Integrating trees into arable systems to improve soil health & provide resilience to climate change

Agroforestry can contribute to climate change mitigation, and the practice of silvoarable farming (i.e. intercropping arable crops with trees) is gaining traction in the UK. Recent studies have shown that it can increase carbon sequestration, reduce net greenhouse gas emissions and support more biodiversity than traditional arable systems. In addition to helping to mitigate climate change, silvoarable systems may also be more resilient to the impacts of climate change. Despite this, silvoarable farming is rare in the UK, and many knowledge gaps remain. Very little is known about the impact of silvoarable farming on soil biodiversity and health, and as soils are the foundation of agricultural production, it is imperative that this knowledge gap is addressed.
This project investigates the impact of silvoarable farming on soil health and experimentally test climate resilience using a drought experiment. As the impact of silvoarable farming may change as the trees mature, the study will use a 22-year tree-planting gradient.
Objectives and hypotheses
1) Determine the impact of silvoarable farming on soil health by comparing arable fields with silvoarable fields along a 22-year tree-planting gradient. You will measure soil biodiversity, soil physical properties (e.g. soil porosity), and soil chemical properties (e.g. carbon).
2) Determine the extent to which silvoarable farming can increase the resilience of arable farming to climate change by conducting drought experiments using tents. You will compare soil properties and crop yield and quality between tented areas and open areas in silvoarable and arable sites to test which system is more resilient to drought.
3) Disseminate the findings to the scientific community, the agricultural sector and the public via conferences, publications, and wider media.