Do Food Forests Boost the Biodiversity of Agricultural Soils?

Transforming agricultural land into food forests could well become a key solution for preserving soil life. These ecosystems, designed to produce food while mimicking the structure of natural forests, host a much richer diversity of organisms than intensive fields and meadows. A recent comparison between fifteen food forests and neighboring plots of forests, meadows, and crops in Northwestern Europe reveals encouraging results.

Food forests stand out for their ability to accommodate a variety of living organisms in the soil. Their composition often lies between that of forests and agricultural lands, but with notable particularities. For example, they host more non-mycorrhizal fungi, woodlice, millipedes, and harvestmen than meadows or fields. These organisms, sensitive to disturbances and dependent on plant litter, benefit from a more stable and humid environment.

On the other hand, certain groups such as earthworms or ground beetles, which are more adapted to open or disturbed environments, remain less numerous than in meadows. However, the diversity of fungal and arthropod species is often greater, thanks to the variety of plants and microhabitats available. Food forests, being less disturbed and richer in organic matter, also promote a greater abundance of bacteria and certain worms.

One of the major strengths of these systems lies in their ability to create intermediate conditions between forests and agricultural lands. Their soil, less compacted and richer in carbon than that of fields, but less acidic and less covered than that of forests, provides a refuge for species typical of both environments. This diversity of microhabitats and resources allows rare or sensitive organisms to settle there, enriching local biodiversity.

These findings suggest that the establishment of food forests in agricultural landscapes could not only preserve but also increase soil diversity. By providing a habitat for species threatened by intensive agriculture, these systems could play a crucial role in protecting underground ecosystems while continuing to produce food. Their development on a larger scale could thus contribute to more sustainable agriculture, where productivity goes hand in hand with respect for soil life.

Credits and Attributions

Primary Source

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44185-026-00125-w

Title: Planting food forests can increase soil biodiversity in agricultural landscapes of Northwest Europe

Journal: npj Biodiversity

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Authors: Isabelle van der Zanden; Lieke Moereels; Stephanie Schelfhout; Pallieter De Smedt; Koen Lock; Wouter Dekoninck; Gerard Korthals; Wim H. van der Putten; Kris Verheyen; G. F. Veen