Browsing by Author "Ram Swaroop Meena"

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Advance methodological approaches for carbon stock estimation in forest ecosystems
(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2023) Abhishek Nandal; Surender Singh Yadav; Amrender Singh Rao; Ram Swaroop Meena; Rattan Lal
The forests are a key player in maintaining ecological balance on the earth. They not only conserve biodiversity, reduce soil erosion, and protect watersheds but also promote the above and below-ground ecosystem services. Forests are known as air cleaners on the planet and play a significant role in mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into the atmosphere. As per programs launched in the Conference of Parties (COP) 26, there is a need to promote policies and programs to reduce the atmospheric carbon (C) through the forest ecosystem; it is because forests can capture the atmospheric CO2 for a long time and help to achieve the goals of net-zero emission CO2 on the earth. Therefore, there is an urgent need to know the advanced technological approaches for estimating C stock in forest ecosystems. Hence, the present article is aimed at providing a comprehensive protocol for the four C stock estimation approaches. An effort has also been made to compare these methods. This review suggests that tree allometry is the most common method used for the quantification of C stock, but this method has certain limitations. However, the review shows that accurate results can be produced by a combination of two or more methods. We have also analyzed the results of 42 research studies conducted for C stock assessment along with the factors determining the amount of C in different types of forests. The C stock in vegetation is affected by temporal and spatial variation, plantation age, land use, cropping pattern, management practices and elevation, etc. Nevertheless, the available results have a large degree of uncertainty mainly due to the limitations of the methods used. The review supports the conclusion that the uncertainty in C stock measurements can be addressed by the integration of the above-mentioned methods. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
Advanced technological adaptations can improve the energy-cum-carbon-efficiency of diverse rice production systems
(Elsevier Ltd, 2024) V.K. Choudhary; Ram Swaroop Meena
Worldwide, there is an urgent need to develop energy-cum-carbon smart and cost-effective rice production systems for farmer's adoption. Data were collected from 280 farmer's fields representing the South Asia rice production system. Out of these 75 fields following transplanted rice (TPR), 55 fields of wet direct seeded rice (WDSR), 60 fields of drill sown direct seeded rice in line (DSR L), 60 fields of traditional direct seeded rice (DSR) and 30 fields of DSR + beushning (DSR + B). Results show that grain and straw yields in the TPR were 6056 and 7752 kg ha−1, respectively; however, they were neither profitable, energy efficient, or eco-friendly. At the same time, the grain and straw yields in DSR L were recorded by 5832 and 7757 kg ha−1, respectively. It was profitable with the highest net returns (1111.5 US$ ha−1), energy use efficiency (12.77), energy productivity (0.41 kg MJ−1), energy profitability (11.77 US$ MJ−1), energy output efficiency (1314.3 MJ day−1) environment friendly in terms of carbon efficiency 7.20, carbon sustainability index (6.20) and had most diminutive carbon footprint (0.14 kg CO2 eq kg−1 grain) with a comparable carbon credit. DSR L is productive, economically viable, energy efficient, and environmentally safer among rice production systems. © 2024 The Authors
Advances in Legumes for Sustainable Intensification
(Elsevier, 2022) Ram Swaroop Meena; Sandeep Kumar
Advances in Legume-based Agroecoystem for Sustainable Intensification explores current research and future strategies for ensuring capacity growth and socioeconomic improvement through the utilization of legume crop cultivation and production in the achievement of sustainability development goals (SDGs). Sections cover the role of legumes in addressing issues of food security, improving nitrogen in the environment, environmental sustainability, economic-environmentally optimized systems, the importance and impact of nitrogen, organic production, and biomass potential, legume production, biology, breeding improvement, cropping systems, and the use of legumes for eco-friendly weed management. This book is an important resource for scientists, researchers and advanced students interested in championing the effective utilization of legumes for agronomic and ecological benefit. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Agriculture ecosystem models for CO2 sequestration, improving soil physicochemical properties, and restoring degraded land
