IMPACTS OF SHRUBS ON SOIL QUALITY IN THE NATIVE MONTE RANGELANDS OF SOUTHWESTERN BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

AMBROSINO, M.; TORRES, Y.; LUCERO, C.; LORDA, G.; ITHURRART, L.; MARTINEZ JUAN MANUEL; ARMANDO, L.; GARAYALDE, A.; BUSSO, C.

LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT

JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD

Lugar: LOndres; Año: 2023 p. 1 - 12

1085-3278

Shrub cover in semiarid rangelands may induce changes in soil resources and ecosys-tem functioning. However, it is unknown the real influence that shrub vegetation hason soil quality in rangelands used for livestock purposes. We evaluated the shrubcover effect on 12 chemical and biochemical parameters of soil quality. In a semiaridMonte rangeland of Argentina, 6 paddocks were selected and 10 m transects wereplaced in a patch with (Sh) and without shrubs (WSh). Then, sites with grasses (Sh-Gand WSh-G), bare ground-litter (Sh-BL and WSh-BL), and under shrub cover (Sh-S)were selected. In spring 2017 and 2018, a composite soil sample (0–10 cm in depth)was taken at each site (n=6). Sh-G and Sh-S sites presented high values of soilorganic matter, soil organic nitrogen, particulate organic matter (POM), and cellulaseactivity (CA); WSh-BL and Sh-BL sites were associated with the lowest contents ofthese variables. For the rest of the soil quality parameters, the soil sampling sitesshowed similar values. These results show that woody presence should not bedirectly linked to soil quality loss. Although we did not detect a shrub effect in allparameters studied, in the context of appropriate grazing management, the presenceof plant species of different functional groups has a positive effect on organic matterand N content of soil close to them. Moreover, in these sites, high POM values repre-sent an important reservoir of potentially available nutrients, and promote CA neces-sary for fresh litter decomposition improving the soil quality of semiarid rangelands