Coupling of soil carbon and water dynamics in two agroforestry systems in Malawi

This study evaluated the effects of Gliricidia sepium-maize agroforestry systems on carbon dynamics, soil properties, and water fluxes in Malawi as a strategy for enhancing climate change adaptation and sustainable agricultural production. The research was conducted at two long-term experimental sites managed by World Agroforestry (ICRAF), representing agroforestry systems established for more than 10 and more than 30 years. Soil carbon content, organic matter stability, soil physical characteristics, hydraulic properties, soil moisture, matric potential, and responses to rainfall events were assessed and compared with maize monoculture systems. Results showed that the incorporation of Gliricidia sepium increased soil carbon stocks and enhanced carbon stabilization, particularly at sites with lower initial soil carbon content. While changes in basic soil physical properties such as porosity and bulk density were limited, agroforestry plots exhibited improved saturated hydraulic conductivity and greater soil water storage capacity. The agroforestry systems generally retained more water and provided protection against soil drying below the topsoil, likely through enhanced infiltration into deeper soil layers. The findings demonstrate that agroforestry impacts on water dynamics are strongly influenced by local soil conditions and require direct field-based measurements for accurate assessment. Overall, integrating Gliricidia sepium into maize production can improve nutrient cycling, enhance soil carbon sequestration, increase water-use efficiency, and support climate-resilient and sustainable agricultural systems in Malawi.

---

Download :

English

---

This works is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

---

---