Work

Mediterranean alley-cropping agroforestry modifies arthropod temporal dynamics with divergent effects on trophic groups

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Agroforestry is promoted as a sustainable agricultural practice that enhances biodiversity and ecosystem services, including natural pest control. However, its effects on arthropod communities, particularly across different trophic groups and seasonal dynamics, remain poorly understood. In this study, we assessed the impact of a Mediterranean alley-cropping agroforestry system on the abundance, diversity, and community composition of eight arthropod trophic groups, in Southern France. Using pan traps and pitfall traps, we sampled arthropods in agroforestry alleys and tree rows at three dates in spring 2023 (April, March and May), comparing them to monocultures and tree plantations. After identification, invertebrate taxa were classified into eight trophic groups based on current ecological knowledge. Agroforestry influenced arthropod abundance and diversity, though responses varied among trophic groups. Community composition, as reflected through a Principal Coordinates Analysis, was primarily structured by phenology rather than habitat type, with pronounced seasonal shifts across most trophic groups. Effect size analysis showed that tree rows supported a higher abundance of certain beneficial arthropods, emphasizing their role in agroforestry system function. Further research on multi-trophic interactions and long-term dynamics is needed to optimize agroforestry as a strategy for ecological intensification.

Source: Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment

DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2025.110109