Agroforestry – the practice of growing trees and crops on the same land – has recently been suggested as a potential tool for adaptation to climate change. There are many mechanisms by which trees on farmland could help to ameliorate climatic stresses: moderation of microclimate, increased soil water-holding capacity, increased infiltration, reduced runoff, complementary use of water resources, and diversification of production risk. However, these benefits remain largely speculative, with very few controlled experiments to demonstrate them. Furthermore, little is known about how agroforestry systems themselves might be adversely affected by climatic stress, especially during the vulnerable stage of seedling establishment. 