Role of agroforestry in soil conservation and soil health management: A review

Abstract

Agroforestry systems play a great role in conservation of natural resources, especially soil. Agroforestry have promoted soil conservation as one of its primary benefits, empirical estimates of these benefits have been lacking due to temporal and spatial complexity of agroforestry systems and soil resource dynamics. The soils are protected from wind and water induced erosion. The adverse effects temperature and wind on soil fertility, soil flora and fauna are effects are ameliorated by agroforestry systems. The function and relevance of soils in agroecosystems has been recognized in the context of sustainable management, soil quality, soil resilience or soil conservation, and protection of local or regional agroecosystems. Agroforestry practices help in increasing productivity, improving nutrient cycling and also improving the socio-economic status of farmers. Dominance of many traditional agroforestry systems in India offers opportunity worth reconsidering for carbon sequestration, livelihood improvement, biodiversity conservation, soil fertility enhancement and rural employment. The comparative study on nutrient accumulation in the trees, their removal during the tree harvesting, nutrient return through litter fall and improvement in soil nutrient level of different cropping system has been discussed in this article. The agroforestry practices studies reflecting its superiority over pure cultivation from nutrient management point of view.