Teodor MARUȘCA1, Elena MIHĂILĂ2*, Elena TAULESCU3, Dorina DRĂGAN4, Paul Marian ZEVEDEI5
Abstract. Agro-silvo-pastoral (ASP) systems have been widely established on the pastures of Transylvanian localities, mainly to provide shade for animals during the grazing season. In view of global climate change, ASP systems play a crucial role not only for livestock and grass cover but also for biodiversity in general. The studies were carried out in the Herculian locality in the Baraolt Mountains, on a pasture with 77% sessile oak (Quercus petraea) and 23% pedunculate oak (Quercus robur), with a canopy cover of 22% of the pasture area. Cow milk production in the ASP system was evaluated at 5,790 l/ha, 12% higher than on treeless pasture. In addition, over 120 years, construction timber, firewood branches, and acorns are harvested in the ASP system; together with milk production, this amounts to €3,737/ha/year, 44% higher than the value of milk production alone on treeless pasture. These results support the conservation and expansion of ASP systems in areas affected by climate aridification.
Keywords: agrosilvopastoral systems, milk and wood production assessment, milk and wood price evaluation
DOI 10.56082/annalsarsciagr.2025.2.36
1PhD, Eng., Senior Researcher, Research and Development Institute for Grasslands Brașov, Romania, Full Member of Academy of Romanian Scientists (e-mail: maruscat@yahoo.com).
2*PhD, Eng., Junior Researcher, National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry “Marin Drăcea”, Bucharest, Romania (e-mail: elena.mihaila@icas.ro) – Corresponding Author.
3PhD student, Transilvania University of Brașov, Romania (e-mail: taulescuelena@yahoo.com).
4Geographer, National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry “Marin Drăcea”, Bucharest, Romania (e-mail: drgdra26@yahoo.com)
5PhD, Eng., Junior Researcher, Research and Development Institute for Grasslands Brașov, Romania (e-mail: paul.zevedei@pajisti-grassland.ro).
PUBLISHED in Annals of the Academy of Romanian Scientists Series Series on Agriculture, Silviculture and Veterinary Medicine, Volume 14, No2