Carbon allocation dynamics one decade after afforestation with Pinus radiata D. Don and Betula alba L. under two stand densities in NW Spain

Silvopastoral systems can contribute to the mitigation of climate change by functioning as sinks for greenhouse gases better than exclusively agricultural systems. Tree species, density, and an adequate management of the pasture carrying capacity contribute to the capacity of carbon sequestration. In this study, the capacities for carbon sequestration in silvopastoral systems that were established with two different forest species (Pinus radiata D. Don and Betula alba L.) and at two distinct densities (833 and 2500 trees ha−1) were evaluated. Tree, litterfall, pasture and soil carbon storage determinations were carried out to deliver carbon sequestration in the different pools within the first 11 years of a plantation establishment. The results show that the global capacity for carbon sequestration in silvopastoral systems with pine canopy was higher than with birch cover. Independently of the forest species, the capacity for carbon sequestration increased when the systems were established at higher plantation densities. There were found strong differences in the relative proportions of carbon in each component of the system (litterfall, tree, pasture and soil). The soil component was found to be most important in the case of the broadleaf forest established at low density. The establishment of a silvopastoral system enhanced soil carbon storage, since afforestation was carried out, which results in a more enduring storage capacity compared with treeless areas.Spanish Ministry and Xunta de Galici

Plant diversity and botanical composition in an Atlantic heather-gorse dominated understory after horse grazing suspension: Comparison of a continuous and rotational management

Floristic diversity changes substantially depending on the type of land management. We evaluated the impact of a continuous (CG) and rotational (RG) grazing system on the dynamics of plant diversity and community composition in a heather-gorse understory after a two and six-year pause from horse grazing. Previously grazed sites had higher total and rare species richness and diversity than ungrazed (UN), regardless the type of grazing system. The positive impact of previous grazing on species richness was higher in CG and continued after six years in both grazing systems. Seven species of high conservation interest in heathlands were present in the studied areas. Most of them were associated to CG management and none was exclusively in RG. The reduction of the shrub component by previous horse grazing led to a decrease of gorse dominance, thus potentially reducing fire risk and increasing plant diversity. The extent of the positive effect of horse grazing controlling excessive accumulation of combustible material and favoring species richness differed when relative abundance of species, and not solely the number of species, was taken into account (Simpson’s dominance increased and Pielou’s evenness decreased after six years). Overall, the effects of previous rotational and continuous grazing on plant diversity in an Atlantic heather-gorse dominated plant community were still apparent 2 or 6 years after grazing interruption, although declined after the six-year grazing interlude. Rotational management revealed a slight advantage upon the control of gorse biomass long term, and assisted to maintain the relative abundance of species more evenly over time. The alpha and beta diversity indices confirmed that plant diversity similarity between rotational and continuous management increased after six yearsConstantino Arce provided valuable assistance in developing contingency tables for analyzing statistic associations of plant species with experimental conditions. The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their highly valuable comments that significantly helped to improve this manuscript.The previous grazing experiment, from which the current study was later developed, was funded by the Spanish Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología (AGF 98-0368) and by the Rural Development Galician Government (Xunta de Galicia).S

Supportive Business Environments to Develop Grass Bioeconomy in Europe

Grasslands cover almost half of the total European agricultural area and are the source of a wide range of public goods and services. Yet, their potential to produce innovative bio-based products, such as paper and plastic, remains widely untapped. We employ a multiple case study approach and implement the Business Environment Framework by Adamseged and Grundmann (2020) on eighteen alternative grass-based businesses to investigate the interdependencies between these successful business models and their business environments. The subsequent analysis reveals that the deployment of funds and policies to support alternative grass-based products remains low in most regions of Europe. Our findings highlight that aligned funding mechanisms that incorporate and promote the specific benefits generated by grass-producing and grass-processing businesses are key to overcoming the barriers related to the competition of bio-based products with the established fossil-fuels-based economic system. To make alternative grass-based markets more dynamic, increasing consumer awareness through adequate marketing is perceived as an important aspect. Capacity building and alignment efforts need to be strengthened and coordinated at local and higher levels to enable the replication and scale-up of novel grass-based businesses in Europe and beyond

Analysis of the nutritive forest quality in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula

