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Introduction: Climate change (CC) and the increased occurrence of extreme climatic events pose a serious threat to crop yields and their stability worldwide. This study analyzed the CC mitigation potential of an alley cropping system on crop physiological stresses and growth as compared to a monoculture system. Materials and Methods: Growth of winter durum wheat, cultivated alone (agriculture) and in combination with hybrid walnut (agroforestry), was simulated with the Hi-sAFe agroforestry model, as driven by business-as-usual Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projections, split into three scenarios, representing Past (1951–1990), Present (1991–2030), and Future (2031–2070) climatic conditions. Crop growth and the occurrence of thermal, nitrogen, and water stresses were analyzed. Results: Cold-related stresses were modest in Past and almost disappeared over time. Heat, drought, and nitrogen stresses increased about twofold from Past to Future, but were reduced by 20–35% in agroforestry, already with medium-sized trees (diameter at breast height (DBH) of about 10–15 cm). Crop yields in agriculture increased from Past to the end of Present and then remained stable. This moderately decreased with tree age in agroforestry (especially in Future). Discussion: The impact of CC on the crop was buffered in agroforestry, especially for the most extreme climatic events. The mitigation of crop microclimate and the increased stability of crop yields highlight the potential of agroforestry as a CC adaptation strategy.
Francesco Reyes; Marie Gosme; Kevin Wolz; Isabelle Lecomte; Christian Dupraz. Alley Cropping Mitigates the Impacts of Climate Change on a Wheat Crop in a Mediterranean Environment: A Biophysical Model-Based Assessment. Agriculture 2021, 11, 356 .
AMA StyleFrancesco Reyes, Marie Gosme, Kevin Wolz, Isabelle Lecomte, Christian Dupraz. Alley Cropping Mitigates the Impacts of Climate Change on a Wheat Crop in a Mediterranean Environment: A Biophysical Model-Based Assessment. Agriculture. 2021; 11 (4):356.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancesco Reyes; Marie Gosme; Kevin Wolz; Isabelle Lecomte; Christian Dupraz. 2021. "Alley Cropping Mitigates the Impacts of Climate Change on a Wheat Crop in a Mediterranean Environment: A Biophysical Model-Based Assessment." Agriculture 11, no. 4: 356.
Agroforestry represents a solution to land degradation by agriculture, but social barriers to wider application of agroforestry persist. More than half of all cropland in the USA is leased rather than owner-operated, and the short terms of most leases preclude agroforestry. Given insufficient research on tenure models appropriate for agroforestry in the USA, the primary objective of this study was to identify examples of farmers practicing agroforestry on land they do not own. We conducted interviews with these farmers, and, in several cases, with landowners, in order to document their tenure arrangements. In some cases, additional parties also played a role, such as farmland investors, a farmer operating an integrated enterprise, and non-profit organizations or public agencies. Our findings include eleven case studies involving diverse entities and forms of cooperation in multi-party agroforestry (MA). MA generally emerged from shared objectives and intensive planning. MA appears to be adaptable to private, investor, institutional, and public landowners, as well as beginning farmers and others seeking land access without ownership. We identify limitations and strategies for further research and development of MA.
Keefe O. Keeley; Kevin J. Wolz; Kaitie I. Adams; Jeannine Richards; Erin Hannum; Severine Von Tscharner Fleming; Stephen J. Ventura. Multi-Party Agroforestry: Emergent Approaches to Trees and Tenure on Farms in the Midwest USA. Sustainability 2019, 11, 2449 .
AMA StyleKeefe O. Keeley, Kevin J. Wolz, Kaitie I. Adams, Jeannine Richards, Erin Hannum, Severine Von Tscharner Fleming, Stephen J. Ventura. Multi-Party Agroforestry: Emergent Approaches to Trees and Tenure on Farms in the Midwest USA. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (8):2449.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKeefe O. Keeley; Kevin J. Wolz; Kaitie I. Adams; Jeannine Richards; Erin Hannum; Severine Von Tscharner Fleming; Stephen J. Ventura. 2019. "Multi-Party Agroforestry: Emergent Approaches to Trees and Tenure on Farms in the Midwest USA." Sustainability 11, no. 8: 2449.
