Ecosystem services rendered by tree based land use systems

Abstract

Trees being important components of biosphere need to be planted and protected on arable land for the ecosystem services they offer for the wellbeing of the earth and its living forms. Area under natural forests is coming down and it is not possible to increase area under forests any more due to other anthropological reasons. Properly designed and strategically located agroforestry practices as alternative can contribute to ecological services by mitigation land degradation, climate change and desertification, while conserving natural resources and biodiversity. Besides providing, tree based goods and services, agroforestry can be considered as an adoptive strategy in areas climatically and biologically vulnerable. Being a potential C sink, agroforestry can also mitigate negative impacts of CO2 emission. As green belt these have a role in maintaining air, water and soil quality in mining and industrial areas also. An attempt, therefore, is made in this article to highlight the ecosystem services rendered by tree based land use systems.