Integration of tree crops and pastures: Literature review

Abstract

Sustainable rural development, integration, and interaction of the livestock, agricultural and forestry components can contribute to reducing the impacts of the productive sector in the environment. In forest environments, plant biomass (mainly of trees) is the main reservoir of mineral nutrients. The forest presence contributes to the elevation of mineral nutrient concentrations in the soil, through leaf deposition. Due to increasing awareness of the importance of environmental preservation and the creation of laws to discipline human action in forests, this paper discusses the integration of tree crops and pastures. In this sense, we discuss the introduction of this model for regional and national cattle production, to expose the weaknesses and the beneficial aspects of the system.