Woody Species Diversity of Parkland Agroforestry in Ethiopia

Abstract

Parkland agroforestry system has a crucial role in social, economic and environmental value. For instance, woody tree in Parkland improve soil fertility and enhancing crop productivity. Parkland tree have a potential of AM colonization and increase soil moisture to facilitate microbial activity. Park land agroforestry is a system where farm crops are mixed with trees to supply fodder, fuel, leaf litter, medicinal herbs, fruit, timber, etc. Predictably, the farmers have only grown a single crop on one field. Also, there is a belief that crops cannot grow well in the shade of nearby trees, so trees will often be cleared from cropland. In the days when there was plenty of forest near to the village, there was no shortage of fuel, fodder, etc. But now, overcutting of fodder, firewood, timber, etc., and grazing livestock, has destroyed the forests. So farm yields have become lower and lower. More landslides have been an extra problem. By planting parkland land agroforestry, farm needs for fodder, timber, fuel, etc. can be met as well as protecting the environment.

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Parkland Agroforestry Practices on Biodiversity Conservation- A Review

“…It is one of the innovative solutions whose approach ensures higher productivity without further damaging natural resources base and allow adaptation to the changing climatic conditions world. Combining trees and crops in agroforestry systems improves the efficiency of utilization of resources (water, nutrient and light) and thus leads to an overall higher biomass production [19] . Simultaneously, it reduces soil erosion and nutrients leaching and landscape biodiversity increment [20] .…”

“…50-80% diversity, which is comparable to natural forest and also indicated that converting coffee and cocoa agroforestry systems to plantation reduced species richness by 46%, while conversion of natural forest to agroforestry resulted in merely an 11% reduction in species richness, farmers have a tradition of keeping valuable tree species and their farms act as refugees [18] . At the landscape level, agroforestry provides habitats that are suitable for a large number of native fauna and refuges biodiversity including ants, bats, frogs, lizards, bees, beetles and birds [17,19] . There are considerable differences in species richness between different agroforestry practices.…”

“…Under this, woody species in parklands are often considered as a source of products and services important to the farmers' livelihood and welfare. Recently, it is recognized as a part of woody species in landscapes and plays an important role in maintaining biodiversity [19] . Agroforestry parkland practices are mainly cropland areas with dispersed trees (often Native).…”