Species composition and diversity of on-farm tree resources in Kalu district, Northeastern Ethiopia

• The study assessed woody plant diversity and composition across agroforestry practices • Live-fences and home-gardens supported higher species richness of woody plants • Diversity indices indicated dominance of a few woody species in certain practices • Woody plant composition varied moderately among agroforestry practices On-farm tree resources sustain biodiversity, provide multiple products, and improve resilience of farming systems. Understanding the diversity and composition of on-farm tree resources is essential for designing tree-growing interventions, yet remains unexplored in many socio-ecological contexts. This study assessed the species composition and diversity of woody plants across agroforestry practices in Kalu district, Northeastern Ethiopia. A multistage random sampling was employed to select a total of 54 sample farms across two study sites (Lowland and Midland) to inventory woody plants in four agroforestry practices: agroforestry parklands, home-gardens, boundary live fences, and woodlot plantations. A total of 56 woody species were recorded across farmlands, of which 66% were native and 34% were exotic. Species richness and diversity differed significantly among agroforestry practices (p < 0.05), with home-gardens and live fences showing high average richness (5.85 and 4.33 species, respectively). Parklands supported lower diversity, while woodlots consistently showed the lowest richness and diversity. Home-gardens exhibited a significant trade-off between species richness and evenness (J = 0.61), driven by the dominance of Catha edulis and Eucalyptus spp. The results also highlight the overlooked role of boundary live fences in sustaining woody species diversity within farming systems. Multivariate analysis (ANOSIM, Global R = 0.39) indicated moderate compositional differences, driven by practice-specific dominance of woody species rather than complete species turnover. Overall, the study underscores the importance of integrating higher tree diversity across agroforestry practices and implementing targeted diversification strategies to enhance agrobiodiversity and livelihood outcomes in dryland agroecosystems.