Abstract

In addressing global sustainability and warming challenges, agroforestry approaches has a very good prospect in combating both challenges, using the benefits derived from agroforestry as criteria for assessment. Deliberate integration of tree crops into agronomic crops with the main aim of promoting sustainable land management could be referred to as agroforestry. The three main types of agroforestry systems are agrisilvicultural, silvopastoral and agrisilvopastoral. However, the roles of agroforestry as habitat for bird species are provision food, provision of nesting site and resources, provision of nectar, reduction of bioaccumulation of heavy metals and pesticide residue, provision of shade which serves as relaxation spot and protection for bird species, coupled with provision of improved microclimate. Foraging items for bird species can be categorized into plants, seeds, or vertebrates and invertebrates. These food source are in high supply in agroforestry system. Apart from that, nectar serves as a good source of nourishment to nectarivorous birds and agroforestry makes healthy food available to bird species by minimizing bioaccumulation of heavy metals and pesticide residue in their vital organs. Birds are safeguarded from predators by crops and crops serves as recreational centres, where birds relaxes. Shade provided by agroforestry tree species may alleviate temperatures and precipitation excesses coupled with wind and storm proceedings, thereby preventing prospective habitat loss by bird species. Similarly, avian survival rates, reproductive success, breeding time, species distribution, and habitat choices are all influenced by microclimate and habitat architecture. In order to widen the agro-ecological emphasis of agroforestry systems and bird diversity, more study is needed, including suitable measurement, modelling, and testing to categorize the essential components of agroforestry systems that are most imperative for supporting avian species in the landscape.

Keywords

agroforestry; bird species; climate change; agriculture; habitat; environment