Agroforestry, the intentional integration of trees with crops and/or livestock, can lead to multiple economic and ecological benefits compared to trees and crops/livestock grown separately. Field experimentation has been the primary approach to understanding the tree–crop interactions inherent in agroforestry. However, the number of field experiments has been limited by slow tree maturation and difficulty in obtaining consistent funding. Models have the potential to overcome these hurdles and rapidly advance understanding of agroforestry systems. Hi-sAFe is a mechanistic, biophysical model designed to explore the interactions within agroforestry systems that mix trees with crops. The model couples the pre-existing STICS crop model to a new tree model that includes several plasticity mechanisms responsive to tree–tree and tree–crop competition for light, water, and nitrogen. Monoculture crop and tree systems can also be simulated, enabling calculation of the land equivalent ratio. The model’s 3D and spatially explicit form is key for accurately representing many competition and facilitation processes. Hi-sAFe is a novel tool for exploring agroforestry designs (e.g., tree spacing, crop type, tree row orientation), management strategies (e.g., thinning, branch pruning, root pruning, fertilization, irrigation), and responses to environmental variation (e.g., latitude, climate change, soil depth, soil structure and fertility, fluctuating water table). By improving our understanding of the complex interactions within agroforestry systems, Hi-sAFe can ultimately facilitate adoption of agroforestry as a sustainable land-use practice.
Christian Dupraz; Kevin Wolz; Isabelle Lecomte; Grégoire Talbot; Grégoire Vincent; Rachmat Mulia; François Bussière; Harry Ozier-Lafontaine; Sitraka Andrianarisoa; Nick Jackson; Gerry Lawson; Nicolas Dones; Hervé Sinoquet; Betha Lusiana; Degi Harja; Susy Domenicano; Francesco Reyes; Marie Gosme; Meine Van Noordwijk. Hi-sAFe: A 3D Agroforestry Model for Integrating Dynamic Tree–Crop Interactions. Sustainability 2019, 11, 2293 .
AMA StyleChristian Dupraz, Kevin Wolz, Isabelle Lecomte, Grégoire Talbot, Grégoire Vincent, Rachmat Mulia, François Bussière, Harry Ozier-Lafontaine, Sitraka Andrianarisoa, Nick Jackson, Gerry Lawson, Nicolas Dones, Hervé Sinoquet, Betha Lusiana, Degi Harja, Susy Domenicano, Francesco Reyes, Marie Gosme, Meine Van Noordwijk. Hi-sAFe: A 3D Agroforestry Model for Integrating Dynamic Tree–Crop Interactions. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (8):2293.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChristian Dupraz; Kevin Wolz; Isabelle Lecomte; Grégoire Talbot; Grégoire Vincent; Rachmat Mulia; François Bussière; Harry Ozier-Lafontaine; Sitraka Andrianarisoa; Nick Jackson; Gerry Lawson; Nicolas Dones; Hervé Sinoquet; Betha Lusiana; Degi Harja; Susy Domenicano; Francesco Reyes; Marie Gosme; Meine Van Noordwijk. 2019. "Hi-sAFe: A 3D Agroforestry Model for Integrating Dynamic Tree–Crop Interactions." Sustainability 11, no. 8: 2293.
In the Midwest U.S. dominated corn-soybean landscape, agroforestry systems can be particularly valuable for increasing the provisioning and regulatory capacity of the agricultural landscape. However, these systems have not yet been broadly integrated into the landscape of this region since they are mostly relegated to marginal lands. A growing body of literature suggests a path to increase the adoption of agroforestry in the Midwest U.S. lies in the incorporation of low-input food-producing tree species that provide economic incentives for farmers. Studies of the system-level integration of such approaches have proceeded by using the currently available cultivars and breeding selections of various tree nut and fruit species. While existing varieties and breeding selections provide the opportunity for initial system development and integration, their broad adaptability to the Midwest U.S. and its marginal land-types is unexplored. Thus, a second tier of research includes the genetic improvement and adaptation of tree crop selections to their respective target environments throughout the Midwest U.S. Fortunately, select tree crops of interest are amendable to systematic breeding and have wild relatives that are endemic across the region. In this paper, we discuss the value of these wild relatives for broadening the adaption of cultivated tree crop selections by using the hazelnut as an example species. We present a framework using geospatial tools to define and prioritize target environments for breeding and, in turn, exploiting wild relative germplasm.
