SIGNAL is part of the BonaRes funding initiative (Soil as a sustainable resource for the bioeconomy). BonaRes strives to improve soil functions by developing sustainable management systems. BonaRes also aims to extend our understanding of soils, soil processes and soil functions. The project SIGNAL conducts research on alley cropping systems, which are a very promising and widely applicable type of agroforestry, where crop rows alternate with rows of short rotation coppice. SIGNAL is the first comprehensive research project that studies ecological and environmental functions, the profitability and social acceptance of agroforestry systems in different regions of Germany.