(Elsevier B.V., 2022) Ram Swaroop Meena; Ashutosh Yadav; Sandeep Kumar; Manoj Kumar Jhariya; Surendra Singh Jatav
Plans outlined in the conference of parties (COP) 26 included the restoration of degraded lands as one of the targets for achieving long-term food sustainability under climate change. The experiment aimed to assess carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration and improvement in soil physicochemical properties of agriculture ecosystem models. The results of the experiment shows that the bulk density (ρb) and particle density (ρd) were significantly influenced at both depths 0–10 and 10–20 cm in developed ecosystems. The lowest (1.36 g cc−1) and highest (1.57 g cc−1) values of ρb were recorded at the depth of 0–10 cm in forest land (FL) and mono-cropping rice (Oryza sativa) cultivation land (MCRCL), respectively. The minimum values (kg ha−1) of N (161.27), P (14.87), and K (152.07) were recorded at the depth of 0–10 cm in mono-cropping wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivated land (MCWCL), guava (Psidium guajava) + green gram (Vigna radiata) cultivation land (GGCL), and MCRCL, respectively. Moreover, the maximum N (207.60 kg ha−1) and P (19.27 kg ha−1) were recorded at the depth of 0–10 in FL system, and K (204.60 kg ha−1) in Karonda (Carissa carandas) cultivation land (KCL). The minimum soil N (158.93 kg ha−1) was recorded in pasture land (PL), while P (13.37 kg ha−1) and K (146.0 kg ha−1) was found in MCRCL system at the depth of 10–20 cm. While the highest soil organic carbon (SOC) stock was recorded in FL (18.40 Mg ha−1) and least in MCWCL system (6.57 Mg ha−1). The highest to the lowest value of CO2 sequestration (Mg ha−1) was found in the FL system (115.06) followed by KCL (41.11), GGCL (38.93), MCWCL (22.10), MCRCL (17.65), PL (9.40), and seasonal pond area (SPA 0.87). Likewise, the highest to lowest value of total C credit (US$) was found in FL (342.03) after that KCL (122.2), GGCL (115.71), MCWCL (65.7), MCRCL (52.45), PL (27.94), and SPA (2.6), respectively. With the creation of agricultural ecosystem models on degraded land, this work gives a roadmap for repairing degraded land, enhance the terrestrial CO2 sequestration, C-credit, and boosting ecological services, which may contribute to attaining long-term food sustainability. © 2022
Agriculture models for restoring degraded land to enhance CO2 biosequestration and carbon credits in the Vindhyan region of India
(Elsevier B.V., 2024) Ram Swaroop Meena; Gourisankar Pradhan; Kanchan Singh; Sandeep Kumar; Ambuj Kumar Singh; K.S. Shashidhar; Krishan Kant Mina; Ch. Srinivasa Rao
The study's objective was to evaluate the status of converted degraded land into productive agricultural models by improving the physicochemical properties of the soil, soil organic matter (SOM), soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions (active and passive), and microbial biomass carbon (MBC), while also generating carbon (C) credit for additional farmers' income. Six models were analyzed, namely: (1) Arjun forest-based agroecosystems (AFBAE); (2) Lemon grass-based agroecosystems (LGBAE); (3) Legume-cereal-moong-based agroecosystems (LCMBAE); (4) Bael-black mustard-based agroecosystems (BMBAE); (5) Guava-wheat-based agroecosystems (GWBAE), and (6) Custard apple -lentil -based agroecosystems (CALBAE). These models were replicated three times in a randomized block design (RBD). Soil samples were collected from the study area at two depths (0–0.30 and 0.30–0.60 m). At a 0–0.30 m depth, the highest bulk density (ρb) of 1.50 Mg m−3 was observed in LCMBAE, while the lowest ρb of 1.43 Mg m−3 was recorded in BMBAE. The soil organic carbon (SOC) and SOC stock values exhibited a range of 4.2–7.7 g kg−1 and 19.0–33.4 Mg ha−1, respectively. In the AFBAE, the highest levels of 163.1 % MBC were found over LCMBAE. At a 0–0.30 m depth, the recalcitrant index (RI) and lability index (LI) ranged from 0.35–0.46 to 1.97–2.11, respectively. Additionally, the AFBAE exhibited the highest total biomass accumulation (39.23 Mg ha−1), carbon dioxide (CO2) biosequestration (287.9 Mg ha−1), and the total social cost of CO2 at US$ 277 ha−1. Furthermore, in the AFBAE, there was a 198.1 % increase in total C credit (US$ 161 ha−1) compared to LCMBAE (US$ 54 ha−1). However, at 0.30–0.60 m depths, GWBAE and CALBAE were statistically equivalent (p ≤ 0.05) in total C stocks. Principal component analysis (PCA) reveals that component-1 accounts for 77.4 % of the variability, while component-2 contributes 18.6 %. This article aimed to convert the degraded land into a sustainable agricultural module by increasing SOC and CO2 biosequestration and producing more C-credit, or climate currency, on underutilized land. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.
