Abstract
The forest ecosystems of Mexico experience soil degradation mainly due to water erosion, which causes low vegetation regeneration. One of the strategies to diminish soil loss is through the construction of stone bunds (SB)—hand-made structures to trap sediment and store water for longer periods. However, little is known about their effects on pine establishment. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of SB on the survival and growth of individual P. engelmannii Carr. specimens with respect to the distance of their planted. The study additionally sought to analyse how SB would affect changes in the production of aerial phytomass, herbaceous vegetation cover and soil characteristics in a reforested area of Durango State in north-central Mexico. Three treatments were evaluated by planting pine trees at three distances with respect to the SB: 80 cm upslope bund (UB), 80 cm downslope bund (DB) and between upper and lower bunds (BB). The variables analysed were the following: The survival and growth of reforestation, aerial coverage and the production of herbaceous plants, and the physicochemical characteristics of the soil. Survival showed significant differences (p < 0.05) among treatments, UB (80%), DB (27%) and BB (30%). The production of aerial phytomass did not show significant differences between treatments UB (1651 kg ha−1) and DB (1058 kg ha−1), although these two were different (p < 0.05) to BB (600 kg ha−1). On the other hand, the vegetation cover and soil characteristics did not show statistical differences. These results highlight the importance of the effect of SB on the survival of P. engelmannii Carr. and the growth of herbaceous vegetation.
Highlights
Around the world, 33% of the surface is experiencing some level of degradation
The upslope bund (UB) treatment obtained the highest degree of survival (80%), which was statistically different (p < 0.05) to the downslope bund (DB) and BB treatments, which exceeded the other treatments by 27% and 30%, respectively (Table 3)
The components of the evaluated herbaceous coverage did not show any significant statistical differences between treatments (p > 0.05) (Table 4), the results indicate that in the area near the stone barrier, the herbaceous coverage can produce a greater percentage of vegetation (44% and 32%) in UB and DB conditions, respectively, when compared to BB conditions (27%)
Summary
33% of the surface is experiencing some level of degradation. Erosion is the main factor in soil deterioration and each year 25 to 40 billion tons of soil is lost. The soil undergoes a gradual decrease in productivity due to the loss of nutrients through the transportation of fine particles and organic matter [2]. This process modifies the physical structure of the soil, whereby the surface is sealed and crusts are formed, which results in a lessening of water infiltration and, drainage becomes faster [3,4]. Overgrazing is a determining factor in soil erosion, increasing soil compaction due to trampling by cattle, limiting water infiltration and the establishment of vegetation [6]. The effects of erosion are linked to desertification and climate change due to the loss of organic carbon, which reduces biodiversity [8,9]
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