree species supported ten ecosystem-service categories, including food, fuelwood, timber, fodder, habitat support, shade, soil fertility, windbreak, erosion control, and carbon storage. System-specific diversification of multifunctional trees can strengthen biodiversity conservation and household dietary outcomes in subtropical agricultural landscapes.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Agroforestry as a sustainable land-use model in ecologically sensitive regions: insights from the Bulgarian living lab","authors":"Neli Grozeva,&nbsp;Svetoslava Terzieva,&nbsp;Maria Gerdzhikova,&nbsp;Tsenka Zhelyazkova,&nbsp;Stefka Atanassova","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01692-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01692-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Agroforestry is increasingly recognized as a multifunctional approach to sustainable land management, climate adaptation, and biodiversity conservation. However, empirical evidence evaluating agroforestry systems in Southeast Europe and the Balkan mountain landscapes remains limited. This study presents a case study from the Strandzha Mountains (Bulgaria) investigating the capacity of agroforestry systems to enhance ecosystem services, biodiversity conservation, and landscape resilience within a Living Lab framework established under the REFOREST project. A multidisciplinary comparative analysis was conducted across three land-use systems: an agroforestry apiary system, silvopastoral permanent pasture, and conventional rapeseed monoculture. The assessment integrated physicochemical soil quality indicators, biological soil assessment using the QBS-ar index, floristic and phenological surveys (2023–2025), and forage productivity analysis. The agroforestry and silvopastoral systems demonstrated substantially higher ecological quality (65–67/100) than intensive agricultural management (43/100). The apiary system exhibited the highest soil organic matter content (5.3%) and elevated biological soil quality (QBS-ar = 45), characterized by specialist euedaphic taxa such as <i>Protura</i>, which indicates low anthropogenic disturbance. Floristic surveys documented 210 vascular plant species, including the tertiary relict <i>Vaccinium arctostaphylos</i> and protected orchids (<i>Anacamptis papilionacea</i> and <i>Ophrys cornuta</i>), identifying these systems as important micro-refugia for regional biodiversity conservation. Phenological analyses further revealed a stable flowering continuum that supports pollinator networks throughout the growing season. Agroforestry systems in the Strandzha Mountains effectively integrate productive land use with biodiversity conservation and ecosystem resilience, providing a climate-adaptive and empirically validated framework for sustainable land management in Southeast Europe.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10457-026-01692-4.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189981","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Perceptions and financial feasibility of home garden agroforestry practices among smallholder farmers: insights from Habru district, northeastern Ethiopia","authors":"Endris Mekonnen,&nbsp;Fikadu Yirga,&nbsp;Mequannt Marie,&nbsp;Ewunetu Tazebew,&nbsp;Solomon Mulu","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01702-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01702-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Home garden agroforestry is a sustainable land-use system that provides various ecological and socio-economic benefits to smallholder farmers; however, the farmers’ perception and the financial feasibility of this practice remain underexplored in Ethiopia. This study examined farmers’ perceptions and evaluated the financial feasibility of home garden agroforestry in northeastern Ethiopia. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select 175 sample households. The data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire, key informant interviews, and field observations and analyzed using descriptive statistics, net present value (NPV), benefit–cost ratio, internal rate of return (IRR), equivalent annual income (EAI), Chi-square test, and Pearson correlation. The findings showed that approximately 81% of the respondents had a positive perception of home garden agroforestry, which is environmentally friendly, economically feasible, and socially more acceptable than teff monocropping. The size of home garden agroforestry ranged from 0.013 to 0.5 ha, with a mean size of approximately 0.147 ha. The findings revealed that households obtained a net present value of 147,115.13 ETB ha⁻¹ over 8 years at a 10% discount rate, which was 2.5 times greater than that of teff monocropping. The farmers held positive perception that home garden agroforestry has a higher profit than teff monocropping system. More than 85% of the respondents positively perceived the socio-ecological benefits of home garden agroforestry, particularly its role in enhancing household