El conocimiento de la calidad nutritiva de la vegetación es esencial para el desarrollo de una gestión eficien te y ecológicamente sostenible de los sistemas silvopastorales. Se compararon 11 parámetros nutricionales: Fibra Ácido Detergente (FAD), lignina, celulosa, sílice, proteína bruta (PB), digestibilidad in vitro (DMO), materia seca (MS), fósforo (P), calcio (Ca), magnesio (Mg) y potasio (K) en 47 especies vegetales presentes en robleda les, pinares y matorrales gallegos. Para facilitar la comparativa de la calidad nutritiva entre las diferentes forma ciones forestales se utilizó el Análisis de Componentes Principales (ACP), técnica de análisis multivariante que permite la interpretación de las relaciones (distancia) entre un número elevado de especies definidas por una variedad de parámetros nutricionales. La representación gráfica de los dos primeros componentes evidenció una agrupación coherente de las formaciones forestales, separando especies típicas de tojales y brezales de otras pro pias del sotobosque de robledales. El primer eje (CP1) explicó un 50% de la variabilidad de los datos, situándo se en su lado positivo las especies con una mayor digestibilidad y un más alto contenido en K. Su lado opuesto agrupó a especies de las familias Ericaceae, Cistaceae y del género Ulex que presentaron mayor contenido en celulosa y en MS. El segundo componente (CP2), representado por el Ca y lignina, explicó un 16% de la varianza, contribuyendo de manera limitada a una ordenación concluyente de las especiThe knowledge of the nutritive quality of the vegetation is essential for the development of an efficient and ecologically sustainable management of silvopastoral systems. 11 nutritional parameters were compared: Acid Fiber Detergent (FAD), lignin, cellulose, silica, crude protein (PB), in vitro digestibility (BMD), dry matter (DM), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), magnesium ( Mg) and potassium (K) in 47 plant species present in oak groves, pine groves and Galician scrub. To facilitate the comparison of the nutritional quality between the diffe rent forest formations, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used, a multivariate analysis technique that allows the interpretation of relationships (distance) among a large number of species defined by a variety of nutritional parameters The graphic representation of the first two components showed a coherent grouping of forest formations, separating typical species of Ulex formations and heaths from others typical of oak groves. The first axis (PC1) explained 50% of the variability of the data, with the positive side of the species with gre ater digestibility and a higher content of K. Its opposite side grouped species of the families Ericaceae, Cistaceae and Ulex genus that presented higher content in cellulose and DM. The second component (CP2), represented by Ca and lignin, explained 16% of the variance, contributing in a limited way to a conclusive ordering of the species.S

Biochar production from late-harvest grass – Challenges and potential for farm-scale implementation

[Abstract:] Grasslands play a crucial role in European agriculture and ecology, but are often underutilized due to low-value end-products. The utilisation of late-harvest grass for biochar and heat generation on farm-level is being studied as a potential negative emissions technology. Technical (energy provision and carbon sink), economic (cost vs. benefit), political (regulatory framework) and social (SWOT) perspectives are being evaluated. Technical feasibility has been demonstrated with three different farm-scale technologies and the energetic and carbon-sink potential evaluated. When a continuously operating allothermal unit is evaluated, 35 % of the input biomass energy content can be utilized for heating a farm, in combination with the potential to provide a carbon sink. The cost-benefit analysis shows important monetary savings when including the agronomic value (based on the market price) of the produced biochar. An assessment of the regulatory framework of biochar production in Germany presents a multitude of regulations applying to such technologies some of which provide a hurdle to navigate and may incur excessive costs for farmers as small-scale biochar producers. A SWOT analysis of a case in Brandenburg, Germany highlights strengths and opportunities, but also obstacles such as lack of infrastructure and regulatory support. This study highlights the need for further development of suitable technology and research on the long-term economic and carbon sink potential of biochar.This work was performed within the GO-GRASS project and has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 862674. We thank all the partners who collaborated with the data collection. We would also like to thank Philipp Grundmann for the coordination of the GO-GRASS project

