Functional diversity effect on use of light in successional agroforestry systems

Abstract

Agroforestry systems (SAFs) are an alternative to obtain multifunctional agroecosystems, due
to the combination of different species with different characteristics, which provide more power
to suppress weeds through the occupation of all different niches. This study had as objective
to measure the effect of functional diversity of growth forms and the crop spatial pattern in the
leaf area index (LAI) of agroecological SAFs. The LAI was obtained through photosynthetic
radiation in the planting lines and in between. To all growth forms of crop plants were observed
significant higher LAI in the planting lines than in between lines. However, basal herbaceous
plants showed lower LAI in the planting lines than the other growth forms, and the erect plants
presented a higher ability of competition and radiation absorption. In this case, functional diversity
showed a possible influence over LAI in SAFs.