income, livelihoods, and soil fertility, while uncertainty remained regarding its aesthetic and recreational values. These perceptions of the socio-ecological benefits of home garden agroforestry were significantly associated with selected socio-demographic characteristics, including education level, household head age, and gender of household head (p &lt; 0.05). Additionally, farmers’ perceptions of the socio-ecological benefits of home garden agroforestry were positively and significantly (p &lt; 0.05) associated with the EAI. The adoption and expansion of home garden agroforestry is primarily constrained by land shortage, which was reported by all respondents (100%), followed by limited access to seeds and other agricultural inputs (90.4% agreed or strongly agreed) and limited market access (80.9% agreed or strongly agreed). The findings of this study underscore the need for policymakers and practitioners to consider socioeconomic and institutional drivers that influence farmers’ ability to expand home garden agroforestry when developing policies and plans to scale up agroforestry practices.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrated nutrient management enhances wheat performance, soil quality, and bio-economics under wild pomegranate based agroforestry systems in the Western Himalayas","authors":"Avinash Kumar Bhatia,&nbsp;Kashmir Singh Pant,&nbsp;Prem Prakash,&nbsp; Saakshi,&nbsp;Harish Sharma","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01701-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01701-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Agroforestry has emerged as a climate-smart land-use strategy capable of enhancing agricultural sustainability while improving soil health and farm profitability. A field experiment was conducted during the Rabi seasons of 2021–22 and 2022–23 in the mid-hill region of Himachal Pradesh, India, to evaluate the growth, yield, soil properties, and bio-economics of wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) under a wild pomegranate (<i>Punica granatum</i> L.) based agroforestry system in comparison with sole cropping, under different integrated nutrient management (INM) practices. The experiment was laid out in a factorial randomized block design with two planting environments (agroforestry and open field) and twelve nutrient management treatments comprising organic, inorganic, and integrated nutrient sources. Results indicated that wheat grown under sole cropping recorded significantly higher growth and yield parameters; however, agroforestry conditions significantly improved soil organic carbon and the availability of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Integrated nutrient management, particularly the application of 50% recommended dose of fertilizers combined with 50% farmyard manure, consistently enhanced plant height, tiller number, grain yield, and harvest index under both planting environments. This treatment also recorded the highest net returns ($ 764.65 ha⁻¹) and benefit–cost ratio (1.81), demonstrating strong economic viability under agroforestry conditions. Although agroforestry imposed moderate yield penalties due to tree-crop competition, improved soil fertility, nutrient cycling, and long-term sustainability compensated for these effects. The study demonstrates that wheat cultivation under wild pomegranate-based agroforestry systems, when supported by appropriate integrated nutrient management, is both economically viable and ecologically sustainable, offering a resilient land-use option for hill agro-ecosystems under changing climatic conditions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189397","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrating lac production with fodder and soil services: Calliandra calothyrsus as a triple-purpose species for tropical agroforestry systems","authors":"Jyotirmoy Ghosh,&nbsp;Vaibhav Daulatrao Lohot,&nbsp;A. Mohanasundaram,&nbsp;V. Vidyakar","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01673-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01673-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Agroforestry systems can simultaneously support smallholder livelihoods, ecosystem services, and resilience to climate variability. <i>Calliandra calothyrsus</i> Meissn., a fast-growing nitrogen-fixing tree, is widely used in tropical agroforestry for fodder production, soil fertility improvement, and biomass generation, but its potential as a lac host and its integration with lac-based production remain insufficiently documented. This a systematic review synthesizes published literature on the biological characteristics, genetic diversity, fodder value, soil fertility effects, and ecosystem services of <i>C. calothyrsus</i>, with particular emphasis on its potential integration into lac-based agroforestry systems. Relevant literature on <i>C. calothyrsus</i>, lac cultivation, <i>Kerria lacca</i>, fodder production, soil fertility, and agroforestry was identified through searches of institute data base, NFTA, CAB