Agriculture Toward Net Zero Emissions
(Elsevier, 2025) Sandeep Naresh Kumar; Ram Swaroop Meena
Agriculture Toward Net Zero Emissions explores how agriculture has historically contributed to carbon emissions and then takes the reader forward, offering insights into an integrated approach to reducing those emissions toward the COP26 goal. The dual challenge of increasing production to meet population and nutrition food demands while reducing the traditional emissions generated by production practices is significant. It requires understanding the foundation of current practices and then revising those underlying principles to reflect the resources and greater insights of today. This book provides an overview of the current state of the science, explores the development of policies and plans to improve carbon management, and provides examples of technology and agroecosystem management practices. It includes the latest updates in carbon neutral farming, carbon and energy management, and addresses the knowledge gap between input management, livestock management and agroecosystem management. Advancing agroecosystem science through a roadmap for improving capacity, Agriculture Toward Net Zero Emissions is a valuable resource for those seeking to develop and apply new agricultural best practices. © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.
Agriculture toward net zero emissions: an overview
(Elsevier, 2025) Sandeep Naresh Kumar; Ram Swaroop Meena; Shambhunath Ghosh
The 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) marked a pivotal moment in the global response to climate change, reinforcing the ambitious goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. As agriculture accounts for nearly a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, the sector holds a critical role in this decarbonization effort. This chapter explores agriculture’s potential to mitigate climate impacts through a synergy of decarbonization strategies, regenerative agricultural systems, and climate-smart practices. Key commitments made by major agricultural economists at COP 26 are examined, highlighting their potential to transform global food systems in line with net zero ambitions. Despite these significant pledges, the sector faces profound challenges. Socio-economic barriers, particularly in developing regions, continue to limit the adoption of sustainable practices, with many farmers constrained by inadequate access to innovative technologies and financial resources. These difficulties are further compounded by gaps in policy frameworks, fragmented governance, and insufficient international coordination, all of which slow progress toward meaningful change. In response, this chapter underscores the vital role of international organizations, such as the Food and Agricultural Organization and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in mobilizing financial mechanisms and strengthening technical capacities needed to drive agricultural sustainability. By examining pathways toward achieving net zero in agriculture by 2050, the chapter highlights innovative solutions, including carbon-efficient farming systems, agro-ecological practices, efficient irrigation and nutrient management, renewable energy, integration, agroforestry, conservation agriculture, and improvements in the food supply chain. The chapter also advocates for enhanced investment in research and development, the strengthening of public-private partnerships, and the creation of inclusive policy frameworks that prioritize the needs of smallholder farmers—who are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Achieving net zero in agriculture will ultimately require not only advancements in technology and finance but also a renewed global commitment to collaboration, underpinned by rigorous monitoring and accountability mechanisms. The successful transformation of the agricultural sector will depend on a holistic and synergistic approach, integrating science, policy, and practice to ensure a sustainable future for food systems, climate resilience, and environmental health. © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Agroecological Footprints Management for Sustainable Food System
(Springer Singapore, 2020) Arnab Banerjee; Ram Swaroop Meena; Manoj Kumar Jhariya; Dhiraj Kumar Yadav
