NAME
: KAMVALETHU
SURNAME
: NTANTA
STUDENT NUMBER : 202113860
MODULE CODE
: AGP323
TOPIC
: IMPACT OF
SILVO-PASTORAL SYSTEMS ON
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES.
INTRODUCTION
Silvopastoral systems are ones that mix raising animals with planting trees. These systems frequently
consist of pastures with trees that are scattered widely apart or arranged in groups all throughout the
meadow. This system is widely used throughout the world. The system can be used to improve
livestock feed in addition to serving as a primary source of shelter for animals. When adopting an
efficient silvopastoral system, some are particularly good at creating more hospitable circumstances
for cattle, increasing survival and body weight of the animals (Pezo et al..2018).
Due to the simultaneous production of tree crops, forage, and livestock, well managed silvopasture
(grazed woods) can boost total productivity and long-term revenue. It can also give environmental
benefits and has been used for centuries in many regions of the world. Silvopasture and uncontrolled
grazing in woodlands are not the same thing.
Ecology is the study of how living things including humans interact with their physical environment.
The levels of individuals, populations, communities, ecosystems, and biospheres are all taken into
account in ecology. The fields of ecology, biogeography, evolutionary biology, genetics, ethology, and
natural history are all closely related. Ecology is a subfield of biology; environmentalism is not the
same thing.
Domesticated animals raised on farms to provide labor and generate a variety of food items like meat,
eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool are known as livestock. The phrase is sometimes used exclusively to
describe animals raised for human consumption and other times only to describe farmed ruminants
like cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs (Britannica.com).
Long-term changes in temperature and weather are referred to as "climate change."
BENEFITS
Mass deforestation, a reduction in water availability, and an increase in soil nutrients to a threshold
that is harmful to both the ecology and people have led to open grazing systems (Mancera, Karen
F…April 2018). Increased farmland usage is one of the main advantages of silvopasture since it can
utilise unused forests for production and yield various goods on a single acre. This promotes farm
viability and diversifies the sources of farm income. It has been discovered that silvopasture increases
the diversity and abundance of wildlife.
LIVESTOCK
In silvopasture systems, trees shield cattle from the sun and wind, which can enhance animal welfare
and boost productivity. In the summer and winter, trees can act as windbreaks and provide shade,
allowing livestock to regulate their own body temperature. Heat stress has been linked to decreased
feed intake, increased water intake, and detrimental impacts on milk production, fitness, and longevity
in livestock (McCracken, John…2023).
FORAGE
Under ideal conditions, well-managed silvopasture systems can produce just as much forage as openpasture systems. Under some circumstances, silvopasture systems have been seen to provide forage
that is more nutritious than non-silvopasture forage. Under drought conditions, silvopasture systems
have been found to have greater forage availability than open-pasture systems, where the combination
of tree shade and water uptake by tree roots may lessen the effects of dryness (Gabriel, Steve…2018).
TREES
Production of fruits, nuts, and wood are all compatible with silvopasture. Grazing can be used to
control weeds and vegetation at a reasonable price. When put into an orchard after harvest,
silvopasture allows cattle to eat unharvested fruits, reducing the transmission of pests and diseases
through these unharvested fruits and, in some cases, eating the pests themselves.
CLIMATE CHANGE
The conversion of forests to agricultural land may have detrimental effects on the ecosystem,
including an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and a reduction in the ability of the soil to
withstand disruptions brought on by extreme weather events. Agroforestry, the practice of growing
crops and/or livestock alongside trees and other woody plants, may improve the ability for the land to
mitigate climate change and its capacity for adaptation. This may be particularly true when compared
to traditional "open" systems, which typically feature a low diversity of plants and a lack of woody
species. The consequences of silviculture-related land-use changes on greenhouse gas emissions,
carbon storage, and water dynamics were tracked in this study.
A land-use change experiment was carried out at the Organic Dairy Research Farm (ODRF) of the
University of New Hampshire in Lee, New Hampshire, and measurements were taken at a second,
related experiment at the North Branch Farm in Saranac, New York. In all investigations, forest plots
were converted into open pasture or silvopasture by removing all or some of the trees, and the
responses to these treatments were compared to the circumstances in reference forest and reference
open pasture plots that had not been altered.
Over a 4-year period, measurements were taken to evaluate the weather, including air temperature,
soil temperature and moisture, and soil greenhouse gas emissions. By gathering cores, measuring tree
ring width, and monitoring radial growth three years before and after the treatment, it was possible to
determine the carbon and water cycles using tree growth (a sign of carbon sequestration and storage).
The effects of forest conversion on water balance were quantified using estimates of both inputs and
outputs. Throughfall, or the quantity of rain that falls without being blocked by trees, is the main
source of water input. Evapotranspiration, the process by which water is moved from the land to the
atmosphere via evaporation from the soil and other surfaces and by transpiration from plants, was
thought to be the main source of water output. This was calculated using both empirical data and
mathematical modeling. In order to give an indication of the effects of forest conversion on
hydrologic functions, such as soil water storage capacity and flood control, soil infiltration rates were
also calculated for all treatment and reference plots.
CONCLUSION
Under conditions of extreme heat stress, the silvopastoral system enhanced the thermoregulatory and
feeding behavior. When compared to the typical method, where the wallowing time was longer, this
was mirrored in the longer periods spent in the shade and the increased grazing time.
REFERENCES
Gabriel, Steve (2018). Silvopasture : a guide to managing grazing animals, forage crops, and trees in a
temperate farm ecosystem. White River Junction, Vermont.
Wilson, Matthew; Lovell, Sarah (2016-06-18). "Agroforestry—The Next Step in Sustainable and
Resilient Agriculture". Sustainability. 8 (6): 574.
Mancera, Karen F.; Zarza, Heliot; de Buen, Lorena López; García, Apolo Adolfo Carrasco; Palacios,
Felipe Montiel; Galindo, Francisco (April 2018). "Integrating links between tree coverage and cattle
welfare in silvopastoral systems evaluation". Agronomy for Sustainable Development. 38 (2): 19.
Dablin, Lucy; Lewis, Simon L.; Milliken, William; Monro, Alexandre; Lee, Mark A. (2021-12-17).
"Browse from Three Tree Legumes Increases Forage Production for Cattle in a Silvopastoral System
in the Southwest Amazon". Animals. 11 (12): 3585.
McCracken, John (2023-08-15). "Livestock are dying in the heat. This little-known farming method
offers a solution". Grist. Retrieved 2023-08-16.