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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2011, Vol. 20 ›› Issue (2): 253-261.

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A review of belowground interspecific interactions and allelopathy in silvopasture systems

QIN Shu-gao1, WU Bin1,2, ZHANG Yu-qing1,2   

  1. 1.College of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China;
    2.Ningxia Yanchi Research Station of State Forestry Administration, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
  • Received:2010-02-26 Online:2011-02-25 Published:2011-04-20

Abstract: Silvopasture (forest-pasture complex), a sustainable land-use/management strategy, has been widely practised and increasingly researched worldwide against a background of global population explosion, exorbitant resource consumption and deterioration of eco-environments. In silvopasture systems, interspecific interaction relationships is one of the most important research foci. It directly relates to the results of this land-use/management strategy and research has progressively shown that the belowground interspecific interactions, and allelopathy play a more important role than aboveground interspecific interactions in system stability. This paper reviews and summarizes existing research on belowground interspecific interactions and allelopathy in silvopasture systems, and offers some suggestions for design and management of systems, for optimizing system structures and resource utility patterns, thereby reducing interspecific negative effects, and resulting in maximal comprehensive harvesting benefits. It is suggested that future research on belowground interspecific interactions and allelopathy, in silvopasture systems, focus on: the association among allelopathy, belowground and aboveground interspecific interactions, the water & nutrition coupling utilization effect of woody plants and herbage, the separate mechanisms of woody and herbaceous roots centralized layers, finding and collating appropriate hydraulic life trees in systems, the response of belowground interspecific interaction between woody plants and herbage to global climate change, researching allelopathy for optimization of systems species structure and in ecological management of silvopasture systems.

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