The potential of Colombian agroforestry systems to prevent soil erosion and increase the decomposition rate of the soil

Abstract

The decomposition rate and the soil retention in monoculture and agroforestry coffee fields were measured in Risaralda, Colombia to establish the effect that agroforestry has on them. The Tea Bag Index method was used to determine the decomposition rate of the soil. The erosion was determined using three methods: the Landscape Function Analysis, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation and the silt fence method. By comparing the different sediment erosion measurement methods, the RUSLE method appeared to show the best representation of the soil erosion. It was also found that agroforestry systems do not influence the decomposition rate, but are capable at mitigating soil erosion. It appears that agroforestry systems are dynamic systems that show non-linear development over time. Little is known about this development, and therefore it is recommended that more research is done to increase our understanding about the development of agroforestry systems and their effects on ecosystem services.