Agroecological footprints are a unique and popular concept for sustainable food system. Measuring and keeping a tab on the agroecological footprints of various human activities has gained remarkable interest in the past decade. From a range of human activities, food production and agriculture are most essential as well as extremely dependent on the agroecosystems. It is therefore crucial to understand the interaction of agroecosystem constituents with the extensive agricultural practices. The environmental impact measured in terms of agroecological footprints for a healthy for the sustainable food system. The editors critically examine the status of agroecological footprints and how it can be maintained within sustainable limits. Drawing upon research and examples from around the world, the book is offering an up-to-date account, and insight into how agroecology can be implemented as a solution in the form of eco-friendly practices that would boost up the production, curbs the environmental impacts, improves the bio-capacity, and reduces the agroecological footprints. It further discusses the changing status of the agroecological footprints and the growth of other footprint tools and types, such as land, water, carbon, nitrogen, etc. This book will be of interest to teachers, researchers, government planners, climate change scientists, capacity builders, and policymakers. Also, the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of agriculture, agroforestry, agroecology, soil science, and environmental sciences. National and international agricultural scientists, policymakers will also find this to be useful to achieve the ‘Sustainable Development Goals’. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021.
Agroecology Towards Environmental Sustainability
(Springer Singapore, 2021) Shailesh Kumar Yadav; Arnab Banerjee; Manoj Kumar Jhariya; Abhishek Raj; Nahid Khan; Ram Swaroop Meena; Sandeep Kumar
Agroecology refers to the process based on ecological principles to be applied in the agroecosystem for effective soil management and gain sustainable yield. The scientific application leads to a diversified agroecosystem which addresses the issue of environmental sustainability. It also focuses on various ecosystemservices in the form of maintaining soil fertility, proper biogeochemical cycling, and proper nutrient exchange between crop and soil ecosystem. The process ncludes an integrated approach with diversified crops and animal husbandry practices all at a time. Thus, it would be successful to address the issue of food security, crisis, and help to build up climate-resilient agroecosystem. Agroecosystem is also helpful in terms of maintaining a daily livelihood, production of fuel, fodder, food for rural stakeholders, and socioeconomic well-being of people across the globe. Thus, agroecological addresses the sustainable agriculture practice on a large scale to promote eco-friendly, self-sustaining agriculture practices. The aim of this article is to reflect an all-round aspect of agroecologyn along with its roadmap towards environmental sustainability. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021.
Agroecosystem Service Management and Environmental Sustainability
(Springer Singapore, 2021) Abhishek Raj; Manoj Kumar Jhariya; Arnab Banerjee; Nahid Khan; Ram Swaroop Meena; Prabhat Ranjan Oraon; Shailesh Kumar Yadav
Agroecosystem means improving the agricultural ecosystem by human-induced management of trees, crops, and livestock in any land use system. Resource conservations, soil health management, minimizing environmental footprints, and climate change mitigation are key services through a healthy agroecosystem. Food demands due to burgeoning populations necessitated agricultural land expansion and intensive agricultural practices. Conversion of forest and other land use systems into agricultural land induces land degradation and leads to an increase in environmental footprints. Deforestation and other unsustainable land use practices ensure soil degradation and environmental pollutions. These unscientific and intensive agroecosystem practices lead to GHG emissions into the atmosphere causes carbon footprints. Thus, strategies for enhancing food production along with maintaining environmental health and quality are a smart choice of the modern day. High synthetic inputs and