Silvopastoral transitions in Latin America: toward diverse perennial systems

Abstract

Agroecosystems with greater diversity and perenniality have been proposed to promote resilience to climate change, stability of production, multiple ecosystem services, and socioeconomic outcomes. A wide diversity of silvopastoral systems have been promoted in Latin America for their production and environmental outcomes. In this brief perspective article, we discuss the implications of different trajectories towards silvopastoral systems within the framework of ecological intensification. Transitioning from agricultural systems dominated by annual crops towards complex silvopastoral systems integrating multiple perennial species and livestock constitutes a clear trajectory of ecological intensification. In the context of the tropical dry forests and Amazon rainforests, re-introducing native trees into degraded sown pastures to establish silvopastoral systems increases biodiversity, perenniality, and ecosystem services. In contrast, in the context of native grasslands, plantations of exotic trees for timber or silvopastoral systems reduce biodiversity and ecosystem services. Therefore, transitioning to silvopastoral systems is not always a trajectory of ecological intensification but depends on the contexts and native ecosystems.