Abstract
A woody plant functional trait that directly affects its fitness and environment is decisive to ensure the success of an Agroforestry practice. Hence, recognizing the woody plant functional traits is very important to boost and sustain the productivity of the system when different plants are sharing common resources, like in Agroforestry system. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to understand how woody plant functional traits contribute to sustainable soil management in Agroforestry system and to give the way forward in the case of Ethiopia. The contribution of woody plant species in improving soil fertility and controlling soil erosion is attributed by litter accumulation rate and the season, decomposability and nutrient content of the litter, root physical and chemical trait, and spread canopy structure functional trait. However, spread canopy structure functional trait is used in coffee based Agroforestry system, while with management in Parkland Agro forestry System. Woody species of Agroforestry system added a significant amount of soil TN, OC, Av.P, K, Na, Ca, and Mg nutrients to the soil. Woody plant species of Agroforestry system and their functional traits are very important to ensure sustainable soil management. Thus, further investigation of the woody plant functional traits especially the compatibility of trees with cops is needed to fully utilize the potential of woody species for sustainable soil management practice.
Highlights
Morphological-physiological-phenological characters that measured at an individual level and directly affects its fitness [1] and environment [2] is decisive to ensure the success of the Agroforestry practice
Integration of woody plants on farming system based on the functional trait of woody plant is crucial to sustain soil management benefits of woody plants in Agroforestry systems
The following are recommended to researchers to undertake study and policy makers to design agroforestry system that enable farmers to fully utilize the woody plant species potential in the Agroforestry system from functional trait point of view to achieve sustainable soil management practice in Ethiopia
Summary
Morphological-physiological-phenological characters that measured at an individual level and directly affects its fitness [1] and environment [2] is decisive to ensure the success of the Agroforestry practice. Agroforestry is indicated to be a prominent strategy to address land degradation, food security, and climate change challenges in Africa in general and in Ethiopia in particular too [3]. This is due to Agroforestry is a dynamic, ecologically based, natural resource management system that, through the integration of woody plants in Biodiversity of Ecosystems farm- and rangeland, diversifies and sustains smallholder production for increased environmental, economic and social benefits [4]. Phenology of woody plant species defines the timing of different phases of life cycle such as leaf shading and re-growing, flowering, fruiting and seed dispersal [15, 16] These functional traits of woody plants in Agroforestry system are the core feature in supporting sustainable soil management. In this review, how woody plants’ functional traits support sustainable soil management in the Agroforestry system are discussed from soil fertility improvement and soil erosion control perspectives
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