Silvopasture policy promotion in European Mediterranean areas

Silvopasture is the deliberate integration of a woody component with grazed pastures as understorey. It is one of the most extended agroforestry practices all over the world. Silvopasture use is key to increase the sustainability of livestock farming systems as silvopasture reduces the use of concentrates since the woody component provides feed for animals. However, it is not an extensively used practice in Europe. This paper aims at evaluating, from Eurostat, LUCAS database and the 118 rural development programs, the current situation of permanent grasslands in the Mediterranean area of Europe as well as the rural development programmes fostering silvopasture to better understand how sustainable land use systems are promoted and provide insights to foster silvopasture across Europe. The results of this study show that most of the policy measures related to silvopasture are adapted to the local necessity. The already existing agroforestry managed land (dehesas/montado) are related to measures supporting regeneration and maintenance while in those areas where agroforestry does not exist the measures are related to forest fire prevention.MRML was supported by the European Commission through the AFINET (grant agreement no 727872) and the Go-Grass projects (grant agreement no 862674) from the European Union´s H2020 Research and Innovation Programme (https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/ en) and the Open2preserve project (SOE2/P5/E0804) from the Interreg Sudoe Programme (https://interreg-sudoe.eu/gbr/home). ARR was supported by the Xunta de Galicia, Consellerı´a de Educación, Universidade e Formación Profesional (https://www.edu.xunta.gal/portal/es) through the Consolidation funds 2019–2022. NFD was also supported by the Xunta de Galicia, Consellerı´a de Educacio´n, Universidade e Formación Profesional (https://www.edu.xunta.gal/portal/es) (Programa de axudas a´ etapa posdoutoral modalide B DOG n˚ 213, 08/11/2019 p.48018, exp: ED481D 2019/009). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Policy challenges for agroforestry implementation in Europe

Agroforestry (AF) is a sustainable land use practice and system that increases the ecosystem services delivery from agricultural lands compared with treeless systems. Agroforestry can be considered a practice when linked to plot scale (silvoarable, silvopasture, homegarden, woody linear landscape strips, and forest farming), and a system when associated with the global farm scale. The enhancement of the ecosystem services is associated with the use and promotion of the biodiversity caused by the presence of trees that optimizes the use of the resources if adequate species are mixed. Agroforestry can be implemented at temporal and spatial scales. At the temporal scale, the use of woody perennials to increase soil fertility is a traditional technique that improves soil health and reduces the need of using herbicides (e.g., the legume Ulex sown for 10 years in between crop cultivation). Five agroforestry practices can be implemented at the plot level: silvopasture, silvoarable/alley cropping, homegardens/kitchengardens, woody linear landscape strips, and forest farming. A farm including these practices is considered an agroforestry system working at the landscape level when several farms are mixed. In spite of the acknowledgment that AF has at the European level for being included as part of Pillars I and II, the spread of AF is limited across Europe. Four challenges, linked with technical, economic, educational, and policy development, have been identified by the AFINET thematic network that, if addressed, may foster policy adoption across the EU. This article proposes 15 different policy recommendations to overcome them and the need of developing an AF strategy for the EU.We acknowledge funding through Grant 101086563 from the European Commission (Project AF4EU, HEUROPE). This study was supported by National Funds by the FCT—Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under the project UIDB/04033/2020. NF-D was funded by the Pilot Program of the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) for the hiring of distinguished research staff—call 2021, funded under the collaboration agreement between USC and Banco Santander, for the years 2021–2024. JJS-F was supported by the USC and the Spanish Ministry of Universities through the “Convocatoria de Recualificación del Sistema Universitario Español” on its modality “Margarita Salas”; Ministry of Universities - Recovery Transformation and Resilience Plan (funded by the European Union through the NextGenerationEUS

