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Journal ArticleDOI

Agroforestry for ecosystem services and environmental benefits: an overview

Shibu Jose
- 07 Apr 2009 - 
- Vol. 76, Iss: 1, pp 1-10
TLDR
In this paper, the authors examined four major ecosystem services and environmental benefits of agroforestry: (1) carbon sequestration, (2) biodiversity conservation, (3) soil enrichment and (4) air and water quality.
Abstract
Agroforestry systems are believed to provide a number of ecosystem services; however, until recently evidence in the agroforestry literature supporting these perceived benefits has been lacking. This special issue brings together a series of papers from around the globe to address recent findings on the ecosystem services and environmental benefits provided by agroforestry. As prelude to the special issue, this paper examines four major ecosystem services and environmental benefits of agroforestry: (1) carbon sequestration, (2) biodiversity conservation, (3) soil enrichment and (4) air and water quality. Past and present evidence clearly indicates that agroforestry, as part of a multifunctional working landscape, can be a viable land-use option that, in addition to alleviating poverty, offers a number of ecosystem services and environmental benefits. This realization should help promote agroforestry and its role as an integral part of a multifunctional working landscape the world over.

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Journal ArticleDOI

Climate change and livestock: Impacts, adaptation, and mitigation

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reviewed the global impacts of climate change on livestock production, the contribution of livestock production to climate change, and specific climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies in the livestock sector.
Journal ArticleDOI

Capacity, pressure, demand, and flow: A conceptual framework for analyzing ecosystem service provision and delivery

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide a synthesis of common terminology and explain a rationale and framework for distinguishing among the components of ecosystem service delivery, including: an ecosystem's capacity to produce services; ecological pressures that interfere with the ecosystem's ability to provide the services; societal demand for the service; and flow of the service to people.
Journal ArticleDOI

The role of knowledge, attitudes and perceptions in the uptake of agricultural and agroforestry innovations among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present an analytical framework that combines both extrinsic and intrinsic factors in farmers' decisions to adopt new agricultural technologies and apply the framework to agroforestry adoption as a case study.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI

Ecological intensification of cereal production systems: Yield potential, soil quality, and precision agriculture

TL;DR: It is concluded that major scientific breakthroughs must occur in basic plant physiology, ecophysiology, agroecology, and soil science to achieve the ecological intensification that is needed to meet the expected increase in food demand.
Journal ArticleDOI

Managing ecosystem services: what do we need to know about their ecology?

TL;DR: This research agenda discusses critical questions and key approaches in determining the various aspects of community structure that influence function in real landscapes, especially compensatory community responses that stabilize function, or non-random extinction sequences that rapidly erode it.

PERSPECTIVES Managing ecosystem services: what do we need to know about their ecology?

Claire Kremen
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss critical questions and key approaches in four areas: identifying the important ecosystem service providers; determining the various aspects of community structure that influence function in real landscapes, especially compensatory community responses that stabilize function, or non-random extinction sequences that rapidly erode it; assessing key environmental factors influencing provision of services, and measuring the spatio-temporal scale over which providers and services operate.
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Trending Questions (1)
What are the mechanisms through which agroforestry development can benefit people and the environment?

Agroforestry development can benefit people and the environment through carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, soil enrichment, and air and water quality improvement.