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Forests
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Agroforestry Practices: Win–Win Solutions for Ecosystem Services
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Agroforestry Practices: Win–Win Solutions for Ecosystem Services

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (24 March 2024) | Viewed by 4060

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Francisco Aurelio Galindo Maldonado

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Queretaro, Mexico
Interests: sustainable livestock production; animal welfare and applied ethology
Dr. Francisco J. Solorio-Sanchez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Animal Nutrition and Environment, University of Yucatan, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
Interests: sustainable farming; nutrient recycling; animal nutrition; climate change; animal welfare; nutritional; management strategies; greenhouse gas emissions; mitigate
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change is affecting all regions around the world, and its consequences impact many different aspects of our lives. In addition, the constant demand for better quality food with less environmental impact is exerting greater pressure. Although efforts have been made to solve many of these problems, there are many challenges still to be solved. Agroforestry systems have real potential to help mitigate the impact of climate change and the demand for better quality food, in addition to the great diversity of ecosystem services (enhanced carbon stock, healthy soil, nutrient cycling, and wild food and animals, among others) that derive from the adequate integration of natural resources with food production systems.

This Special Issue is oriented toward publishing cutting-edge research that contributes to finding agroforestry solutions to current problems.

  • Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
  • Management of agroecosystems for food production;
  • Strategies for agroecosystem restoration;
  • Biotic and abiotic interactions in agroforestry systems;
  • Carbon in biomass and soils;
  • Agroforestry for improved livelihoods;
  • Biophysical and socio-economic factors;
  • Nutrient cycling and ecosystem services.

Dr. Francisco Aurelio Galindo Maldonado
Dr. Francisco J. Solorio-Sanchez
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • landscape restoration strategy
  • biodiversity
  • nutrient cycling
  • ecosystem services

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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18 pages, 3752 KiB  
Article
Agroforestry Systems of Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) in the Ecuadorian Amazon
by Leider Tinoco-Jaramillo, Yadira Vargas-Tierras, Nasratullah Habibi, Carlos Caicedo, Alexandra Chanaluisa, Fernando Paredes-Arcos, William Viera, Marcelo Almeida and Wilson Vásquez-Castillo
Forests 2024, 15(1), 195; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15010195 - 18 Jan 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2396
Abstract
Agroforestry systems in the Ecuadorian Amazon play a vital role in environmental conservation and the promotion of sustainable agriculture. Therefore, it is crucial to demonstrate the benefits of the associated species within these production systems. This study aimed to assess the impact of [...] Read more.
Agroforestry systems in the Ecuadorian Amazon play a vital role in environmental conservation and the promotion of sustainable agriculture. Therefore, it is crucial to demonstrate the benefits of the associated species within these production systems. This study aimed to assess the impact of agroforestry systems on cocoa yield, carbon sequestration, earthworm presence, and the nutritional contribution of companion species linked to cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) cultivation under agroforestry systems. The research was conducted at INIAP’s Central Experimental Station of the Amazon using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The agroforestry arrangements were: (1) monoculture; (2) forest (Cedrelinga cateniformis Ducke); (3) fruit forest (Bactris gasipaes Kunth); (4) service (Erythrina poeppigiana (Walp.) O.F.Cook); and (5) forest + service (E. poeppigiana + C. cateniformis). The results indicated that agroforestry systems showed better results than the monoculture in terms of yield (532.0 kg ha−1 compared to 435.4 kg ha−1) and total stored carbon (33.0–42.0 t ha−1 compared to 39.6 t ha−1). Additionally, agroforestry systems provided higher levels of Mg, B, and Ca, contributing to both crop yield and the presence of earthworms. These findings suggest a positive influence of companion species, improving soil nutrition through biomass incorporation and promoting environmental benefits (carbon sequestration). Therefore, agroforestry systems will support sustainable cocoa production in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry Practices: Win–Win Solutions for Ecosystem Services)
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Review

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22 pages, 2594 KiB  
Review
To Achieve a Win–Win Situation: Reorganizing and Enhancing Agroforestry Ecosystem Assets and Productivity to Inform Karst Desertification Control
by Yunting Huang, Kangning Xiong and Jie Xiao
Forests 2024, 15(3), 502; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15030502 - 8 Mar 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1165
Abstract
The ongoing degradation of fragile ecosystems increasingly diminishes the availability of natural resources. Consequently, the conservation and utilization of ecosystem assets have emerged as a focal point of global research. This study focuses on integrating agroforestry ecosystem assets (AEA) with their capacity to [...] Read more.
The ongoing degradation of fragile ecosystems increasingly diminishes the availability of natural resources. Consequently, the conservation and utilization of ecosystem assets have emerged as a focal point of global research. This study focuses on integrating agroforestry ecosystem assets (AEA) with their capacity to provide ecosystem services, aiming to explore their interconnections and enhance their optimization. We employed a comprehensive literature review method, utilizing the Scopus database to select, analyze, and include 61 pertinent studies on AEA globally. The systematic literature review results show the following: (1) The overall number of published papers is showing an upward trend, indicating that research in this field is gradually expanding. The geographical focus of the literature is primarily in Europe and Asia, with academic institutions being the main contributors to this research. (2) Landmark research findings are mainly concentrated in the areas of identification, quantitative assessment, and decision management. Among these, quantitative assessment is the main focus, while the research on identification, decision management, and influencing factors is relatively limited and explores the relevant key scientific questions. (3) The above information highlights the key areas for improvement in the karst desertification control agroforestry ecosystem, focusing on two aspects: fragile habitats and human–land relationships. Furthermore, this review furnishes essential recommendations for agroforestry practitioners and policymakers across various regions, emphasizing the critical need to thoroughly evaluate and leverage the connections between the quantity and quality of ecosystem assets. Such an approach is pivotal for facilitating the strategic restructuring and optimization of agroforestry ecosystems. This, in turn, aims to elevate the sustainability of AEA utilization and enhance their ability to provide ecosystem services (ES). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agroforestry Practices: Win–Win Solutions for Ecosystem Services)
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