Restoration of a degraded tropical dry forest in Macanao, Venezuela

Fajardo, Laurie; Rodrı́guez, Jon Paul; González, Valois; Briceño-Linares, José Manuel

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2012.08.009

Cited by 40 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…However, soil daily temperature will be greater on a degraded mountain due to lack of shade, so seedling establishment of P. crassifolia may be inhibited by soil temperature. In this case, artificial cultivation of P. crassifolia is needed to overcome critical seeding establishment and to increase survival rates [52,[72][73]. After the plants reach a certain height and are able to shade each other, they can be transplanted onto degraded land with a canopy density of about 48%.…”

Section: (S) Polygonum Macrophyllum (P)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Slope Aspect on Plant Community Composition and its Implications for Restoration of a Chinese Mountain Range

Qin¹,

Holden²,

Feng³

et al. 2017

Pol. J. Environ. Stud.

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Excessive human disturbance (e.g., overgrazing, deforestation) has degraded the environment in the Qilian Mountains in China. Vegetative restoration is likely to be a crucial tool to restore these biologically significant habitats, but it is impossible to achieve this goal if the baseline plant community composition and its variation with local environmental conditions were not understood fully. To assess plant community composition by slope aspect, four different aspects -south-facing slope (SF), southwest-facing slope (SW), northwest-facing slope (NW), and north-facing slope (NF) -were surveyed on three almost non-degraded mountains. The results showed that each slope aspect has different abiotic environments. From SF to NF, soil water content has an increasing trend, but it shows no difference between SF and SW; and daily soil temperature and pH have a decreasing trend, while the former shows no difference between SF and SW, and SW and NW; and the latter shows no difference between SW and NW; and soil organic carbon was significantly increased, but soil bulk density was significantly decreased. Herbaceous plants were dominant on SF, SW, and NW, and trees (Picea crassifolia) were dominant on NF. From SF to NW, the dominant herbaceous plants were Agropyron cristatum and Stipa grandis, Agropyron cristatum and Carex aridula, and Kobresia humilis and Carex crebra, respectively, while on NF they were Carex spp. and Polygonum macrophyllum. The baseline survey points to the need to consider underlying patterns in abiotic conditions when planning restoration programs in these degraded mountain habitats, and to select native plants similar to the original vegetation. The survey provides a vital milestone for the development of policy-based funding initiatives and for ongoing vegetation monitoring during restoration to assess if these vegetative targets have been met.

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Section: (S) Polygonum Macrophyllum (P)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of Slope Aspect on Plant Community Composition and its Implications for Restoration of a Chinese Mountain Range

Qin¹,

Holden²,

Feng³

et al. 2017

Pol. J. Environ. Stud.

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“…After six years, more of the saplings grown under the hydrogel treatment had survived and were taller than untreated controls (mean height 6 m vs 2 m, respectively). Detailed results can be found in Fajardo et al (2013).…”

Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Four years later, for the present study, we selected four plots established in the restored area (8 x 12.5 m each plot) (Fajardo et al, 2013): two of these plots had previously been treated with hydrogel (henceforth R2 and R2') and the other two were left as untreated (controls, henceforth R1 and R1'). In addition, we selected an abandoned (non-restored) area from which sand was also extracted up to four years ago.…”

Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

“…This activity has not only destroyed many of the dry shrublands and forests, but has also had other undesirable consequences, such as for example, the topographic disturbance of the ephemeral creeks, the removal of topsoil and plant species important for the diet and refuge of fauna (including some endangered species, e.g. Amazona barbadensis), an increase in erosion and the invasion of exotic plant species, amongst others (Fajardo, Rodríguez, González, & Briceño-Linares, 2013). Based on the evaluation of the successional dynamic that occurs once sand extraction is stopped, we conducted a pilot restoration assay of affected areas which gave us a good opportunity to assess the effect of this management strategy on AMF communities (Fajardo et al, 2013).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Amazona barbadensis), an increase in erosion and the invasion of exotic plant species, amongst others (Fajardo, Rodríguez, González, & Briceño-Linares, 2013). Based on the evaluation of the successional dynamic that occurs once sand extraction is stopped, we conducted a pilot restoration assay of affected areas which gave us a good opportunity to assess the effect of this management strategy on AMF communities (Fajardo et al, 2013).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Caracterización basada en morfotipos de las comunidades de hongos micorrízicos arbusculares en un bosque seco tropical restaurado, Isla de Margarita-Venezuela

Fajardo

Lovera

Arrindell

et al. 2015

RBT

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Abstract:The mycorrhizal component of revegetated areas after ecological restoration or rehabilitation in arid and semiarid tropical areas has been scarcely assessed, particularly those made after mining disturbance. We evaluated and compared the presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi of a small area of restored tropical dry forest destroyed by sand extraction, with a non-restored area of similar age, at the peninsula of Macanao, Margarita Island (Venezuela). Our study was undertaken in 2009, four years after planting, and the mycorrhizal status was evaluated in four restored plots (8 x 12.5 m) (two were previously treated with hydrogel (R2 and R2'), and two were left untreated (R1 and R1'), and four non-restored plots of similar size (NR1 and NR1' with graminoid physiognomy with some scattered shrubs; and NR2 and NR2', with a more species rich plant community). Apparently the restoration management promoted higher arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) species richness and diversity, particularly in restored soils where the hydrogel was added (R2 treatment). Soil of the NR1 treatment (with a higher herbaceous component) showed the highest spore density, compared to samples of soils under the other treatments. Considering species composition, Claroideoglomus etunicatum and Rhizophagus intraradices were found in all treatments; besides, Diversispora spurca and Funneliformis geosporum were only found in non-restored plots, while members of the Gigasporaceae (a family associated with little disturbed sites) were commonly observed in the plots with restored soils. Mycorrhizal colonization was similar in the restored and non-restored areas, being a less sensitive indicator of the ecosystem recovery. The trend of higher richness and diversity of AMF in the restored plot with hydrogel suggests that this management strategy contributes to accelerate the natural regeneration in those ecosystems where water plays an essential role. Rev. Biol. Trop. 63 (3): 859-870. Epub 2015 September 01.

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