Abstract
Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of topsoil thickness, shading and origin when performing environmental restoration in a degraded pasture area. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with a factorial (3 x 2 x 2) + 2 layout. Treatments consisted of combinations of topsoil origins (forest at early or middle regeneration stages), topsoil thicknesses (10, 20, or 30-cm superficial soil layer), and presence or absence of 70% shading; with two additional control treatments. Surveys on topsoil physical-chemical attributes and flora and soil coverage were conducted. Good correlation was observed between bulk density and total porosity. Vegetation comprised a total of 2,932 individuals of herbaceous, shrub and subshrub plants; 33 species in 11 families and 1 morphospecies were identified. A floristic survey of the tree stratum revealed 235 individuals belonging to 21 species and 14 families, as well as 2 unidentified species. The best natural regeneration index is observed in the 20-cm topsoil layer, where shading exerts a positive influence on the humidity and natural regeneration of the seed bank. Topsoil from middle-stage forest is the most suitable for restoration of degraded pasture areas.
Highlights
In reclaiming soil and vegetation and recovering integrated biological processes, components of the soilplant-atmosphere system must be considered
The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of topsoil thickness, shading and origin when performing environmental restoration in a degraded pasture area
The best index of natural regeneration is presented in the thickness of 20 cm, both in terms of species diversity and number of individuals
Summary
In reclaiming soil and vegetation and recovering integrated biological processes, components of the soilplant-atmosphere system must be considered. Revegetation should be dealt with by multidisciplinary teams, which identify problems and seek solutions based on the diverse aspects of scientific knowledge on soil (fertility, physical-chemical, biota, nutrient cycling); plants (botany, physiology, interactions with animals); atmosphere (weather); and their ecological interactions (Leal Filho et al, 2013). Adding concentrated organic topsoil and nutrients to a degraded area under natural regeneration can contribute significantly to its resilience (Bechara et al, 2007). Topsoil use can be a crucial tool for successful revegetation of degraded areas (Zhang et al, 2001). The high density and diversity values of the soil seed bank in most surveys in Brazilian forests reveal the potential of using the seed bank in restoring degraded areas, thereby increasing diversity and contributing to the maintenance of restoration projects
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