Ronald Revord; Sarah Lovell; Thomas Molnar; Kevin J. Wolz; Chloé Mattia. Germplasm Development of Underutilized Temperate U.S. Tree Crops. Sustainability 2019, 11, 1546 .
AMA StyleRonald Revord, Sarah Lovell, Thomas Molnar, Kevin J. Wolz, Chloé Mattia. Germplasm Development of Underutilized Temperate U.S. Tree Crops. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (6):1546.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRonald Revord; Sarah Lovell; Thomas Molnar; Kevin J. Wolz; Chloé Mattia. 2019. "Germplasm Development of Underutilized Temperate U.S. Tree Crops." Sustainability 11, no. 6: 1546.
Kevin J. Wolz; Evan H. DeLucia. Black Walnut Alley Cropping Is Economically Competitive with Row Crops in the Midwest USA. The Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America 2019, 100, e01500 .
AMA StyleKevin J. Wolz, Evan H. DeLucia. Black Walnut Alley Cropping Is Economically Competitive with Row Crops in the Midwest USA. The Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America. 2019; 100 (1):e01500.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKevin J. Wolz; Evan H. DeLucia. 2019. "Black Walnut Alley Cropping Is Economically Competitive with Row Crops in the Midwest USA." The Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America 100, no. 1: e01500.
The maize–soybean rotation (MSR) dominates the Midwest United States and degrades many ecological functions. Black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) plantation forestry (PF) and alley cropping (AC) are two alternative land‐uses that can enhance productivity and restore ecosystem services. Given the lack of robust market mechanisms to monetize ecosystems services, we tested whether the profitability of PF and AC could drive adoption in the Midwest. Publically available data on black walnut soil suitability, timber prices, crop productivity, and cash rents were combined in a high‐resolution spatial analysis to identify regions where these alternatives can outcompete MSR. To avoid selecting an arbitrary discount rate at which to make comparisons, we determined the threshold discount rate necessary to make PF or AC economically competitive with MSR. We show that, with a 5% discount rate, PF and AC could be more profitable on 17.0% and 23.4% of MSR land, respectively. Contrary to the common assumption that woody agricultural alternatives should first be adopted in marginal row crop areas, the economic competitiveness of PF and AC was not correlated with MSR productivity. Instead, black walnut growth rate was the central driver of PF and AC competitiveness, underscoring a necessary shift away from the current MSR‐centric perspective in defining target regions for land‐use alternatives. Results reveal major opportunities for landowners and investors to increase profitability by investing in PF and AC on both “marginal” and productive MSR land.
Kevin J. Wolz; Evan H. DeLucia. Black walnut alley cropping is economically competitive with row crops in the Midwest USA. Ecological Applications 2018, 29, e01829 .
AMA StyleKevin J. Wolz, Evan H. DeLucia. Black walnut alley cropping is economically competitive with row crops in the Midwest USA. Ecological Applications. 2018; 29 (1):e01829.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKevin J. Wolz; Evan H. DeLucia. 2018. "Black walnut alley cropping is economically competitive with row crops in the Midwest USA." Ecological Applications 29, no. 1: e01829.
Kevin J. Wolz; Bruce E. Branham; Evan H. DeLucia. Reduced nitrogen losses after conversion of row crop agriculture to alley cropping with mixed fruit and nut trees. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 2018, 258, 172 -181.
AMA StyleKevin J. Wolz, Bruce E. Branham, Evan H. DeLucia. Reduced nitrogen losses after conversion of row crop agriculture to alley cropping with mixed fruit and nut trees. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 2018; 258 ():172-181.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKevin J. Wolz; Bruce E. Branham; Evan H. DeLucia. 2018. "Reduced nitrogen losses after conversion of row crop agriculture to alley cropping with mixed fruit and nut trees." Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 258, no. : 172-181.
