Tree influence on soil and pasture: contribution of proximal sensing to pasture productivity and quality estimation in <i>montado</i> ecosystems

Serrano, João; Shahidian, Shakib; Silva, José Marques da; Sales-Baptista, Elvira; Oliveira, Isabel Ferraz de; Castro, J.; Pereira, Alfredo Manuel Franco; Abreu, Manuela; Machado, Eduardo; Carvalho, Mário de

doi:10.1080/01431161.2017.1404166

Cited by 32 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…This behaviour reflects the principle on which NDVI measurement is based: the optical sensor detects high levels of chlorophyll (photosynthetically active vegetation), which is abundant in green vegetation [29]. As pasture develops, the fiber content increases, resulting in a proportional decrease in the chlorophyll content and leading to a reduction in the NDVI, while the total pasture biomass continues to increase until full maturation of the pasture [24].…”

Section: Pasture Parameters Mean ± Sd CV (%) Rangementioning

confidence: 77%

“…The most frequent botanical species present in this ecosystem, in spring 2016, were Chamaemelum mixtum (family Asteraceae), Erodium moschatum (family Geraniaceae), Leontodon taraxacoides (family Asteraceae), Trifolium resupinatum (family Fabaceae), and Plantago coronopus (family Plantaginaceae). Taken together, these represented more than 60% of total cover outside the tree canopy [24]. The main soil is a Cambisol with a granite origin [25].…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Monitoring Seasonal Pasture Quality Degradation in the Mediterranean Montado Ecosystem: Proximal versus Remote Sensing

Serrano

Shahidian

Silva

2018

Water

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Montado is an agro-forestry system occupying a large surface in countries of the Mediterranean region. In this system, the natural dryland pasture is the principal source for animal feed in extensive grazing. The climatic seasonality associated with the inter-annual irregularity of precipitation greatly influences the development of pasture and its vegetative cycle. The end of spring is a critical period in terms of animal feed due to the notable reduction in the nutritive value of the plants. The objective of this work was to evaluate, through the correlation between pasture quality indexes (Pasture Quality Degradation Index, PQDI and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, NDVI), two technological approaches for monitoring the evolution of the quality of a biodiverse pasture in the period of greatest vegetative development (between February and June). The technological approaches consisted of (i) proximal sensing (PS), with the use of an active optical sensor; and (ii) remote sensing (RS), using images captured by a Sentinel-2 satellite. The results of this study show strong and significant correlations between PQDI and NDVI (obtained by PS or RS). These two techniques (PS or RS) can, therefore, be used in a complementary way to identify and anticipate the food supplementation needs for animals and support farmers in decision making.

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Section: Pasture Parameters Mean ± Sd CV (%) Rangementioning

confidence: 77%

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring Seasonal Pasture Quality Degradation in the Mediterranean Montado Ecosystem: Proximal versus Remote Sensing

Serrano

Shahidian

Silva

2018

Water

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“…Therefore, assessing soil and crop variability is the first critical step and a necessary condition in PA [43]. Quantifying spatial variation of forage biomass yield, vegetation quality, and soil properties can help improve pasture management practices such as grazing rotations, nutrient management, and yield prediction [18]. The results obtained in this study show the potential of three different tools for monitoring soil variability (Dualem 1S-electromagnetic induction sensor), pasture yield variability (Grassmaster II capacitance probe), and pasture quality variability (OptRx-optical active sensor).…”

Section: Technologies For Monitoring Soil and Pasture Variabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate Changes Challenges to the Management of Mediterranean Montado Ecosystem: Perspectives for Use of Precision Agriculture Technologies

et al. 2020

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Montado is an agro-silvo-pastoral system characterized by a high complexity as a result of the interactions between climate, soil, pasture, trees, and animals. It is in this context that management decisions must be made, for example with respect to soil fertilization, grazing, or animal supplementation. In this work, the effect of the tree canopy on the spatial and temporal variability of the soil and productivity, quality, and floristic composition of the pasture was evaluated. Precision agriculture (PA) technologies for monitoring soil and pasture were also evaluated. The study was carried out between October 2015 and June 2018 in an experimental field of 2.3 ha. The results showed: (i) The positive impact of trees and animal grazing on soil fertility; (ii) the influence of inter-annual variability of precipitation on the pattern of pasture vegetative cycle; (iii) the positive effect of trees in pasture quality; (iv) the negative effect of trees in pasture productivity; (v) the role of pasture floristic composition as an indicator of soil limitations or climatic changes; (vi) the potential of technologies associated with the concept of PA as express tools to decision making support and for the optimization of the herbaceous stratum and the dynamic management of grazing in this ecosystem in a holistic and sustainable form.

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“…rotundifolia Lam.) the effect of trees on pasture is significant [3] and a direct consequence of the extent to which these trees modify the microclimate and soil properties [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integration of Soil Electrical Conductivity and Indices Obtained through Satellite Imagery for Differential Management of Pasture Fertilization

et al. 2019

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Dryland pastures in the Alentejo region, located in the south of Portugal, normally occupy soils that have low fertility but, simultaneously, important spatial variability. Rational application of fertilizers requires knowledge of spatial variability of soil characteristics and crop response, which reinforces the interest of technologies that facilitates the identification of homogeneous management zones (HMZ). In this work, a pasture field of about 25 ha, integrated in the Montado mixed ecosystem (agro-silvo-pastoral), was monitored. Surveys of apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) were carried out in November 2017 and October 2018 with a Veris 2000 XA contact sensor. A total of 24 sampling points (30 × 30 m) were established in tree-free zones to allow readings of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and normalized difference water index (NDWI). Historical time series of these indices were obtained from satellite imagery (Sentinel-2) in winter and spring 2017 and 2018. Three zones with different potential productivity were defined based on the results obtained in terms of spatial variability and temporal stability of the measured parameters. These are the basis for the elaboration of differentiated prescription maps of fertilizers with variable application rate technology, taking into account the variability of soil characteristics and pasture development, contributing to the sustainability of this ecosystem.

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Tree influence on soil and pasture: contribution of proximal sensing to pasture productivity and quality estimation in montado ecosystems

Cited by 32 publications

References 39 publications

Monitoring Seasonal Pasture Quality Degradation in the Mediterranean Montado Ecosystem: Proximal versus Remote Sensing

Monitoring Seasonal Pasture Quality Degradation in the Mediterranean Montado Ecosystem: Proximal versus Remote Sensing

Climate Changes Challenges to the Management of Mediterranean Montado Ecosystem: Perspectives for Use of Precision Agriculture Technologies

Integration of Soil Electrical Conductivity and Indices Obtained through Satellite Imagery for Differential Management of Pasture Fertilization

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