Agroforestry Systems Feeding Soil Life
As we explore the mysteries of the soil, we come across an invisible but essential world: the kingdom of microorganisms. In this underground domain, the relationship between plants and these microorganisms is as old as the history of life itself. Plants fundamentally depend on these microbial interactions for their very existence.
This interdependence is at the heart of soil fertility. Plants, through photosynthesis, provide sugars to microorganisms in exchange for nutrients. This simple exchange is the basis for plant health and vitality.
The potential effects of a healthy microbiota in the soil are vast and crucial for the success of agriculture and we can highlight:
– Availability of nutrients;
– Physical structuring of the soil;
– Expansion of the root system;
– Stimulation of plant growth;
– System resilience.
For all of this to happen, this microbiota must be fed and this is where agroforestry systems play a crucial role, as soil cover is recommended since the areas were established. The organic matter deposited on the soil serves as food for microorganisms.
In agroforestry, successional and dense planting of species is recommended and one of the purposes is to optimize photosynthesis and produce food not only for human beings, but for all life in the soil. Periodic pruning in agroforestry systems guarantees a constant supply of organic matter, maintaining adequate levels of temperature and humidity for life in the soil.
As the system develops, the areas become more complex from the point of view of life, because as the plants develop, with management, more organic matter is supplied from different sources. This sounds like an invitation for more specialized organisms to decompose this material, creating humus, which is the stable organic matter in the soil.
Planting is planned so that the production of organic matter is carried out in the area itself, in a way that facilitates the maintenance of soil cover. As in agroforestry there is a diversity of species from grasses, herbs, shrubs and trees. With the development of the system, management through tree pruning, the pruned material is deposited on the ground. This soil cover creates a favorable environment for the survival of mycorrhizal fungi and soil microfauna, such as earthworms, beetles, termites and springtails, to decompose this type of more complex biomass and thus gradually release nutrients to the plants.
In short, to cultivate successfully, we must first and foremost be cultivators of fungi and bacteria and other microorganisms beneficial to the soil. Feeding soil life is the key to sustainable, productive, regenerative and resilient agriculture and agroforestry systems emerge as a powerful tool in this process, by promoting positive interactions between plants and microorganisms, resulting in fertile soils and vigorous plants.
