Agroforestry Systems· 2026Q1
Ecological and productive variation across a silvopastoral chronosequence under retained tree cover in high-Andean grazing systems
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- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Silvopastoral systems with retained trees in high-Andean Peru show improved soil organic matter (decreasing from 17.87% to 5.98% over 7 years vs. open grazing), greater vegetation diversity, and higher pasture productivity compared to open grazing systems.
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Key points
- Soil organic matter decreased from 17.87% in 1-year silvopastoral systems to 5.98% in 10-year open grazing systems.
- Silvopastoral systems exhibited greater vegetation heterogeneity and higher species richness than open grazing.
- Pasture productivity was higher in 1- and 4-year silvopastoral systems compared to 10-year open grazing systems under both dry and rainy seasons.
- Significant differences were observed in soil pH, organic matter, bulk density, nitrate, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and boron concentrations across the different grazing systems.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Abstract Livestock systems in high-Andean environments can modify vegetation structure and soil conditions through changes associated with grazing management and land use. Silvopastoral systems established under retained tree cover represent an alternative management strategy in these landscapes; however, ecological responses associated with different stages of farmer-managed silvopastoral establishment under high-Andean conditions have received comparatively less attention. This study evaluated soil physicochemical properties, vegetation composition, and pasture productivity across a silvopastoral chronosequence established under retained tree cover in the Amazonas region of Peru. The chronosequence consisted of three silvopastoral systems representing one, four, and seven years since establishment (SPS-1, SPS-4, and SPS-7), while a ten-year open-field grazing system (OF-10) was included as a contrasting grazing condition. Soil properties, vegetation composition, diversity indices, and pasture productivity under dry- and rainy-season conditions were assessed. Significant differences among systems were observed for pH, organic matter, bulk density, nitrate, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and boron concentrations ( p < 0.05). Organic matter decreased from 17.87% in SPS-1 to 5.98% in OF-10, whereas bulk density increased from 0.97 to 1.15 g cm −3 . Silvopastoral systems presented greater vegetation heterogeneity and higher richness values than the open grazing condition. Floristic analyses indicated compositional differentiation among systems, while pasture productivity was greater in SPS-1 and SPS-4 than in OF-10 under both seasonal conditions. These responses indicate that silvopastoral establishment under retained tree cover are associated with soil characteristics, vegetation diversity and promote a more stable forage production relative to the open grazing condition.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Agroforestry Systems, 2026 · DOI ↗
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ForestryAgricultural and Biological Sciences