International, google scholar, cross references, using combinations of relevant keywords, followed by screening for studies directly related to the review objectives. The available evidence indicates that <i>C. calothyrsus</i> provides protein-rich fodder (approximately 18–22% crude protein), contributes to soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation and biomass recycling, and offers scope for additional income through lac production. Published evidence on the performance of <i>kusmi</i> and <i>rangeeni</i> strains of <i>Keria lacca</i> on <i>C. calothyrsus</i> was also examined to identify production potential and management requirements. The review indicates that appropriate pruning, planting density, host management, and system design are critical for balancing fodder production, soil improvement, and lac productivity. Integrating <i>C. calothyrsus</i> into lac-based agroforestry therefore offers potential for livelihood diversification, resource-use efficiency, and climate-resilient farming, particularly in tropical smallholder systems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189138","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative evaluation of mulberry, stylosanthes, and moringa leaf meal in feed blocks: effects on methane mitigation, nutrient utilization, and meat quality in Malpura weaner lambs","authors":"R. S. Bhatt,&nbsp;Lalit Kumar Soni,&nbsp;Arvind Soni,&nbsp;A. Sahoo,&nbsp;R. S. Godara,&nbsp;Arun Kumar","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01700-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01700-7","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;A Comparative study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of mulberry, stylosanthes, and moringa leaf meal on nutrient utilization, methane emission, and product quality in 36 Malpura weaner (3–6 month of age) lambs, randomly allotted to three groups (n = 12 per treatment). Each roughage source was incorporated at 30% level of the diet, processed into complete feed blocks, and offered ad libitum. The resulting feed blocks were designated as FB-Mulberry (30% mulberry leaves), FB-Stylosanthes (30% Stylosanthes hay), and FB-Moringa (30% moringa leaves). Lambs fed FB-Moringa exhibited significantly (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt;0.05) higher daily dry matter intake, resulting in greater metabolizable energy (ME) and protein intake compared to FB-Mulberry and FB-Stylosanthes. The digestibility of organic matter was significantly (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt;0.05) higher in FB-Mulberry, whereas nitrogen balance was greater in FB-Moringa. Daily enteric methane emissions were significantly (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt;0.05) lower in FB-Moringa compared with FB-Mulberry and FB-Stylosanthes. Ruminal volatile fatty acid (VFA) profiles revealed a higher (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt;0.05) proportion of propionic acid in FB-Moringa, followed by FB-Stylosanthes, compared with FB-Mulberry. Microbial nitrogen synthesis was significantly (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt;0.05) greater in FB-Moringa than in FB-Stylosanthes and FB-Mulberry. Production performance indicated that FB-Moringa feeding improved average daily gain by 18.6% and 17.3% compared with FB-Stylosanthes and FB-Mulberry, respectively, while feed conversion ratio (FCR) improved by 9.87% and 23.7% compared to FB-Mulberry and FB-Stylosanthes groups. Carcass traits revealed higher (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt;0.05) pre-slaughter weight, empty live weight, and carcass weight in lambs in FB-Moringa followed by FB-Mulberry, and lowest in FB-Stylosanthes group; however, values of 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were lower (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt;0.05), and those of shear force were higher (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.05) in FB-Moringa, followed by FB-Mulberry. The &lt;i&gt;Longissimus thoracis&lt;/i&gt; (LT) muscle fat from FB-Moringa lambs revealed lower (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt;0.05) myristic (C14:0), palmitic (C16:0) acid and higher (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt;0.05) stearic (C18:0), arachidic (C20:0) acid concentrations, in contrast the reverse trend was observed in FB-Mulberry. Meat nuggets from FB-Moringa- and FB-Mulberry-fed lambs showed lower (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt; &lt;0.05) TBARS values, reduced total plate counts, and higher redness values, indicating improved oxidative stability, microbial quality, and colour retention after 21 days of storage. In conclusion, incorporation of moringa leaf meal at 30% level in complete feed blocks emerges as a suitable feeding strategy for sustainable small ruminant production by improving nutrient utilization and lowering energy losses by 4.5–7.4% through the mitigation of enteric methane emissions. Moreover, it favourably modulated the muscle fatty acid