Gudeta Weldesemayat Sileshi

The choice of biomass estimation models (BEMs) is one of the most important sources of uncertainty in quantifying forest biomass and carbon fluxes. This review was motivated by many mistakes and pitfalls I encountered in the recent literature regarding BEMs. The most common mistakes were the arbitrary choice of analytical methods, model dredging an...

Biomass and leaf area equations are often required to assess or model forest productivity, carbon stocks and other ecosystem services. These factors are influenced by climate, age and stand structural attributes including stand density and tree species diversity or species composition. However, such covariates are rarely included in biomass and lea...

Agroforestry practices may influence pest incidence and abundance both through increased top-down regulation by natural enemies and via bottom-up factors such as moderation of microclimate, soil nutrients and water content. We conducted a meta-analysis of the effects of agroforestry on the abundance of invertebrate pests, weeds, natural enemies and...

Agroforestry systems, containing mixtures of trees and crops, are often promoted because the net effect of interactions between woody and herbaceous components is thought to be positive if evaluated over the long term. From a modelling perspective, agroforestry has received much less attention than monocultures. However, for the potential of agrofo...

The “4 per Thousand” initiative was launched at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) in December 2015 to address global climate change through the aspirational goal of increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) stock of the world to 40-cm depth by an average annual rate of 4%. Small landholders (SLHs), often faced with difficult bio-physical and socio-...

Wetlands are vital in climate change mitigation, carbon and nutrient cycling, water quality improvement, flood regulation, wildlife habitat provision, and biodiversity maintenance. However, various threats undermine their integrity and capacity to provide these ecosystem services. In this review and quantitative analysis, we identified the most sig...

Rural populations in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) face livelihood challenges due to limited opportunities, and increasing dependency on vulnerable landscapes. These challenges are exacerbated by population growth and the consequent ecological footprint, primarily driven by agricultural expansion, leading to significant landscape changes thus affecting...

This chapter aims to highlight the role of trees in the multifunctional landscapes of sub-Saharan Africa, focusing on biodiversity, multipurpose tree management, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and tree-based approaches to the rehabilitation of degraded landscapes. Trees play a crucial role in contributing significantly to biodiversity, e...

There is an increased momentum in global efforts to expand tree planting through afforestation, reforestation, landscape restoration and agroforestry initiatives in response to climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, food and nutrition insecurity challenges. The success of these initiatives strongly depends on the availability and acce...

While agriculture is one of the greatest causes of deforestation and the associated biodiversity loss in Africa, smallholder agriculture also holds the key to conservation of the remaining biodiversity, increasing tree cover and reducing greenhouse emissions through tree planting activities. However, tree planting by smallholders and traditional ag...

Human Zn and Fe deficiencies can be reduced through agronomic biofortification, but information on factors influencing maize grain-Zn and -Fe levels remain scanty. This analysis: (1) Establishes the global distribution of Zn and Fe concentrations in maize grain; (2) assess the contribution of different agronomic practices to the effectiveness of Zn...

Carbon sequestration through tree-based systems has been well recognized due to its potential to mitigate climate change. The lack of site-specific and species-specific biomass estimation models is a challenge to accurately estimating forest biomass at local and regional scales. Agarwood (Aquilaria malaccensis) trees form an essential component of...

Recent advances in the application of spectral bands from satellite observations and machine learning algorithms (MLA) in the Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud-computing platform have been demonstrated to enhance the accuracy of mapping forest resources. This study presents a novel method for mapping the natural distribution of highland bamboo (Oldea...

In the Indian Eastern Himalayas, shifting cultivation has long been a major cause of land degradation. However, indigenous communities, like the Hmar, have successfully transitioned from shifting cultivation to agroforestry systems such as pineapple agroforestry, leading to land restoration and increased household incomes. Despite these positive ou...

Due to the rapid growth of the tea industry, the tea plantation area has steadily increased worldwide. In some regions, croplands and natural forests have been converted into tea plantations causing habitat fragmentation, reducing landscape connectivity and loss of biodiversity. On the other hand, ancient tea forests, rustic tea and tea agroforestr...

Citation: Teshome, M.; Braz, E.M.; Torres, C.M.M.E.; Raptis, D.I.; de Mattos, P.P.; Temesgen, H.; Rubio-Camacho, E.A.; Sileshi, G.W. Mixed-Effects Height Prediction Model for Juniperus procera Trees from a Dry Afromontane Forest in Ethiopia. Forests 2024, 15, 443. https:// Abstract: Tree height is a crucial variable in forestry science. In the curr...

Land use change, anthropogenic exploitation and climate change have impacted the flow of services in the Himalayan region. The dominant land uses in the region include natural forest, degraded forest, rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) plantations, Areca catechu plantations, Areca agroforestry and Piper agroforestry were considered for the study. A progre...

