Agroforestry Systems· 2026Q1
Agroforestry as a sustainable land-use model in ecologically sensitive regions: insights from the Bulgarian living lab
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- 2026year
Short summary
Agroforestry and silvopastoral systems in Bulgaria's Strandzha Mountains achieved ecological quality scores of 65-67/100, significantly higher than conventional rapeseed monoculture (43/100), demonstrating enhanced soil health and biodiversity.
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Key points
- Agroforestry and silvopastoral systems scored 65-67/100 in ecological quality, compared to 43/100 for conventional monoculture.
- The apiary agroforestry system had the highest soil organic matter (5.3%) and biological soil quality (QBS-ar = 45).
- These systems support 210 vascular plant species, including protected orchids and a tertiary relict species.
- A stable flowering continuum was observed, supporting pollinator networks throughout the growing season.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Agroforestry is increasingly recognized as a multifunctional approach to sustainable land management, climate adaptation, and biodiversity conservation. However, empirical evidence evaluating agroforestry systems in Southeast Europe and the Balkan mountain landscapes remains limited. This study presents a case study from the Strandzha Mountains (Bulgaria) investigating the capacity of agroforestry systems to enhance ecosystem services, biodiversity conservation, and landscape resilience within a Living Lab framework established under the REFOREST project. A multidisciplinary comparative analysis was conducted across three land-use systems: an agroforestry apiary system, silvopastoral permanent pasture, and conventional rapeseed monoculture. The assessment integrated physicochemical soil quality indicators, biological soil assessment using the QBS-ar index, floristic and phenological surveys (2023–2025), and forage productivity analysis. The agroforestry and silvopastoral systems demonstrated substantially higher ecological quality (65–67/100) than intensive agricultural management (43/100). The apiary system exhibited the highest soil organic matter content (5.3%) and elevated biological soil quality (QBS-ar = 45), characterized by specialist euedaphic taxa such as Protura , which indicates low anthropogenic disturbance. Floristic surveys documented 210 vascular plant species, including the tertiary relict Vaccinium arctostaphylos and protected orchids ( Anacamptis papilionacea and Ophrys cornuta ), identifying these systems as important micro-refugia for regional biodiversity conservation. Phenological analyses further revealed a stable flowering continuum that supports pollinator networks throughout the growing season. Agroforestry systems in the Strandzha Mountains effectively integrate productive land use with biodiversity conservation and ecosystem resilience, providing a climate-adaptive and empirically validated framework for sustainable land management in Southeast Europe.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Agroforestry Systems, 2026 · DOI ↗
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ForestryAgricultural and Biological Sciences