Project
BaARF
Brief description
BaARF follows the transition of three orchards to agroforestry systems to understand how insect communities, ecological interactions and soil microbial diversity change over time.
Project Context
Three orchards are progressively being converted to agroforestry. BaARF asks how this transition changes insect diversity, ecological interactions and soil microbial communities, and how those changes relate to farm management.
Approach
Repeated insect transects are combined with soil metagenomic analyses on the same farms. The project follows changes through the transition and develops biodiversity and soil-function indicators that can be linked to management practices.
Outcome
Ongoing. First analyses identify changes in insect diversity and soil function during the agroforestry transition. Continued monitoring is building a longer-term record that can help document ecological effects and inform farm management.
Associated publications and Outcome
Partners and Funders
Regenerative Farming Greece, BSRC Alexander Fleming, MGI