Background Indigenous populations across the world play a significant role in sustainable land management and conservation of biodiversity. However, indigenous agricultural practices are rarely studied in depth and remain poorly documented in many regions of the world. Documenting such practices and identifying policies and incentives that affect t...

This chapter introduces the different agroforestry systems (AFSs) as part of the diversification of agricultural landscapes and gives examples of their use in different related crop production systems in southern Africa. The introduction of trees into agriculture has several benefits and can mitigate the effects of climate change. For example nitro...

Moringa oleifera Lam and Moringa stenopetala (Baker f.) Cufod are being widely promoted as multipurpose trees across the tropics for their nutritional, medicinal and soil health benefits. Different parts of these species are edible, have therapeutic values and their seeds are used for water purification. Although the two species are similar in many...

Agarwood (Aquilaria malaccensis) is a critically endangered species on the IUCN red list globally. It is highly valued for its aromatic wood, popularly called agar, which has been overexploited in its natural range. The natural habitat of Agarwood is also drastically changing due to anthropogenic activities, and the tree is no longer in existence i...

Agricultural, fisheries, forestry and agro-processing activities produce large quantities of residues, by-products and waste materials every year. Inefficient use of these resources contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and non-point pollution, imposing significant environmental and economic burdens to society. Since many nations do not keep stat...

Alnus (Alnus acuminata Kunth) has been widely promoted under climate change mitigation and adaptation programs in the East African highlands. However, information is lacking on the impact of pruning management and green manure (GM) application on soil health and the productivity of associated crops. Using a large suit of soil quality indicators, cr...

Grain legumes and drylands cereals including chickpea (Cicer arietinum), common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), groundnut (Arachis hypogaea), lentil (Lens culinaris), pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), soybean (Glycine max), finger millet (Eleusine coracana), pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) are the le...

The benefits obtained by the growing population from the local and global environment have been termed ecosystem services (ESs). Given the continuous degradation in environmental quality, different payment of ecosystem services (PES) has been employed to uplift the continuous life-supporting ESs. Multi-strata agroforestry is recognized globally for...

Scattered and isolated trees are a common feature of traditional agroforestry systems, urban landscapes and many other natural and human-modified landscapes. However, they are rarely systematically studied, and our understanding of their influence on ecosystem properties is incomplete. The challenge is to provide accurate information on their influ...

Agriculture constitutes the largest economic sector in Asia and Africa; therefore, issues like land degradation, food security, biodiversity loss and climate change are inextricably linked with sustainable agricultural production. Land degradation due to expansion of croplands and grazing lands, deforestation and soil erosion are the most pressing...

Global climate projections present a very grim picture for the future of agriculture in parts of Africa and Asia. Projections indicate marked impact on rainfall patterns and the mean annual temperature variations in both Africa and Asia. Climate change will be affecting crop yields, food security and livelihood of people. Therefore, there is an urg...

With the adoption of modern agricultural practices, concerns have grown about the long-term sustainability and environmental consequences of the intensification of agricultural systems. As such, traditional agroforestry systems can play a significant role in achieving nutritional and ecological security due to their multifunctional role. Homestead...

Many cities in tropical regions of Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia are at the forefront of global environmental change, and are now faced with the increasing risk of floods, droughts, coastal erosion, sea level rise, storm surges and saline water intrusion. The increasing human population, rapid urbanization, on-going climate change, biodiversity loss,...

Agroforestry systems deliver livelihood security and multiple ecosystem services to sustain societies and environments. Many multipurpose forest trees with food, timber, medicinal, and industrial values have been introduced in different agroforestry systems in many countries of southwest Asia to sustain livelihood and environmental security. Depend...

Agroforestry, as a subject of scientific investigation, assumes wider recognition in view of the need for sustainable intensification of agriculture to provide food to the ever-growing population, combating climate change and conserving biodiversity. The main objective of this book is to synthesize the relevant information from Africa and Asia for...

Over the last several decades, a large body of work has accumulated demonstrating that agroforestry could be instrumental in bringing stability and sustainability in agroecosystems and enable the transition towards a green economy. Agroforestry has also emerged as a potential tool to achieve some of the sustainable developmental goals set by the Un...

Drylands are vulnerable to climate change and land degradation, and increasing aridity is projected to affect their structural and functional attributes. Approximately 70% of the dryland areas are located in Africa and Asia. Human-induced land degradation is a driver of desertification, wind erosion and a major contributor of sand and dust storms....

Indigenous fruit trees are in abundance as wild in the forests of Africa and play very significant role in food, nutrition, income and livelihood security of millions of people, especially the poor in Africa. Many species have been identified for their potential in meeting the nutritional requirement, value addition, income generation and biodivers...

