This commentary describes advances in knowledge over the past decade on how incorporating relatively small amounts of perennial vegetation at targeted locations in agricultural landscapes can lead to substantial, disproportionately large ecosystem benefits. We highlight research demonstrating the potential for perennial vegetation within agricultural landscapes to sustain crucial ecosystem services—including regulating water, carbon, and nutrient cycles and supporting biotic interactions—while simultaneously provisioning food, fiber, and energy. We also discuss several emerging frontiers where new research is leading to a deeper understanding of how to target perennial-based practices and policies to achieve desired outcomes. We emphasize scientific and technological advances for improving the design of perennial integration, support tools for practitioners, perennial crop and livelihood diversification, and transdisciplinary approaches for co-generation of knowledge and application. Finally, we call for increased action, including research, education, stakeholder engagement, and policy development, toward strategic integration of perennials in agroecosystems.
Tag: agroecosystem
Allometric models for estimating fuelwood and above-ground wood dry mass of pruned Faidherbia albida trees in northern Cameroon
In Cameroon’s Sudano-Sahelian zone, rising fuelwood demand is jeopardising Faidherbia albida agroforestry parklands. Faced with these alarming pressures and ongoing climate challenges, evaluating sustainable management practices and the contribution of F. albida agroforestry parklands to climate change mitigation has become a pressing priority. In these agro-ecosystems, total and rotational crown pruning are common practices, traditionally aimed at fuelwood and livestock feed collection. However, its impact on the trade-off between leaf removal and pod production remains poorly documented, particularly regarding long-term fuelwood yield potential. This research aims to develop tools for estimating the above-ground wood dry mass of F. albida components in the context of their use as renewable fuelwood and their carbon storage potential. Allometric equations for the different tree components were developed using data from the most recent pruning event (2023) of F. albida trees that had undergone three complete crown-pruning cycles over the past two decades. The predictors used to estimate fuelwood and above-ground wood dry mass were diameter at breast height (D, in cm), crown area (Ca, in m²), and total tree height (H, in m). The best-performing equations for each tree components relied on structurally meaningful combinations of these variables: (i) D²Ca, capturing the combined influence of stem size and crown development for estimating fuelwood obtained after pruning (DWpr, R²adj = 0.84) and the total above-ground wood dry mass of F. albida (TDWb, R²adj = 0.85), corresponding to the sum of DWpr and the post-pruning wood dry mass remaining after pruning (DWUpr); and (ii) D, reflecting the effect of stem diameter for predicting DWUpr, (R²adj = 0.76). The best crown area-only models for predicting DWpr and TDWb showed strong explanatory power, with adjusted R² values of 0.82 and 0.64, respectively. The integration of structural characteristics visible from space, such as the tree crown area, provides promising prospects for large-scale bio-mass mapping using satellite images and remote sensing methods.
Site characteristics and vegetation drive the abundance and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi in selected land degradation surveillance framework study sites in kenya
Background: In tropical agroecosystems, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is an essential component of soil fertility. Limited number of studies have emphasized the effects of vegetation type and soil physico-chemical characteristics on AMF communities, although several studies have stressed the importance of AMF in agroecosystems. Objective: To evaluate how specific vegetation types and site affect the physico-chemical properties of the soil and the abundance and diversity of AMF spores. Methodology: Three specific locations from the ongoing Kenya Cereal Enhancement Programme Climate Resilient Agricultural Livelihoods (KCEP-CRAL) initiative were chosen to carry out the study. Kubo South in Kwale County, Muminji in Embu County, and Thange in Makueni County were chosen as the study’s site areas. The sites were selected based on the implementation of a land degradation surveillance framework (LDSF), comprising both cultivated and uncultivated plots. In each study site, four vegetation types namely bushland, grassland, cropland, and shrubland were selected. Results: The results showed significant variations in soil physicochemical properties among different sites. Thange exhibited the highest carbon (C) content, pH, and exchangeable bases compared to Muminji and Kubo South. Sand content was higher (57%) in soils from Kubo South compared to that obtained in Muminji (41%) and Thange (27.8%). In contrast, the clay content was higher in Thange (58%) and Muminji (41%) than in Kubo South (27%). Vegetation type had a significant effect on soil pH and C only in Muminji. A higher abundance of AMF spores was recorded in soil from the Muminji site (385.0 spores kg-1 soil) followed by Kubo south (226.0 spores kg-1 soil) and lowest in Thange (67.0 spores kg-1 soil). Muminji had the highest mean taxonomic richness (3.21 species) compared to Kubo South and Thange (2.96 and 1.98 species respectively). Taxonomic diversity as shown by the Shannon diversity index (Hʹ) had a similar trend as richness. However, vegetation type only had a significant effect on AMF richness and diversity. Implication: The findings of this study may especially be important in agroecosystems since AMF play a key role in soil fertility and productivity through soil aggregation process, nutrient cycling, water relations, and in plant nutrition and health which contribute to the overall ecosystem functioning. Conclusion: These findings show that vegetation type and site influence AMF sporulation and diversity and hence may influence the AMF functions in contributing to the reclamation of degraded soil ecosystems.
Theories of place, change and induced change for tree-crop-based agroforestry
Agroforestry with a strong market-oriented component of tree crops but also supporting local agroecosystem functions can be analysed and understood in multiple ways, building on many disciplinary traditions and using their terminology and concepts. Characterization of context and choices, plus understanding relationships and feedbacks is essential for appreciating ‘options in context’ and the way these change over time. Beyond observer roles, active engagement as agent of induced change to help make the world a better place has since long been the ambition of advocates of agroforestry. As a background to such endeavours , this publication introduces more than one hundred aspects, visually and with a short text, providing references to more specialized literature. Aspects include: A) Characterization of structure in existing land use can lead to a Theory of Place (ToP: patterns answering what?, where?, who? questions), B) Diagnosis of functions influenced by changing practices and systems can lead to a Theory of Change (ToC: patterns in answering how?, why?, since when?, so what? and who cares?), C) Assessments of leverage points for adaptive, transformative and re-imaginative change can lead to a project-design Theory of Induced Change (ToIC), D) Research methods for ecological, agronomic, social, economic and policy-oriented research require clarity on units of analysis and scale relations of observable properties in relation to questions and hypotheses, E) Guidance on how research methods need to match the stage of public issue cycle debate to contribute to policy reform.