Rubber agroforestry systems positively impact soil microbial communities. This study employed a bibliometric approach to explore the research status, hotspots, and development trends related to these effects. Using CiteSpace software, we visually analyzed research literature from the Web of Science (WOS) core database, spanning 2004 to 2024. The focus was on the impact of rubber agroforestry ecosystems on soil microbial communities. The results indicate significant attention from Chinese researchers, who have published numerous influential papers in this field. Authors Liu Wenjie have contributed the most papers, although no stable core author group exists. The Chinese Academy of Sciences is the leading research institution in terms of publication volume. While there is close collaboration between different institutions and countries, the intensity of researcher cooperation is low. The most cited literature emphasizes soil nutrients and structure in rubber agroforestry, laying a foundation for soil microorganism studies. Most cited journals are from countries like Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Key research areas include the effects of rubber intercropping on soil microbial communities, agroforestry management, and soil health. Research development can be divided into three stages: the initial stage (2010-2015), the development stage (2015-2020), and the mature stage (2020-2024). Current studies show that rubber intercropping and rubber-based agroforestry systems enhance soil microbial communities, positively impacting soil health. This paper provides a theoretical basis for the sustainable development of rubber agroforestry systems and improved management plans. Future research could explore the effects of species composition on soil microbiological characteristics and develop methods for species interactions. An in-depth study of the soil microbial community’s structure and function, and its relationship with rubber trees, is crucial. Developing effective, rationally designed rubber agroforestry systems
Jianan LiuDongling QiChuan YangZhixiang WuYingying ZhangQingmao FuXianlei JiangRuxin Lin
Poplar has gained popularity among farmers of Punjab,Haryana,Western Uttar Pradesh,and the foothills of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh due to their fast growth rate and suitability for industrial uses such as pulp and timber production.Integrating poplar trees into agroforestry systems optimizes land resources and economic gains,as successful techniques have been developed to coordinate crop timing and arrangements effectively.Integrating poplar trees with agricultural crops provides additional income streams for farmers and contributes to soil conservation,biodiversity enhancement,and other environmental benefits.Farmers in these regions typically employ effective spacing of 5 m×4 m for block plantation and 1 m×3 m for row plantation.In the present study,a systematic literature review encompassing 137 English-language journal articles was conducted to assess the economic benefits of Poplar using discounted cash flow(DCF)analysis,considering short-rotation poplar(SRC)and very short-rotation poplar(vSRC)plantations alongside annual crops.The findings revealed that increasing canopy density led to a decline in crop yields by 37%,70%,and 99% at canopy densities of 30%,60%,and 90%,respectively,from early spring to harvest.Cost-benefit analysis in Saharanpur district,India,indicated average annual net returns of USD 346.36 for Poplar-based agrisilviculture,while monoculture yielded USD 140.73 per annum.Furthermore,economic analysis in Yamunanagar and Haridwar districts showed benefit-cost ratios ranging from 2.35 to 3.7.Additionally,Poplar block and boundary plantations were found to sequester significantly more carbon in long-lived biomass,serving as substitutes for fossil fuels(5.45 and 1.84 t ha-1 yr-1)in poplar-based systems with block and boundary plantations.The study suggested expanding spacing between tree rows may mitigate resource competition between plantations and crops.The study inferred that Poplar-based agroforestry may play a crucial role in climate mitigation programs by effectively sequestering a
Climate change has been a global pandemic with its adverse impacts affecting environments and livelihoods. This has been largely attributed to anthropogenic activities which generate large amounts of Green House Gases (GHGs), notably carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) among others. In the Upper East of Ghana, climate change manifests in erratic rainfalls, drought, high temperatures, high wind speeds, high intensity rainfall, windstorms, flooding, declining vegetation cover, perennial devastating bushfires etc. Practices such as burning farm residues, use of dung as fuel for cooking, excessive application of nitrogenous fertilizers, and deforestation that are prevalent in the region exacerbate the situation. Although, efforts made by governmental and none-governmental organizations to mitigate climate change through afforestation, agroforestry and promotion of less fuelwood consuming cook stoves, land management practices antagonize these efforts as more CO2 is generated than the carrying capacity of vegetation in the region. Research findings have established the role of trees and soil in carbon sequestration in mitigating climate. However, there is limited knowledge on how the vegetation and soil in agroforestry interplay in mitigation climate change. It is against this background that this review seeks to investigate how vegetation and soil in an agroforestry interact synergistically to sequester carbon and contribute to mitigating climate change in Upper East region of Ghana. In this review, it was discovered soil stored more carbon than vegetation in an agroforestry system and is much effective in mitigating climate change. It was found out that in order to make soil and vegetation in an agroforestry system interact synergistically to effectively mitigate climate change, Climate Smart Agriculture practice which integrates trees, and perennials crops effectively mitigates climate. The review concluded that tillage practices that ensure retention and storage of soil organic carbon (SOC
Joshua A. AdombireAbdul-Wahab M. ImoroEunice EsselNang B. Douti
Throughout the world, climate change is threatening the human population. In West Africa, smallholder farmers in indigenous agricultural societies typically hold considerable knowledge. Therefore, this study was conducted in West Atacora of Benin Republic to assess the drivers of farmers’ perceptions of climate change risk. We used a random sampling technique to select 360 households’ heads who were interviewed regarding different climate change risks perception. Binomial logistic regression was used to assess the drivers of farmers’ perceptions of climate change risks. The results showed that the farmers in drier areas had a higher perception of the global risk of climate change than those in humid areas. The same trend was observed for the seven different individual’s climate change risk investigated. The study identified also membership of farm organizations as main sociodemographic characteristic that explains farmers’ perception of climate change risk perception. These findings are helpful tools to sensitize the local people on climate change risk and cope with the risk in agricultural lands.