profile by lowering the proportions of C14:0 and","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189307","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shrub-derived mulching enhances sorghum performance and weed suppression in Sahelian cereal-based agroforestry systems","authors":"Koné Souleymane,&nbsp;Kouyaté Aliou Badara,&nbsp;Sanogo Sidi,&nbsp;Coulibaly Hawa,&nbsp;Dembélé Sidiki Gabriel,&nbsp;Sissoko Fagaye,&nbsp;Dauphin Clotilde,&nbsp;Durot Chloé,&nbsp;Marc Cotter,&nbsp;Cicek Harun","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01693-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01693-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Cereals are central to food security and livelihoods in the West African Sahel. However, their productivity is limited by poor soil fertility, erratic rainfall, and increasing weed pressure. Given the limited availability of mineral fertilizers and the declining efficacy of herbicides, there is an urgent need for sustainable strategies that can enhance crop productivity and soil resilience. This study evaluated the potential of shrub-pruning mulches to improve sorghum yields, suppress weeds and buffer the cereal systems against rainfall variability. A total of thirteen treatments replicated four times were implemented using a randomized complete block design. Field experiments assessed prunings from three shrub species (<i>Gliricidia sepium</i>, <i>Guiera senegalensis</i> and <i>Piliostigma reticulatum</i>), applied with or without mineral fertilizer over three consecutive years (2021–2023) in Katibougou, Mali. Two controls, with the locally recommended fertilisation dosage and without any fertilisation were included. Mulched treatments produced significantly higher sorghum grain yield than the unamended control and yields comparable to the mineral-fertilized control. Among mulched treatments, sorghum amended with <i>G. sepium</i> mulch produced the highest grain yields consistently across years. Mulched treatments showed a significantly lower weed pressure than the control without mulch. These results demonstrate the potential of shrub-pruning mulches to enhance the productivity of sorghum in Sahelian cereal-based systems. Future research should refine combinations of multiple species of mulch and quantify the optimal application rates of biomass.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10457-026-01693-3.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189366","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Positioning agroforestry within the scientific literature on Vanilla planifolia: a global bibliometric and thematic assessment","authors":"Gabriel A. Gómez-Rodríguez,&nbsp;Jorge Omar López-Martínez,&nbsp;Edgar J. González,&nbsp;Pedro A. Macario-Mendoza,&nbsp;Luz María Calvo-Irabien","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01699-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01699-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><i>Vanilla</i> <i>planifolia</i> cultivation faces critical sustainability, conservation, and management challenges within tree-based production systems. As a hemiepiphytic climbing orchid, the species depends on arboreal environments, suggesting that agroforestry research should be central to its scientific literature. However, the representation of this agroforestry dimension remains unclear. To assess this structural visibility, we applied a three-level hierarchical thematic classification and bibliometric science mapping to a dataset of 531 publications from Scopus and Web of Science. We identified nine thematic domains; notably, 84.9% of the literature fell within the dominant domains of aroma chemistry, plant biotechnology, genetics, biotic interactions, and physiology, whereas the agroforestry subset represents only 4.9%. Furthermore, while agronomic management studies represented 17.1% of the dataset, most studies adopt a crop-centered or management-oriented perspective rather than integrated agroforestry frameworks. Mexico emerged as the leading country in institutional research within both the global dataset and the agroforestry subset. Overall, research predominantly frames <i>V. planifolia</i> as an industrial product, leaving its ecological and arboreal context underrepresented. These findings reveal a structural mismatch between the tree-dependent biology of the species and the dominant scientific priorities, where agroforestry questions remain marginal. Together, these findings provide an organised perspective on the current agroforestry knowledge base and highlight opportunities for developing more integrated research on the plant-tree-environment relationships underlying <i>V. planifolia</i> cultivation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189094","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Farmer perceptions of shade and shelter in pastoral sheep systems: co-benefits, constraints and agroforestry adoption in Aotearoa New Zealand","authors":"Jorie Knook,&nbsp;Kate Tomlinson,&nbsp;Janet Reid,&nbsp;Elizabeth