Agroforestry för svenska förhållanden 2024 - Flipbook - Page 16
Kyrkbygård, Sweden.
(see chapter “Lundens Farm”).
One of the main benefits that trees bring to the soil is
to increase the presence of mycorrhiza, that is, fungi
that work in symbiosis with plant roots. The fungi
benefit from the plants’ energy reserves and in return
allow the trees and other plants to absorb nutrients
from larger soil surfaces and depths. Mycorrhiza provides several vital functions in soil health and in
addition to strengthening each individual plant, it
connects the roots of various plants into large networks, allowing communication and regulated nutrient
exchange between plants over large land areas [8].
Last but not least, the ability of trees to bind carbon
to the soil should be mentioned. There is insufficient
scientific evidence to determine with certainty the
extent to which Swedish agroforestry systems can store
carbon, but a growing number of studies show strongly positive results also in temperate climates [9, 10,
11]. Data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) also suggests that the levels are substantial in temperate environments [12]. Already 20
years ago, the IPCC described agroforestry as the
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most effective farming systems for carbon sequestration [12, 13].
Above ground effects
Agroforestry systems have the potential to increase
the overall resilience of agriculture, not least its ability to withstand extreme weather [6]. Trees placed
in fields not only protect crops and soils from wind
damage, they also protect them from flooding - which
already causes major problems in southern Sweden
and is likely to become more common throughout
the country [14]. Below the canopies, microclimates
are created, which provide protection against frost or
drought. In addition, the spreading of wind-borne diseases can be reduced when crops are grown between
tree rows.
By planting trees of different ages together with other
crops, varied habitats are created, attracting a greater
diversity of insects and animals - a function that will
become increasingly important and in the long-term
possibly indispensable in an era of climate change
and diversity loss [15].
