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Models for Advancing Agroforestry

In order to advance the application of runoff agroforestry, the BIDR water-balance team developed a three-layer Penman-Monteith model for estimatingevapotranspiration taking place in these systems. The model can be used to predict the effect of tree density, row orientation and canopy geometry on tree andintercrop evaporation. These calculations enable the determination of water volume that must be supplied by the watershed in order to meet the irrigation requirements of the system. At this stage, the transfer coefficients used to compute the turbulent fluxes within the canopy are empirical and site specific. Work to improve the model is under way. [Zhao, W, RJ Qualls and PR Berliner. “Modeling of the short wave radiation distribution in an agroforestry system.” Agricultural and ForestMeteorology 118:185-206 (2003)].


Support

These studies have been supported by the German Ministry of Economic Co-operation (BMZ), the Israel Ministry of Agriculture through the German-Israel Agricultural Research Agreement (GIARA) and the U.S Agency for International Development (AID).​


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