Elliot Noe,&nbsp;David Scobie,&nbsp;Rene Corner-Thomas","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01691-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01691-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Shade and shelter are considered key components to maintain animal welfare and health in extensive farming systems. In many pastoral agricultural-based countries, such as Ireland, Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, the provision of shade and shelter by trees has decreased significantly over the last decades. To encourage increased availabilty of cover for sheep, a greater understanding of farmer perceptions is needed, including the on-farm realities of implementation. Therefore, this study explores farmer understanding around integrating shade and shelter in farm systems in Aotearoa New Zealand, and underlying beliefs and values driving implementation. This study applies an explorative qualitative research approach, by conducting 21 semi-structured interviews with farmers in the North and South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. It conducts a thematic analysis to identify what is understood as shade and shelter on farm and what drives integration. It finds that shelter is seen as an important component of the farm system, essential for the survival of lambs, especially during extreme weather events and cold times of the year. Shade, on the other hand, is seen more as a luxury asset, with farmers describing it as a “nice to have”. Additional shade and shelter are rarely provided with a primary focus on improving animal welfare, but instead usually come as a co-benefit of planting for erosion control or carbon sequestration. This study contributes to the literature on farmer decision-making in pastoral systems by demonstrating that shade and shelter are perceived and prioritised differently: shelter as a necessity for lamb survival and profitability; shade as a co-benefit of broader land management objectives. The NZ context provides insights for agroforestry adoption and extension practices in comparable pastoral grazing contexts internationally.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10457-026-01691-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149189095","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Soil quality benefits from shifting toward an alternative olive‑based agroforestry farming system in arid areas","authors":"Hadda Ben Mbarek,&nbsp;Lina Trabelsi,&nbsp;Mohamed Ghrab,&nbsp;Saida El Fkhih,&nbsp;Olfa Elloumi,&nbsp;Fathi Ben Amar,&nbsp;Ajmi Larbi,&nbsp;Kamel Gargouri","doi":"10.1007/s10457-026-01697-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10457-026-01697-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Agroforestry systems, particularly alley cropping, are increasingly recognized as sustainable strategies to mitigate soil degradation in Mediterranean regions by enhancing soil organic matter content and quality. Although intercropping system has been shown to have benefits, its effects on the quality of soil organic matter (SOM), notably humic acids (HAs), in arid environments have not been thoroughly investigated, especially over short time periods. The purpose of this study was to assess how intercropping affected soil organic matter (SOM) and soil water retention in a rain-fed olive grove over the short term. The changes in soil quality were assessed by means of an analysis of humic acids under different management practices. Four intercropping strategies were subjected to empirical investigation: olive monoculture with no tillage (the control group); olives intercropped with faba beans; olives intercropped with barley; and olives intercropped with both faba beans and barley. Following four months of intercropping in each growing season, the olive–barley system generally maintained the highest soil water content and exhibited lower soil pH. By the end of the second growing season, the olive–faba bean system recorded the highest soil organic matter content (0.90%), although it was accompanied by lower soil water content. In contrast, the no-tillage olive monoculture with natural vegetation maintained relatively high SOM values (0.84%) together with the highest electrical conductivity. Inrared (IR) spectroscopy revealed the development of more condensed aromatic and aliphatic structures in humic acids from soils intercropped with faba beans and natural vegetation. These findings were confirmed by lower UV–Visible E4/E6 ratios (2.2 and 2.4 respectively), indicating an enhanced degree of humification and a greater abundance of aromatic humic structures. Notwithstanding the inadequate precipitation and elevated temperatures, the implementation of intercropping in olive groves was shown to be a productive short-term strategy for enhancing soil quality.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7610,"journal":{"name":"Agroforestry Systems","volume":"100 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149132766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}