Speaker
Description
. Introduction:
In comparison to temperate monoculture arable cropping systems, short rotation coppice agroforestry systems (AF) presents a unique opportunity for enhanced carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation due to its integrated approach combining trees with various agricultural components. While both systems aim to improve sustainability, agroforestry's ability to store carbon in aboveground and belowground biomass as well as soil organic carbon offers additional benefits for mitigating climate change. However, the effectiveness of AF in mitigating climate change is influenced by various factors, including trade-offs between benefits and drawbacks. Understanding these trade-offs and balancing agroforestry's carbon sequestration with land use benefits while ensuring long-term climate mitigation effectiveness is essential for sustainability. Despite this growing recognition of agroforestry as a nature-based solution for climate change mitigation, there is still a lack of comprehensive data and research on carbon sequestration in temperate AF systems. This scarcity of information contributes to uncertainties in estimating the actual impact of agroforestry on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. There is therefore the need to explore the effectiveness of AF as a climate change mitigation strategy in temperate early arable land agroforestry systems by building upon existing knowledge and addressing key challenges in the field. By carrying out such a study, the results can provide a rigorous and evidence-based summary of the challenges and opportunities associated with AF in temperate regions for climate change mitigation, which can guide further research and policy.
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Materials and Methods:
To explore the potential of AF practices in climate change mitigation, a systematic review process synthesizing existing literature using the PRISMA methodology will be used. Literature databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar will be queried using specific keywords and will include studies on carbon sequestration in soils, climate benefits of AF practices, assessing trade-offs, and optimizing AF practices specific to temperate regions. Resultant studies from the data base searches will be analysed for suitability and inclusion for the final analysis. Inferential status will be employed to show the number of studies that fit the key words and the aim of the study. -
Results and Discussions:
The review will highlight the importance of balancing the benefits and drawbacks of AF practices for effective climate change mitigation (Figure 1). Trade-offs between implementing AF for carbon sequestration and potential benefits foregone by not utilizing the land for alternative purposes pose significant challenges. Addressing these challenges requires a nuanced understanding of the economic, social, and environmental implications of AF as a climate change mitigation strategy. Furthermore, assessing the durability and adaptability of AF practices is crucial to ensure their sustainable contribution to global climate objectives and maximize co-benefits for long-term development. Realistic knowledge of outcomes and local co-development of applied research are essential for informing farmers' decisions on adopting AF and optimizing its climate mitigation potential. Overall, a concerted effort is needed to overcome the pitfalls and challenges associated with AF practices to maximize their effectiveness in climate change mitigation while balancing agricultural productivity and sustainability.
| Keywords | agroforestry; climate change; mitigation, short rotation coppice; temperate |
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