Science Area:

Atmospheric
Earth
Terrestrial

ENRIs:

Biodiversity
Global Change

Science Topics:

Climate & Climate Change
Atmospheric carbon cycle
Ecosystem impacts
Nat Resources, Env & Rural Dev
Forestry & development
Bioenergy feedstocks
Biomass
Sustainable energy production
Bioenergy
Short rotation coppice
Forestry, sylviculture
Agricultural systems
Plant-soil interactions
Soil conservation
Soil science
Carbon capture and storage

Science Classification details

Overall Classification:

Unknown

Abstract: GGR Topic-Specific Project Type Context In absence of human habitation, nearly all land in the temperate biome would be covered by forests holding large quantities of carbon within the trees and the soils. Historically, much of these forests have been cleared to make way for agriculture, releasing most of the carbon into the atmosphere. Converting agricultural land back to forestry therefore offers significant potential for greenhouse gas removal (GGR), however in most instances this would come at the cost of reduced food production. Existing land capability studies [4] indicate that the best locations for afforestation are in some of the most productive agricultural areas, highlighting the conflict between forestry and agriculture. GGR opportunity Agroforestry (AF) is a well-understood land use system which purposefully integrates trees with either arable or pastoral food production. AF is not novel, its many benefits include crop diversification, improved water and nutrient cycling in agricultural landscapes and provision of habitats for biodiversity. A well-planned AF system allows for continued food production, while a small percentage of the land is dedicated to tree planting - usually in single line formations. However, the combination of modern farming methods, existing regulatory regime and the historical distinction between agriculture and forestry currently place 'socio-economic' constraints on wider application of this system within the UK. Research questions and plan of work This proposal will address the research questions and objectives through five integrated work packages: Work package 1 will estimate GGR potential of AF in the UK under a combination of time (timeframes of adoption of AF across the landscape) and intensity (the proportion of land dedicated to the tree component). The Sheffield Dynamic Global Vegetation Model (SDGVM) will be used to investigate the interaction between crops/pasture and trees. We will develop a new plant functional type to describe and model AF systems and to predict the change in carbon stocks in trees and soil (i.e. the additional GHG removal) when compared to current agriculture. Work package 2 will evaluate the current barriers to AF adoption related to policy and socio-economic considerations. We will develop value propositions designed to incentivise farmers and landowners to commit to AF in both arable and pasture settings. Work package 3 will build on the outcomes of work package 1 and 2 and develop detailed examples of field-scale benefits of AF across different farming systems (arable/pasture), four UK agro-climatic regions and on varying soil types. We will use workshops with farmers to develop realistic scenarios for AF deployment, taking into account wider benefits of avoided emissions through better soil and nutrient management. Work package 4 will upscale the farm-level impacts of GHG removal 'business case' to correspond to the GHG removal scenarios (work package 3) and the evaluation barriers and opportunities of AF adoption (work package 2) to generate agricultural, environmental and energy policy recommendations. Work package 5 will focus on integration and management. We will coordinate and integrate the research development between work packages and work with policy and farming communities through a series of targeted workshops to identify current barriers limiting adoption of AF on a wider scale. Interdisciplinarity Our interdisciplinary approach brings together scientists, social scientists and economists across the Food and Environment Research Themes at the University of Reading. Expertise of collaborators spans research on carbon cycles in agricultural (including AF) and forest ecosystems, modelling plant and soil C dynamics, national and farm-scale rural economy and policy. All have experience in working on interdisciplinary projects and recognise the benefits of this approach to deliver viable solutions.