Effects of Agroforestry on the agro-ecosystem: a study of the crops-soil-climate-biodiversity system in Short Rotation Coppice temperate agro-silvopastoral system

Summary

I carried out my internship at the Organic Research Centre in the agroforestry department. I studied the effects of the SRC trees and their age on the agro-ecosystem in the agro-silvopastoral field of the Elm farm. I carried out the assessments of the oats, the weeds, the earthworms, the ground beetles and the soil. I found no significant effects on the oats concerning its cover, the timing of the growth stage. In this study, we have also shown an effect of the trees and the tree row covered by weed, woodchip, dead litter on the population and the richness of earthworms and on the activity, the diversity and the richness of the ground beetles. The study of the community of weeds showed any contamination from the tree row, an effect of the perennial weeds and the interest of the weeds of the tree row for Wildlife. The soil organic matter has been studied in aim to show or not an increase of this level by the tree. In this report, we present the state of the art about Agroforestry where we will focus on the interactions between the trees, the agro-ecosystem and the climate. We will try to give some tools and way of management of these interactions.