Policy challenges for agroforestry implementation in Europe

Agroforestry (AF) is a sustainable land use practice and system that increases the ecosystem services delivery from agricultural lands compared with treeless systems. Agroforestry can be considered a practice when linked to plot scale (silvoarable, silvopasture, homegarden, woody linear landscape strips, and forest farming), and a system when associated with the global farm scale. The enhancement of the ecosystem services is associated with the use and promotion of the biodiversity caused by the presence of trees that optimizes the use of the resources if adequate species are mixed. Agroforestry can be implemented at temporal and spatial scales. At the temporal scale, the use of woody perennials to increase soil fertility is a traditional technique that improves soil health and reduces the need of using herbicides (e.g., the legume Ulex sown for 10 years in between crop cultivation). Five agroforestry practices can be implemented at the plot level: silvopasture, silvoarable/alley cropping, homegardens/kitchengardens, woody linear landscape strips, and forest farming. A farm including these practices is considered an agroforestry system working at the landscape level when several farms are mixed. In spite of the acknowledgment that AF has at the European level for being included as part of Pillars I and II, the spread of AF is limited across Europe. Four challenges, linked with technical, economic, educational, and policy development, have been identified by the AFINET thematic network that, if addressed, may foster policy adoption across the EU. This article proposes 15 different policy recommendations to overcome them and the need of developing an AF strategy for the EU.We acknowledge funding through Grant 101086563 from the European Commission (Project AF4EU, HEUROPE). This study was supported by National Funds by the FCT—Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under the project UIDB/04033/2020. NF-D was funded by the Pilot Program of the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) for the hiring of distinguished research staff—call 2021, funded under the collaboration agreement between USC and Banco Santander, for the years 2021–2024. JJS-F was supported by the USC and the Spanish Ministry of Universities through the “Convocatoria de Recualificación del Sistema Universitario Español” on its modality “Margarita Salas”; Ministry of Universities - Recovery Transformation and Resilience Plan (funded by the European Union through the NextGenerationEU).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Spatial similarities between European agroforestry systems and ecosystem services at the landscape scale

This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Agroforestry Systems. The final authenticated version is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10457-017-0132-3Agroforestry systems are known to provide ecosystem services which differ in quantity and quality from conventional agricultural practices and could enhance rural landscapes. In this study we compared ecosystem services provision of agroforestry and non-agroforestry landscapes in case study regions from three European biogeographical regions: Mediterranean (montado and dehesa), Continental (orchards and wooded pasture) and Atlantic agroforestry systems (chestnut soutos and hedgerows systems). Seven ecosystem service indicators (two provisioning and five regulating services) were mapped, modelled and assessed. Clear variations in amount and provision of ecosystem services were found between different types of agroforestry systems. Nonetheless regulating ecosystems services were improved in all agroforestry landscapes, with reduced nitrate losses, higher carbon sequestration, reduced soil losses, higher functional biodiversity focussed on pollination and greater habitat diversity reflected in a high proportion of semi-natural habitats. The results for provisioning services were inconsistent. While the annual biomass yield and the groundwater recharge rate tended to be higher in agricultural landscapes without agroforestry systems, the total biomass stock was reduced. These broad relationships were observed within and across the case study regions regardless of the agroforestry type or biogeographical region. Overall our study underlines the positive influence of agroforestry systems on the supply of regulating services and their role to enhance landscape structureWe acknowledge funding through Grant 613520 from the European Commission (Project AGFORWARD, 7th Framework Program), the Xunta de Galicia, Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria (“Programa de axudas á etapa posdoutoral DOG no. 122, 29/06/2016 p.27443, exp: ED481B 2016/071-0”), the Forest Research Center strategic project (PEst OE/AGR/UI0239/2014) and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology through the contract SFRH/BD/52691/2014S

Spatial similarities between European agroforestry systems and ecosystem services at the landscape scale

Agroforestry systems are known to provide ecosystem services which differ in quantity and quality from conventional agricultural practices and could enhance rural landscapes. In this study we compared ecosystem services provision of agroforestry and non-agroforestry landscapes in case study regions from three European biogeographical regions: Mediterranean (montado and dehesa), Continental (orchards and wooded pasture) and Atlantic agroforestry systems (chestnut soutos and hedgerows systems). Seven ecosystem service indicators (two provisioning and five regulating services) were mapped, modelled and assessed. Clear variations in amount and provision of ecosystem services were found between different types of agroforestry systems. Nonetheless regulating ecosystems services were improved in all agroforestry landscapes, with reduced nitrate losses, higher carbon sequestration, reduced soil losses, higher functional biodiversity focussed on pollination and greater habitat diversity reflected in a high proportion of semi-natural habitats. The results for provisioning services were inconsistent. While the annual biomass yield and the groundwater recharge rate tended to be higher in agricultural landscapes without agroforestry systems, the total biomass stock was reduced. These broad relationships were observed within and across the case study regions regardless of the agroforestry type or biogeographical region. Overall our study underlines the positive influence of agroforestry systems on the supply of regulating services and their role to enhance landscape structure