Architectural models, fractals and agroforestry design

Agroforestry systems are complex and forest-like. Hence, methods of forecasting and design used in monocultures are less relevant. Design and yield depend on the architecture of agroforests, their pattern of patches with high and low productivity of diverse quality, i.e. production geometry. Architectural ecosystem models progressed in the last decade by a new systems hierarchy, showing two modes of architectural layering and mutual interference of micro-environmental gradients determining crop niches. Production geometry may be expressed mathematically by fractal geometry, which can generate patterns showing striking similarities with forest-like system patterns. A fractal body, the ‘Menger sponge’ exemplifies this. This approach is young, but comparing agroforestry ecosystem architecture and a fractal body shows it to be promising, especially if combined with other recent concepts.