Pest control by wild arthropods is an important ecosystem service in fruit crops, especially due to markets that value minimal pesticide use. Techniques to augment on-farm habitat for wild arthropods have focused on flowering ground cover planted within orchards and hedgerows on field borders. However, natural enemies found in groundcover often do not favor tree canopy habitat. Conversely, while hedgerows can effectively provide natural enemies that prefer woody microhabitats, their impact diminishes away from field edges. Shrub crops interplanted within orchards could resolve both problems, providing woody habitat for natural enemies directly adjacent to target crop trees. In a multi-layer agroforestry system in Illinois, we vacuum sampled arthropod communities across layers and recorded vegetation characteristics and pest damage on apples. Using generalized linear models, information theoretic model selection, and non-metric multidimensional scaling, we evaluated the effects of three shrub treatments (raspberries, hazelnuts, and both species) on pest and natural enemy guilds in apple trees and shrubs, and on the frequency of pest damage on apples. Shrub composition was an important predictor of arthropod communities on shrubs. However, shrub treatment had only minor impacts on arthropods in apple canopies, indicating the habitats are less similar than anticipated. While two arthropod guilds in apple canopies were linked to pest damage frequency, neither was sensitive to changes in the shrub layer. Results suggest that shrub crop interplanting does not inherently resolve the ecological complexities that impede existing approaches in conservation biological control.
Adam J. Kranz; Kevin J. Wolz; James R. Miller. Effects of shrub crop interplanting on apple pest ecology in a temperate agroforestry system. Agroforestry Systems 2018, 93, 1179 -1189.
AMA StyleAdam J. Kranz, Kevin J. Wolz, James R. Miller. Effects of shrub crop interplanting on apple pest ecology in a temperate agroforestry system. Agroforestry Systems. 2018; 93 (3):1179-1189.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAdam J. Kranz; Kevin J. Wolz; James R. Miller. 2018. "Effects of shrub crop interplanting on apple pest ecology in a temperate agroforestry system." Agroforestry Systems 93, no. 3: 1179-1189.
Kevin Wolz; Evan H. DeLucia. Alley cropping: Global patterns of species composition and function. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 2018, 252, 61 -68.
AMA StyleKevin Wolz, Evan H. DeLucia. Alley cropping: Global patterns of species composition and function. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. 2018; 252 ():61-68.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKevin Wolz; Evan H. DeLucia. 2018. "Alley cropping: Global patterns of species composition and function." Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 252, no. : 61-68.
Annual row crops dominate agriculture around the world and have considerable negative environmental impacts, including significant greenhouse gas emissions. Transformative land-use solutions are necessary to mitigate climate change and restore critical ecosystem services. Alley cropping (AC)—the integration of trees with crops—is an agroforestry practice that has been studied as a transformative, multifunctional land-use solution. In the temperate zone, AC has strong potential for climate change mitigation through direct emissions reductions and increases in land-use efficiency via overyielding compared to trees and crops grown separately. In addition, AC provides climate change adaptation potential and ecological benefits by buffering alley crops to weather extremes, diversifying income to hedge financial risk, increasing biodiversity, reducing soil erosion, and improving nutrient- and water-use efficiency. The scope of temperate AC research and application has been largely limited to simple systems that combine one timber tree species with an annual grain. We propose two frontiers in temperate AC that expand this scope and could transform its climate-related benefits: (i) diversification via woody polyculture and (ii) expanded use of tree crops for food and fodder. While AC is ready now for implementation on marginal lands, we discuss key considerations that could enhance the scalability of the two proposed frontiers and catalyze widespread adoption.
Kevin J. Wolz; Sarah T. Lovell; Bruce E. Branham; William C. Eddy; Keefe Keeley; Ronald S. Revord; Michelle M. Wander; Wendy Yang; Evan H. DeLucia. Frontiers in alley cropping: Transformative solutions for temperate agriculture. Global Change Biology 2017, 24, 883 -894.
AMA StyleKevin J. Wolz, Sarah T. Lovell, Bruce E. Branham, William C. Eddy, Keefe Keeley, Ronald S. Revord, Michelle M. Wander, Wendy Yang, Evan H. DeLucia. Frontiers in alley cropping: Transformative solutions for temperate agriculture. Global Change Biology. 2017; 24 (3):883-894.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKevin J. Wolz; Sarah T. Lovell; Bruce E. Branham; William C. Eddy; Keefe Keeley; Ronald S. Revord; Michelle M. Wander; Wendy Yang; Evan H. DeLucia. 2017. "Frontiers in alley cropping: Transformative solutions for temperate agriculture." Global Change Biology 24, no. 3: 883-894.
