Interspecific interactions in temperate agroforestry

The ecological principles that define the competitive and complementary interactions among trees, crops, and fauna in agroforestry systems have received considerable research attention during the recent past. These principles have not yet, however, been adequately integrated and synthesized into an operational approach. This paper reviews the ecological and ecophysiological bases for interspecific interactions based on data from site-specific research and demonstration trials from temperate agroforestry systems, primarily from temperate North America. The review shows that information on ecological interactions in several temperate agroforestry systems is inadequate. It is recommended that the future research should focus on exploring new species and systems that have received little attention in the past. Priority research areas should include cultural practices and system designs to minimize interspecific competition and maximize environmental benefits such as improved water quality. Potential for genetic modification of components to increase productivity and reduce competition also needs to be explored. Process-oriented models may be used increasingly to predict resource-allocation patterns and possible benefits for a suite of site and species combinations.