FEM-22803 Agroforestry

Course

Credits 3.00

Language of instruction:

English

Contents:

Agroforestry refers to land-use systems in which trees and shrubs are grown in association with crops, or pastures and livestock in a spatial arrangement or a rotation, and in which there are both ecological and economic interactions between the trees and other components of the system. During the last decade this form of land-use has received increasing attention as a mean to contribute to sustainable land use. Additionally, agroforestry is being transformed from a collection of descriptive studies into more scientific approaches, based on process-orientated research. Nowadays a substantial body of knowledge is derived from agroforestry research.
The course consists of the following two elements: lectures on the structure and functioning of agroforestry ecosystems from an agricultural and a forestry perspective, and essay report on a specific agroforestry question or hypothesis

Learning outcomes:

After this course the student is expected to be able to:
- describe the concept and underlying principles of agroforestry ecosystems;
- recognize and explain the classifications of the main systems;
- appraise and evaluate the major ecological processes (above- and belowground) in these systems;
- describe and explain the concept of nitrogen fixation in agroforestry systems;
- indicate and exemplify the possibilities and limitations of application of these systems.

Activities:

- attendance of lectures;
- essay report and oral presentation about a specific agroforestry hypothesis.

Examination:

- written examination;
- essay report and presentation.

Literature:

A concise course reader and additional book chapters and scientific papers.