Agroforestry Services: Crop shade  Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen  Agroforestry Services: Windbreak  Fodder: Bank  Fodder: Pod  Industrial Crop: Biomass  Industrial Crop: Tannin  Management: Coppice  Management: Standard  Other Systems: Parkland  Regional Crop

Umbrella thorn is a plant for semi-arid tropical and subtropical areas, succeeding at elevations from sea level to 2,000 metres[303 , 325 ]. It grows best in areas where the mean annual temperature is in the range 23.4 - 31.3c, with a mean annual rainfall of 100 - 1,000mm[303 ]. It tolerates a maximum temperature of 50c and a minimum temperature close to 0c[303 ], though trees less than 2 years old are very susceptible to frost damage[269 ]. The tree favours alkaline soils and grows in sand dunes, sandy loam, rocky soils and other soils that drain well[303 ]. It also does well on light brown, sandy soil with little or no calcium carbonate, and pH ranges of between 7.95-8.30[303 ]. Tolerates pH in the range 6.5 - 8.5[269 ]. A drought resistant plant, it can tolerate strong salinity and seasonal waterlogging[303 ]. The long taproot and numerous lateral roots enable it to utilize the limited soil moisture available in the arid areas[303 ]. Plants can grow fairly well in shallow soil, less than 0.25 m deep, though they develop long lateral roots that can become a nuisance in nearby fields, paths, and roadways[269 ]. A fast-growing tree, it develops a long lateral root system and creates problems in marshy fields, paths and roadways. It grows fairly well even on shallow soils less than 25cm deep. However, the plant assumes shrubby growth and must be widely spaced for the lateral root growth[303 ]. It responds vigorously to felling by producing numerous coppice shoots, provided there is no interference from browsing animals[303 ]. Lopping of entire branches does not seem to affect the vitality of the tree[303 ]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200 ]. Carbon Farming- Cultivation: regional crop. Management: standard, coppice.

Carbon Farming

• Agroforestry Services: Crop shade  Plants providing crop shade especially trees.
• Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen  Plants that contribute to nitrogen fixation include the legume family – Fabaceae.
• Agroforestry Services: Windbreak  Linear plantings of trees and shrubs designed to enhance crop production, protect people and livestock and benefit soil and water conservation.
• Fodder: Bank  Fodder banks are plantings of high-quality fodder species. Their goal is to maintain healthy productive animals. They can be utilized all year, but are designed to bridge the forage scarcity of annual dry seasons. Fodder bank plants are usually trees or shrubs, and often legumes. The relatively deep roots of these woody perennials allow them to reach soil nutrients and moisture not available to grasses and herbaceous plants.
• Fodder: Pod  Fodder plants with pods.
• Industrial Crop: Biomass  Three broad categories: bamboos, resprouting woody plants, and giant grasses. uses include: protein, materials (paper, building materials, fibers, biochar etc.), chemicals (biobased chemicals), energy - biofuels
• Industrial Crop: Tannin  Occur generally in the roots, wood, bark, leaves, and fruit of many plants. Used in tanning leather, dyeing fabric, making ink, and medical applications.
• Management: Coppice  Cut to the ground repeatedly - resprouting vigorously. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.
• Management: Standard  Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
• Other Systems: Parkland  Africa - Trees scattered throughout cropland. An Irregular intercropping system.
• Regional Crop  These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.