heavy mechanizations ensure higher production but at the cost of environmental health. Agroecosystem land expansionand practices affect other land use systems and related ecological services. These harsh and unscientific practices affect soil-food-climate security at a global scale. Thus, applying ecology-oriented sustainable agroecosystem practices ensures environmental sustainability and ecological stability. A sustainable modeling of agroecosystem will enhance biodiversity that intensifies uncountable ecosystem services. Agriculture, agroforestry, forestry, rangeland, etc. are different land use practices that build our sustainable environment. Applying eco-modeling and sustainable agroecosystem practices ensure higher production and profitability along with a healthy ecosystem. Climate-resilient agroecosystem practices and their ecological modeling enhance plant biomass productivity and soil health maintenance. These practices ensure soil fertility, higher SOC pools, healthy rhizosphere biology, and microbial populations on which entire biodiversitydepends. Thus, maintaining a healthy and productive agroecosystem is the pillar of a sustainable environment that ensure a healthier world. In lieu of the above, this chapter represents the potential, perspective, and management of the agroecosystem. A principle and practices of sustainable-based agroecosystem are also discussed. A rigorous discussion is also made on climate-resilient agroecosystem practices and modeling for minimizing carbon footprint to ensure environmental sustainability at a global scale. A bit of discussion on soil-foodclimate security through agroecosystem management makes this chapter more informative for policy makers worldwide. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021.
Agroforestry a model for ecological sustainability
(Elsevier, 2021) Abhishek Raj; Manoj Kumar Jhariya; Arnab Banerjee; Ram Swaroop Meena; Sharad Nema; Nahid Khan; Shailesh Kumar Yadav; Gourisankar Pradhan
The success stories of agroforestry systems (AFS) are prevalent in the tropical regions due to its multifarious ecosystem services that resulted into climate and food security along with socioeconomic development of poor farmers. The existence and progressive development of AFS is quite linked with scientific-based practices and management of different models in the varying regions and localities that tells a story about tree crop interaction and makes synergies among soil nutrients loads, perennial trees, herbaceous crops, and livestocks. Overall, a healthy relationship among various components of agroforestry models will be helpful for farmers both in terms of economic benefits along with better ecosystem structure and its services. No doubt, agroforestry practices (AFP) is socially acceptable, economically viable and ecologically sound but their scientific-based management practices are still required for making the consistency of models for long term basis in future that is directly linked with farmers rejoice. However, the scope and potential of AFS are inevitable due to its wide adoptability and spreading capacity in various regions of the tropics such as Asia, Africa, and European countries. Carbon (C) storage and sequestration by tree in agroforestry are the greatest phenomenon that helps in mitigating changing climate and global warming that promotes environmental security and ecological sustainability along with enhancing wood biomass for satisfying people’s basic need and national demand. World Agroforestry (ICRAF) mentioned that tropical AFS has a capacity to sequestered between 12 and 228 Mg/ha of C and according to this approximate 1.1-2.2 Pg C could be stored in terrestrial ecosystems up to coming 50 years by the AFS in areas of 585-1215 × 106 ha of the total earth surface. Thus, sustainable practices of agroforestry model not only help in enhancing the forest cover in the current era of ongoing forest degradation but also promote better ecosystem by enhancing soil fertility, efficient nutrient cycling, balancing C between environment and different models, and promoting biodiversity along with food and environmental security. In this context, this chapter presents the potential of agroforestry and its ecosystem services that help in maintaining ecological sustainability at global level. © 2022 Elsevier Inc.
