Nutrient Cycling in Dutch Agroforestry Systems

For my MSc thesis, I researched nutrient cycling in complex agroforestry systems (food forest) in the Netherlands, using five established food forests as case studies. The focus was on the long-term dynamics of key nutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and calcium (Ca) and whether such systems can maintain soil fertility without external inputs.

Over six months, I compiled nutrient content data for multiple plant species and biomass components from the literature and modelled nutrient flows and soil depletion trajectories over a 50-year horizon. The analysis showed that, without inputs, nutrient depletion is unavoidable, though depletion rates vary strongly depending on initial soil nutrient stocks and species composition. In several cases, certain nutrients were projected to remain sufficient for 50 years or more, highlighting the importance of system design and site context.

The results were shared directly with the farmers, providing practical insights into which nutrients and system components were most depletion-prone. This project strengthened my skills in systems modelling, long-term analysis, and translating scientific results into actionable guidance, while reinforcing the need to balance ecological processes with realistic management strategies in regenerative farming systems.