Stomatal pores on leaf surfaces respond to environmental and physiological signals to regulate leaf gas exchange. Mathematical models can predict stomatal conductance (gs), with one parameter (m or gl) reflecting the sensitivity of gs to the photosynthetic rate (A), atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration and atmospheric humidity, and a second parameter (g0) representing the minimum gs. Such models are solved iteratively with a photosynthesis model to form the core of many models of crop or ecosystem carbon and water fluxes. For three decades, gs models have frequently been used assuming fixed parameter values for m or g1 and g0 across species and major plant functional types. This study of temperate tree species reveals significant interspecific variation in stomatal function. Applying species-specific parameterizations substantially reduced error in model predictions of gs by 34 to 64% and A by 52 to 60% and resulted in significant correlation between modelled and measured values. This work challenges the long-held assumption of fixed parameter values and, in doing so, suggests an approach for reducing modelling error across a wide range of ecological and agricultural applications.
Kevin J. Wolz; Timothy M. Wertin; Mark Abordo; Dan Wang; Andrew D. B. Leakey. Diversity in stomatal function is integral to modelling plant carbon and water fluxes. Nature Ecology & Evolution 2017, 1, 1292 -1298.
AMA StyleKevin J. Wolz, Timothy M. Wertin, Mark Abordo, Dan Wang, Andrew D. B. Leakey. Diversity in stomatal function is integral to modelling plant carbon and water fluxes. Nature Ecology & Evolution. 2017; 1 (9):1292-1298.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKevin J. Wolz; Timothy M. Wertin; Mark Abordo; Dan Wang; Andrew D. B. Leakey. 2017. "Diversity in stomatal function is integral to modelling plant carbon and water fluxes." Nature Ecology & Evolution 1, no. 9: 1292-1298.
The many benefits of agroforestry are well-documented, from ecological functions such as biodiversity conservation and water quality improvement, to cultural functions including aesthetic value. In North American agroforestry, however, little emphasis has been placed on production capacity of the woody plants themselves, taking into account their ability to transform portions of the landscape from annual monoculture systems to diversified perennial systems capable of producing fruits, nuts, and timber products. In this paper, we introduce the concept of multifunctional woody polycultures (MWPs) and consider the design of long-term experimental trials for supporting research on agroforestry emphasizing tree crops. Critical aspects of long-term agroforestry experiments are summarized, and two existing well-documented research sites are presented as case studies. A new long-term agroforestry trial at the University of Illinois, “Agroforestry for Food,” is introduced as an experiment designed to test the performance of increasingly complex woody plant combinations in an alley cropping system with productive tree crops. This trial intends to address important themes of food security, climate change, multifunctionality, and applied solutions. The challenges of establishing, maintaining, and funding long-term agroforestry research trials are discussed.
Sarah Taylor Lovell; Christian Dupraz; Michael Gold; Shibu Jose; Ronald Revord; Erik Stanek; Kevin Wolz. Temperate agroforestry research: considering multifunctional woody polycultures and the design of long-term field trials. Agroforestry Systems 2017, 92, 1397 -1415.
AMA StyleSarah Taylor Lovell, Christian Dupraz, Michael Gold, Shibu Jose, Ronald Revord, Erik Stanek, Kevin Wolz. Temperate agroforestry research: considering multifunctional woody polycultures and the design of long-term field trials. Agroforestry Systems. 2017; 92 (5):1397-1415.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSarah Taylor Lovell; Christian Dupraz; Michael Gold; Shibu Jose; Ronald Revord; Erik Stanek; Kevin Wolz. 2017. "Temperate agroforestry research: considering multifunctional woody polycultures and the design of long-term field trials." Agroforestry Systems 92, no. 5: 1397-1415.
Evan DeLucia; Kevin Wolz; Sapijanskas J; Paquette A; Potvin C; Kunert N; Loreau M. Faculty Opinions recommendation of Tropical tree diversity enhances light capture through crown plasticity and spatial and temporal niche differences. Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature 2014, 95, 1 .
AMA StyleEvan DeLucia, Kevin Wolz, Sapijanskas J, Paquette A, Potvin C, Kunert N, Loreau M. Faculty Opinions recommendation of Tropical tree diversity enhances light capture through crown plasticity and spatial and temporal niche differences. Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature. 2014; 95 (9):1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEvan DeLucia; Kevin Wolz; Sapijanskas J; Paquette A; Potvin C; Kunert N; Loreau M. 2014. "Faculty Opinions recommendation of Tropical tree diversity enhances light capture through crown plasticity and spatial and temporal niche differences." Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature 95, no. 9: 1.