Agroforestry and ecosystem services
(Elsevier, 2023) Abhishek Raj; Manoj Kumar Jhariya; Arnab Banerjee; Ram Swaroop Meena; Sandeep Kumar; Annpurna Devi; Poonam
Agroforestry system (AFs) comprises tree–crop and livestock management that has been considered as an integrated system of sustainable landscape. It is more diverse and provides uncountable ecosystem services (ES) to sustain life on the earth. The greater adaptability and multifunctional role of AFs are discussed by policymakers, stakeholders, and scientists worldwide. Traditional AFs and their development in due course of time maximize ES. AFs provide tangible and intangible services which maintain ecosystem health and productivity. Adopting climate-resilient AFs ensures soil-food and income security, fulfilling the SDGs (sustainable development goals). Timber and NTFPs (non-timber forest products) production, soil health and quality enhancement, water regulation and quality, carbon (C) footprint, climate change mitigation, and food and income security are the key ES AFs provide. AFs also contribute toward ecological stability along with better environmental health and sustainability. A better technological advancement with effective policy is needed to strengthen AFs in major ecological regions. Moreover, current and future research trends must be oriented to enhance ES through greater crop diversification. Thus, AFs must be transformed into sustainable landscapes at local and global soil–food–climate security. © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Agroforestry and Its Services for Soil Management and Sustainability
(Springer Singapore, 2021) Nahid Khan; Manoj Kumar Jhariya; Abhishek Raj; Arnab Banerjee; Ram Swaroop Meena; Surendra Singh Bargali; Shailesh Kumar Yadav; Anita Kumawat
Agroforestry systems (AFs) ensure greater biodiversity that intensifies ecosystem services in tangible and intangible ways. Accounting ecosystem services through well-managed agroforestry systems are other important aspects of scientificstudies nowadays. AFs are an integration of trees with crops, and it also includes animal farming with the intensive land management system. In the twenty-first century, land management is one of the major challenges, and AFs have the vast potential to address and recognize these challenges as well as facilitate various services in a sustainable manner. Soil is the largest natural resource that sustains billions of life and supports a variety of flora and fauna. Agroforestry (AF) plays important role in soil health management that ensures ecological stability and environmental sustainability. In AFs interaction between aboveground and belowground components takes place which helps in improving the soil quality and provides shelter to many biota and soil organisms. Through AF soil management and conservation can be done and also the protection of agroecosystem at the regional and local level. The practices of sustainable soil management (SSM)make the pave for achieving the goal of sustainability. Thus, scientific AFs promise the SSM that enhances biodiversity through intensification of ecosystem services at the global scale. Soil fertility enhancement, better nutrient cycling, and higher resource use efficiency along with carbon sequestration for climate change mitigation are important services provided by AFs. AF also reduces carbon and environmental footprints by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and its sequestration and storage into both plants and soils. Thus, an effective policy and good governance are more important in achieving sustainability through adopting better scientific AFs in the tropical world. A future roadmap must be laid onadopting location-specific AF models for maintaining soil health and quality for a better sustainable world. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021.
Agroforestry for Carbon and Ecosystem Management
(Elsevier, 2023) Manoj Kumar Jhariya; Ram Swaroop Meena; Arnab Banerjee; Sandeep Kumar; Abhishek Raj
Agroforestry for Carbon and Ecosystem Management is a comprehensive overview of current research, issues, challenges, and case studies in the area of agroforestry. The book focuses specifically on carbon source-sink relationship and management through agroforestry practices with a goal of improving overall environmental sustainability. Through expert insights and case studies, the book promotes carbon management, greenhouse gas emission reduction, forest, and ecosystem services management, along with relevant sustainable approaches for natural resources conservation. Users will find insights into novel approaches for natural resource management, with specific attention given to technologies related to carbon capture and management. In addition, the book addresses the knowledge gap in relation to agroforestry, sustainability, and agroecosystem management and explores the application of remote sensing and geospatial technologies for agroforestry management. © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Agroforestry for carbon and ecosystem management: an overview
