Question

Is agroforestry always good for biodiversity?

Answer 1

Yes, it is always good for biodiversity becouse there is another species of plant (the tree plant9, but also becouse the tree plant have a lot of  microorganisms and fauna aronud the roots and other fauna on the foliage

Answer 2

It depends what you are replacing with it. If your are putting an agroforestry system in a site with low biodiversity then yes, because you add heterogeneity and structure in the landscape. If you convert a very high-value natural habitat in an agroforestry than not. The value of biodiversity is in that case relative to what it was there before.

Answer 3

In the Netherlands there are concerns about planting trees in many of the currently open landscapes. The reason is our beloved meadow birds. Trees are safe haven for predators of meadow birds. Here is a more detailed report on meadowbird predation: https://pub.sovon.nl/static/publicaties/320320351120201005143024.pdf

It is by the way not the only reason for not planting trees in open landscapes. Another reason for keeping an open landschap is cultural. People (somehow) like it and have emotional and nostalgic connotations with this ‘traditional’ landscape.

Comments

Agroforestry is to have indeed a positive effect on overall biodiversity. However, this won't account for every part of the broader concept for biodiversity.

Some species could show some decline in abundance (farmland birds for instance), while others will show a positive trend (isopods for example).

The biodiversity effects of agroforestry are thus depending of the region you implement it in and the species groups you are interested in. It may play a major role as connectivity patches between remnant forest patches.

Answer 4

Agroforestry is to have indeed a positive effect on overall biodiversity. However, this won't account for every part of the broader concept for biodiversity.

Some species could show some decline in abundance (farmland birds for instance), while others will show a positive trend (isopods for example).

The biodiversity effects of agroforestry are thus depending of the region you implement it in and the species groups you are interested in. It may play a major role as connectivity patches between remnant forest patches.