Moringa oleifera Lam. and Moringa stenopetala (Baker f.) Cufod. are popularly known as miracle trees because of their manifold benefits. M. oleifera is a widely distributed species and is being cultivated in many tropical and subtropical Asian countries. Compared to M. oleifera, M. stenopetala is mainly confined to East Africa. The Moringa tree is...

This chapter gives an overview of the agroforestry practices and their role in improving soil biodiversity, soil ecosystem functions and services, and litter decomposition processes in the agroforestry systems of sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Agroforestry covers a complex set of practices, and for brevity, we follow the broad categories of agrisilvi...

Nationally determined contributions (NDCs) have emerged as the main tool for defining, communicating, and potentially reporting contributions of “parties” to the Paris Agreement on climate change. Agroforestry has been identified as a key part of most developing country NDCs; hence, it is a potentially important contributor to global climate object...

This edited book explores sustainable intensification in agriculture to meet the growing population and adapt to global environmental change risks. It diverges from conventional agriculture and explores new dimensions for sustainable agriculture in Asia and Africa. The book highlights agroforestry's potential for stability and sustainability in agr...

Assessing effects of climate change on agricultural systems and the potential for ecological intensification to increase food security in developing countries is essential to guide management, policy-making and future research. ‘Push-pull’ technology (PPT) is a poly-cropping design developed in eastern Africa that utilizes plant chemicals to mediat...

There are growing concerns over the failure of attempts to confirm findings from past studies in various disciplines, and this problem is now known as the "reproducibility crisis" or "replication crisis". In the agricultural sciences, this problem has remained unappreciated, underreported and there are deficiencies in efforts to tackle it. Accordin...

Background Edible fungi including wild mushrooms have been largely neglected and underutilized in Africa. Not only is the number of edible species unknown, but the critical role they play in human food and nutrition and the ecosystem services they provide have remained poorly understood and undervalued. Methods We reviewed the literature with the...

Phytoliths are known to play a significant role in the global carbon cycle by sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide as phytolith-occluded carbon (PhytOC) for a long time. Given the resistant nature of phytolith to decomposition, PhytOC can represent up to 82% of total carbon in some soil and sediments even after 2,000 years of litter decompositio...

As the application of allometry continues to expand, the variability in the allometry exponent has generated a great deal of debate in forest ecology. Some studies have reported counterintuitive values of the exponent, but the sources of such values have remained both unexplored and unexplained. Therefore, the objectives of our analyses were to: (1...

Increasing barley production in the face of declining soil fertility on smallholder farms is a critical challenge in Ethiopia. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the optimum rates of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and sulfur (S) fertilizers under a balanced fertilization of other macro- and micronutrients (zinc and bor...

Nutrient deficiency is a major constraint in tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) production in Ethiopia. In the past, a blanket recommendation of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizers has been applied regardless of the diversity of agroecological zones and soil types. As crop responses declined with widespread deficiencies of nutrients, farm...

Alnus acuminata Kunth. (alnus) has been widely promoted under climate change mitigation and adaptation programs in the East African highlands. However, information is lacking on the impact of its pruning management and green manure (GM) application on soil health and the productivity of associated crops. Using a large suit of soil quality indicator...

A common theme emerging from nutrient omission trials conducted extensively across sub-Saharan Africa has been the large variability in yield response to applied nutrients. Yet, little is known about the factors associated with this variability. Therefore, the objectives of this review were to (1) synthesize the available data from nutrient omissio...

Agarwood (Aquilaria malaccensis Lam.) (Thymelaeaceae) is valued in many cultures because of its distinctive fragrance and its use in incense, perfumery, and traditional medicine. Large-scale harvesting from natural populations caused rapid depletion of the species in the wild, and the species is now listed as “Critically Endangered” and almost exti...

A good characterization of time series rainfall and temperature trends, variability, and prediction is necessary for many studies in climatology, hydrology, agriculture, and forestry. It provides input for policymakers and practitioners that help to make informed decisions and allows the identification of deviations due to global climate change. Th...

The response of wheat to the application of different rates of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K),and sulfur (S) under balanced fertilization on different soil types and agroecologies has not been wellstudied in Ethiopia. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to (1) determine soil-specific responsesof wheat to N, P, K, and S under b...

In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), farmers intercrop common beans with maize but apply inorganic or organic fertilisers targeting only maize. Effects of this practice on bush bean yield have not been fully evaluated with respect to input use and compatibility when intercropped with maize. An on-farm trial managed by smallholder community members was cond...

