Abstract
In recent years, the phenomenon of abandonment of arable fields has increased in Saudi Arabia due to low soil fertility, drought, low rainfall, high levels of evapotranspiration, soil salinization, and low level of groundwater. We evaluated the effect of agricultural land abandonment on soil properties, perennial vegetation composition, and population structure in the Al-Kharj region, Saudi Arabia. A total of 11 perennial plant species belonging to 9 families and 11 genera were detected in the different abandoned fields of the study area. Four plant communities were identified after the application of the detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) ordination. The indicator species were (1) Seidlitzia rosmarinus—Zygophyllum hamiense, (2) Traganum nudatum—Seidlitzia rosmarinus, (3) Traganum nudatum—Prosopis farcta, and (4) Calligonum comosum—Pulicaria undulata. Results of the soil analysis showed significant differences in soil texture, pH, salinity, and nutrient content among the four recognized plant communities. Demographic analysis indicated that populations of Zygophyllum hamiense and Calligonum comosum tended to be either inverse J-shaped or positively skewed which may have indicated rapidly-growing populations with high reproductive capacity. Conversely, the size–frequency distribution of Traganum nudatum, S. Rosmarinus, and Prosopis farcta was approximately symmetrical (i.e., bell-shaped). The present study sheds light on the necessity of managing abandoned agricultural fields for restoring and improving rangelands with native species that are adapted to the local conditions such as low water demand.
Highlights
The abandonment of agricultural fields is a common occurrence worldwide due to changes in economic circumstances, water resource shortage, and climate change [1,2,3]
Agricultural land abandonment allows the regeneration of wild native perennial plants in the
Four plant communities were recognized in the study area, where soil salinity and nutrients were the main effective soil parameters determining species composition
Summary
The abandonment of agricultural fields is a common occurrence worldwide due to changes in economic circumstances, water resource shortage, and climate change [1,2,3]. Many non-crop plant species spontaneously colonize arable fields and compete with crops for nutrients, light, and space [4]. These species are considered as weeds from an agronomic perspective (segetals), but they can play a vital. Agriculture 2020, 10, 550 ecological role by contributing significantly to supporting biodiversity [4,5,6]. Farmland abandonment leads to a mixture of social, economic, and ecological effects, especially in arid areas [7,8,9]. Abandoned farmlands undergo natural succession or passive restoration [12] toward their original vegetation. Passive means of restoration is an important way to rehabilitate abandoned fields and improve biodiversity and ecosystem services.
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