Dupont et al. (2026) Evidence of macroclimatic impacts of deploying agroforestry at landscape scale

Identification

• Journal: Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-06-30
• Authors: Sylvain Dupont, Nina Mengual, Marc Saudreau, Romaric Vincent
• DOI: 10.1016/j.agrformet.2026.111322

Research Groups

• ISPA, INRAE, Bordeaux Sciences Agro, F-33140 Villenave d'Ornon, France
• INRAE, Université Clermont-Auvergne, UMR 547 PIAF, Clermont-Ferrand, France
• SYNERCOOP - Troyes, France

Short Summary

This study investigates the macroclimatic impacts of deploying agroforestry at landscape scale using large-eddy simulations (LES). The results reveal a consistent increase in atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) air temperature with increasing tree cover over cropland.

Objective

• Investigate how agroforestry influences micrometeorological variables across scales, from the crop canopy to the ABL.
• Quantify the effects of tree introduction on key climatic variables at both crop and ABL scales during a typical summer day in a temperate region.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: 3D simulations over infinite agroforestry systems with computational domains ranging from 3.57 × 3.57 × 1.26 km to 5.05 × 5.05 × 2.00 km.
• Temporal Scale: Simulations were conducted for a typical summer day in a temperate region, with meteorological conditions representative of August 23rd.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Large-eddy simulation (LES) experiment using the Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS) model, which accounts for full biophysical interactions between the canopy and the atmosphere.
• Data sources: Simulations were conducted using a combination of observational data and reanalysis products.

Main Results

• The results show that increasing tree cover over cropland leads to a consistent increase in ABL air temperature.
• The cooling effect of trees on crops arises from multiple processes, including shading, transpiration, and enhanced atmospheric mixing above the agroforestry system.
• However, under certain conditions, such as dry soil conditions and high tree density, the warming effect of trees can dominate.

Contributions

• This study provides new insights into the macroclimatic impacts of large-scale agroforestry deployment.
• The results highlight the importance of considering both local and regional climate effects when evaluating the benefits of agroforestry.

Funding

• This research was funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR) through the projects "AgroFor" and "BioFor".
• Additional funding was provided by the European Union's Horizon 2020 program through the project "Sustainable Agriculture for a Green Europe".

Citation

@article{Dupont2026Evidence,
  author = {Dupont, Sylvain and Mengual, Nina and Saudreau, Marc and Vincent, Romaric},
  title = {Evidence of macroclimatic impacts of deploying agroforestry at landscape scale},
  journal = {Agricultural and Forest Meteorology},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/j.agrformet.2026.111322},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2026.111322}
}