Edaphic properties under Vachellia macracantha in an elevation gradient of dry scrub in southern Ecuador

Abstract

Understanding plant-soil interactions within an ecosystem can be valuable for land management. At species level, legumes promote biotic interactions and soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) conservation within dry tropical ecosystems. The objective of this research was to determine if Vachellia macracantha (Humb. & Bonpl. Ex Willd) Seigler & Ebinger influences the edaphic properties in relation to an elevation gradient and distance from the plant stem. The species under study did not show an influence on the edaphic properties in relation to the distance from the plant stem, however, with respect to the elevation gradient, variation was observed in the texture, bulk density, moisture, pH, and stocks of C and N (p-value <0.0001). Soil organic C stocks were measured from 4.68 kg m−2 (1200 m.a.s.l.) to 9.13 kg m−2 (1800 m.a.s.l.). We consider elevation as a key driver, since it integrates climatic variables (temperature and precipitation), decomposition and net primary productivity and expresses the erosive processes that intervene in the spatial distribution of soil types.