Shifting cultivation is practiced widely in the tropical uplands, covering roughly 280 million hectares of land. However, divergent perspectives and multiple attributions are often offered, and some of them have long shaped negative opinions. In article 2200051, Arun Jyoti Nath and co‐workers conclude that shifting cultivation remains a complex and...

Smallholder plantations have gained increasing attention in land management and conservation of the remaining forest resources locally. Plantation of agarwood (Aquilaria malaccensis), a critically endangered tree species, has become a promising source of income for smallholders because of its high economic value in parts of Asia. Agarwood is consid...

The response of wheat to the application of different rates of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and sulfur (S) under balanced fertilization on different soil types and agroecologies has not been well studied in Ethiopia. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to (1) determine soil-specific responses of wheat to N, P, K, and S unde...

The use of fertilisers in maize production has been the focus for many years of agronomic studies on research stations in East Africa. However, information on production risks and profitability of fertiliser use on smallholder farms is generally lacking because most of the early studies have focused on mean yields and yield components on research s...

The productivity of wheat is low on smallholder farms in Rwanda. Although mineral fertiliser use is being promoted as a sustainable intensification (SI) pathway, little is known about the nutrient use efficiency and profitability of various fertiliser inputs in Burera, Musanze and Nyamagabe districts of Rwanda. The objective of this study was to as...

Shifting cultivation entails clearing a delimited land and transforming it into arable land. Owing to its complexity, this system has been a subject of debate and intervention since the colonial-era, and is often considered the “tropical deforestation culprit.” Shifting cultivators are often labelled as “forest eaters” and are considered backwa...

Highland bamboo (Oldeania alpina formerly Arundinaria alpina or Yushania alpina) is a species of significant conservation value in Afromontane ecosystems across Africa. It also plays a significant role in the livelihoods of local communities. However, global climate change is anticipated to alter its ecological niche, leading to range shifts and po...

Nutrient deficiency is a major constraint in tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) production in Ethiopia. In the past, a blanket recommendation of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizers has been applied regardless of the diversity of agroecological zones and soil types. As crop responses declined with wide-spread deficiencies of nutrients, far...

The savanna woodlands of southern Africa cover about 500 million hectares with >11,000 plant species. We reviewed regeneration from seeds using data from published and unpublished sources and applied statistical analysis to determine relationships between a given regeneration phase and specific climate factors. Of the 16 species studied in the fiel...

The use of fertilizers in balanced and adequate amounts is a prerequisite for increasing crop productivity and production. Unbalanced plant nutrient management continues to be a major factor contributing to low maize (Zea mays L.) yields due to lack of information on the dose–responses to macronutrients on different soil types in Ethiopia. This stu...

Access to the knowledge associated with traditional and/or indigenous land-use systems can help develop adaptive strategies, more productive systems and, design sustainable development models and technologies. This article describes the evolution of traditional pineapple (Ananas comosus) agroforestry systems (PAFS) developed by the ethnic Hmar comm...

A number of studies across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have recently reported poor crop responses and low agronomic use efficiencies (AEs) of applied nitrogen (AEN), phosphorus (AEP) and potassium (AEK). However, the conditions under which non-responsiveness occurs, its underlying causes and its probability of occurrence on different soil types are no...

A number of studies across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have recently reported poor crop responses and low agronomic use efficiencies (AEs) of applied nitrogen (AEN), phosphorus (AEP) and potassium (AEK). However, the conditions under which non-responsiveness occurs, its underlying causes and its probability of occurrence on different soil types are no...

Although soybean is emerging as an important commercial crop in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), its productivity on smallholder farms is very low. Soybean requires application of phosphorus (P) fertilizer and inoculation with the right rhizobium strains to achieve optimum biological nitrogen fixation and higher yields. However, subsistence farmers in SSA...

Bamboos provide a number of ecosystem services, including the provision of a permanent carbon (C) sink. The present study was undertaken in the Sheka forest, currently recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The objectives of this study were to: (1) develop species- and site-specific allometric models for biomass estimation and (2) quantify the c...

The results demonstrate that soils under rain-fed rice can sustain crop productivity and enhance soil C and N concentration. This process is set in motion by (1) storage of nutrients in SOM, (2) mineralization of the nutrients from organic to available forms for uptake by plants, and (3) physical and chemical processes that control nutrient availab...

Optimisation of fertiliser use and site-specific nutrient management are increasingly becoming critical because of the growing need to balance agricultural productivity with the growing demand for food and environmental concerns. Trials to determine responses of crops to fertilisers have been widely conducted in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with increa...

Increasing barley production in the face of declining soil fertility on smallholder farms is a critical challenge in Ethiopia. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the optimum rates of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and sulfur (S) fertilizers under a balanced fertilization of other macro- and micronutrients (zinc and bor...