Ecological benefits of the alley cropping agroforestry system in sensitive regions of Europe

Soil Degradation and Soil Quality in Western Europe: Current Situation and Future Perspectives

“…In a review of the benefits of alley cropping systems combining agriculture and short rotation coppices by growing trees in agricultural sites in temperate Europe, these systems proved efficient for soil carbon sequestration, improving fertility, controlling erosion, storing water and regulating its quality, and increasing the overall productivity compared to conventional farming [158]. In a review of alley cropping agroforestry systems in Europe, other authors also reported overall increases in the soil organic C stocks [159].…”

Oat grain yield under nitrogen uses in an eucalyptus intercropping system in Subtropical Brazil

“…It is possible that the light was not the only resource that interacted between the species, therefore it is also necessary to take account the water and nutrient dynamics inside the IS (QUINKENSTEIN et al, 2009;TSONKOVA et al, 2012). The higher amplitude of biological yield did not occur in places where the higher nitrogen level was applied because the lodging mainly affected the reproductive phase in AGR and positions B and C inside IS (DEISS et al, 2014a).…”

Assessing the short rotation woody biomass production on marginal post-mining areas

“…By contrast, however, harvest-related nutrient losses occur in src only once per rotation period. Moreover, the leaves of short rotation trees remain on site and the nutrient content of woody biomass is lower than that of harvested crop (lvl 2002;Quinkenstein et al 2009). The results presented in this study confirm the lower nutrient export in src compared to conventional crops.…”

“…These differences in biomass yield are not significant; however, a positive effect of hedgerows on the crop yield is visible. According to Quinkenstein et al (2009) it is most likely that hedgerows improved the microclimate for crops and resulted in higher water availability to the plants, especially at the peripheries of alleys. Apparently, the positive effect of improved microclimate, especially reduced evapotranspiration due to the decreased wind velocity (Brandle et al 2004), prevails over a possible competition effect between the trees and the crop.…”