(Elsevier, 2023) Manoj Kumar Jhariya; Ram Swaroop Meena; Arnab Banerjee; Sandeep Kumar; Abhishek Raj
Agroforestry is a land use practice that provides environmental protection and ecological restoration of degraded habitats. Globally it plays a vital role in carbon (C) and ecosystem management and helps to achieve food, nutritional, economic, and environmental security. Combating mega events in this human-altered world has necessitated the practice of agroforestry to cope with changing climate. Further, agroforestry tends to rehabilitate various forms of degraded lands and ecosystems. The agricultural system is the production of crops and livestock management. Agroforestry also offers extra advantages by increasing biological productivity. Consequently, agroforestry is more widely accepted by the scientific community as a producer of many ecosystem services. The potential of agroforestry systems for efficient C management, ecosystem services, and ecological restoration of damaged ecosystems was demonstrated through research evidence. To preserve the overall integrity of the ecosystem, agroforestry has also demonstrated tremendous promise in managing plant and soil C pools through appropriate biomass addition in the soil ecosystems to maintain the environmental sustainability. © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Agroforestry for Monetising Carbon Credits
(Springer Science+Business Media, 2025) Abhishek Raj; Manoj Kumar Jhariya; Ram Swaroop Meena
This book explores carbon credits and trading within agroforestry systems. It covers atmospheric CO₂ management, as well as achieving net zero and net negative carbon emissions through the carbon credit concept and its application in agroforestry systems amidst climate change. Carbon farming in agroforestry contributes to carbon footprint mitigation while ensuring ecosystem health and environmental sustainability. The book discusses trading protocols, including soil carbon credits in agroforestry, and the monetisation of carbon credits from various agroforestry systems for the benefit of farmers. Additionally, it addresses challenges and proposes a future roadmap regarding carbon credit-based policies in agroforestry. The book emphasises new insights derived from updated research, development, and extension activities aimed at combating climate change through carbon sequestration in agroforestry, enhancing the carbon credits for landowners and increasing productivity, as per the forum conferences of parties under the United Nations. © 2025 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
Agroforestry modeling for natural resource management
(Elsevier, 2023) Arnab Banerjee; Manoj Kumar Jhariya; Abhishek Raj; Bhimappa Honnappa Kittur; Ram Swaroop Meena; Taher Mechergui
Agroforestry (AF) is an integrated system involving tree–crop interaction to improve the agroecosystem's overall health and address food security. Simulation modeling is an approach that aims toward improving the AF output across various countries. AF practices tend to enhance the economic output of the farming system in comparison to the traditional farming system. Further, additional benefits include the regulation of proper biogeochemical cycling through various forms of physiological processes. Simulation modeling across various countries has shown significant promise toward improving the effectiveness of AF practices. Various forms of environmental mega events in terms of climatic perturbations, happenings of climatic extremes, biodiversity loss, and increasing human population pressure promote nature's contribution to mankind. Various models have been used to predict the contribution of the AF. A review of existing models revealed a major focus on biomass production and yield. Further upgradation in the form of the availability of codes, and a model having a more public domain, helps to understand the multiple interactions between the tree–crop system and overall implication both in the structure and process of resource management is required. © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Agroforestry to mitigate the climate change
(Elsevier, 2023) Abhishek Raj; Manoj Kumar Jhariya; Arnab Banerjee; Ram Swaroop Meena; Ramesh Kumar Jha; Bhimappa Honnappa Kittur; Krishan Pal Singh
Anthropogenic activities, including deforestation and unsustainable land use practices, release GHGs (greenhouse gases) into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a major GHG contributing to global warming and climate change. Land use conversion and intensive agricultural practices enhance carbon (C) footprints that induce climate change issues. Agroforestry system (AFs) is climate resilient land use practices that enhance biodiversity and intensify several ecosystems services. AFs ensure soil–food–climate security and environmental management in the tropical world. AFs capture CO2 through the C sequestration process, which is stored in both vegetation (as biomass) and soils (as soil organic C pools). As per the World Agroforestry report 12–228MgCha−1 in tropical AFs was achieved through a better C sequestration process. Further, practicing sustainable AFs in 585–1215×106ha of the earth's surface can store 1.1–2.2PgC in terrestrial ecosystems in the next 50 years. These figures represent the tremendous potential of AFs in C footprint reduction and climate change mitigation. An effective policy and future roadmap must be created to promote scientific AFs in various agroecological regions. Generating awareness among farmers for agroforestry adoption would be helpful in agroforestry areas expansion which delivers uncountable ecosystem services including climate and income security. Thus, climate-resilient AFs promise environmental management through better C sequestration and biomass production, which maintain the ecosystem health and ecological stability. © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Agroforestry: Harnessing the unrealized potential for negative carbon emission
(Elsevier, 2025) Nilutpal Saikia; Kadagonda Nithinkumar; Shreyas Bagrecha; Sk Asraful Ali; Mrinal Sen; N. Anthony Baite; Alapati Nymisha; Prabhu Govindasamy; Sunil Kumar Prajapati; Rohit Bapurao Borate; Niraj Biswakarma; Sandeep Naresh Kumar; Ram Swaroop Meena
Climate change presents an urgent and existential threat, necessitating immediate action to curb global warming. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change emphasizes the need to drastically reduce carbon dioxide (CO) emissions and remove billions of metric tons of CO from the atmosphere annually. Agroforestry—an integrated approach combining trees with agricultural systems—emerges as a critical option for achieving negative carbon (C) emissions. Agroforestry functions as a negative C sink through several key mechanisms. It sequesters C in both above-ground biomass (trunks, branches, leaves) and below-ground biomass (roots) as trees and shrubs capture atmospheric CO through photosynthesis. Additionally, agroforestry systems enhance soil organic carbon storage, improve soil health, and reduce soil erosion through tree roots that stabilize soil and prevent the loss of C-rich topsoil. Improved nitrogen (N) cycling in these systems, often facilitated by N-fixing plants, reduces the reliance on synthetic fertilizers and associated greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, agroforestry enhances biodiversity and ecosystem resilience, which contributes to more effective C sequestration over time. It also offers alternatives to fossil fuels, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and can generate C credits that contribute to net-zero emission goals. Recognized globally for its production and environmental benefits, agroforestry is increasingly seen as a greenhouse gas mitigation strategy. Recent studies suggest that its expansion could significantly contribute to climate change mitigation, with the potential to sequester up to 0.31 Pg C yr−1. To fully capitalize on agroforestry’s potential, accurate research, standardized protocols, and reliable C stock reporting are essential. Integrating agroforestry into global and national C monitoring frameworks requires the development of models capable of predicting C sequestration under diverse climate scenarios. Addressing gaps such as the lack of standardized datasets involves establishing rigorous protocols for sampling, analysis, and data management. Active engagement from the research community is critical to establishing agroforestry as a cornerstone in the global effort to combat climate change and achieve net-zero emissions. © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Amino acid: Its dual role as nutrient and scavenger of free radicals in soil
(MDPI, 2017) Rahul Datta; Divyashri Baraniya; Yong-Feng Wang; Aditi Kelkar; Ram Swaroop Meena; Gulab Singh Yadav; Maria Teresa Ceccherini; Pavel Formanek
Ascorbic acid is a bacteriostatic agent; one of the many ways by which ascorbic acid hampers bacterial growth is by the production of hydrogen peroxide, which further converts into hydroxyl free radicals. Certain amino acids can counteract the inhibitory effect of hydroxyl free radicals by checking their oxidizing effect. Though ascorbic acid is bacteriostatic in nature, it facilitates prokaryotic respiration by decarboxylation. This study was carried out to understand how microbes from different horizons of the forest soil respond to the addition of a bacteriostatic agent (ascorbic acid) and growth promoting agent (amino acids), with respect to the soil respiration. We observed that the addition of either ascorbic acid or a combination of it with amino acid consistently results in increased soil respiration, and this increase is different for different soil types depending on soil composition and origin. Furthermore, we also found that beta alanine-induced maximum respiration in basic soils and L-glutamic in acidic soils. This study is significant because it can be used to explain how a strong reducing sugar, i.e., ascorbic acid, affects the soil respiration mediated via soil microbes. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first report that demonstrates the effect of bacteriostatic and the growth promoting agent together on microbe-mediated soil respiration. © 2017 by the authors.