Shrub clearing and extensive livestock as a strategy for enhancing ecosystem services in degraded Mediterranean mid-mountain areas

Lasanta, Teodoro; Cortijos-López, Melani; Errea, M. Paz; Llena, Manel; Sánchez-Navarrete, Pedro; Zabalza, Javier; Nadal-Romero, Estela

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167668

Cited by 8 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 119 publications

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“…The main contributions of the study are derived from the comparison of the medium-term effects of two alternative treatments in soils of a different pH. Numerous studies have investigated how soil properties are affected by prescribed burning [19,21,33,[43][44][45][46][47][48] and mechanical treatments [49][50][51], but studies comparing different treatments are scarce [23]. Likewise, to our knowledge, no other studies have simultaneously analyzed such effects in soils of a different pH.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Medium-Term Comparative Effects of Prescribed Burning and Mechanical Shredding on Soil Characteristics in Heathland and Shrubland Habitats: Insights from a Protected Natural Area

Cadenas,

Castedo-Dorado,

Valbuena

2024

Fire

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Parts of the Cantabrian Mountains (N Spain) have been colonized by woody species in the past six or seven decades as a result of a decline in livestock activity and changes in the fire regime. Various management strategies have been used to prevent the expansion of shrubs and recover grassland ecosystems for grazing activities. However, it is not clear how different vegetation treatments affect soils, which are crucial in supporting life and providing nutrients in these ecosystems. The aim of the present study was to compare the dynamics of the physicochemical and biological soil properties after two vegetation treatments: prescribed burning and shredding. Samples were obtained from plots representing alkaline and acidic soils dominated by gorse shrub (Genista hispanica subsp. occidentalis) and heath (Calluna vulgaris) plant communities, respectively. The soil samples were collected immediately before and after the treatments and one and two years later. The level of available P varied depending on the soil pH, and it only increased after the treatments in the acidic soils in the heathland community. The total N and available P concentrations were higher after the prescribed burning, and the enzymatic activity tended to be higher after the shredding treatment. Despite the significant effects on some soil variables, prescribed burning and shredding did not have important short- and medium-term effects on the chemical and soil enzymatic properties. These treatments can therefore be considered sustainable vegetation management tools, at least in the medium term.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Medium-Term Comparative Effects of Prescribed Burning and Mechanical Shredding on Soil Characteristics in Heathland and Shrubland Habitats: Insights from a Protected Natural Area

Cadenas,

Castedo-Dorado,

Valbuena

2024

Fire

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“…The interaction between the various components of land resources is essential for determining the productivity and sustainability of agroecosystems [3,4]. The FAO is responding to the need to increase food production from a degraded natural resource base by supporting the restoration of land productivity and ecosystem services [5][6][7]. Timely information on the status of land resources is crucial for decision making by farmers, local and provincial authorities, and national governments.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial Distribution, Source Analysis, and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in the Farmland of Tangwang Village, Huainan City, China

Liu,

Shen,

Fan

et al. 2024

Agronomy

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The impacts of heavy metal pollution in arable soil on agricultural production, environmental health, and the wellbeing of urban and rural residents cannot be overlooked. It has become a significant bottleneck in achieving comprehensive rural revitalization. To accurately grasp the characteristics of heavy metal pollution in suburban cultivated soil, Tangwang Village (a suburb of Huainan City) was subjected to scrutiny. The contents of heavy metals (Hg, Cu, Hg, As, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Zn) in the topsoil of cultivated land in this area were detected, and their spatial distribution characteristics were analyzed using inverse distance spatial interpolation. (1) After conducting a comprehensive analysis and thorough examination of the PMF model sources, it was determined that Cu, Cd, and Zn exhibit a direct correlation with agricultural practices, collectively contributing to a cumulative percentage of 21.10%. Meanwhile, Cr is derived from a combination of sources, including both natural parent materials and human activities, accounting for a total proportion of 24.45%. Notably, lead emissions from automobile exhausts constitute a significant source, while arsenic is primarily associated with dispersed factories and their respective operations, contributing to respective proportions of 36.38% and 18.07%. It is evident that agricultural practices, transportation, and industrial activities are the main reasons for heavy metal pollution in arable soil. (2) The evaluation of geological accumulation indicators reveals that the level of soil arsenic accumulation pollution is mild to moderate (1.199). On the other hand, the cumulative pollution level of Cd, Hg, Cr, and Cu was relatively low (0.462→0.186), whereas the levels of Pb and Zn were below the threshold. (3) The assessment of the ecological risk index revealed that the predominant elements posing potential ecological risks in the investigated region were Hg, As, and Cd, with average Ei values of E(Hg) = 86.81, E(As) = 80.67, and E(Cd) = 67.83, respectively. (4) The human health risk assessment revealed significant differences in the single non-carcinogenic risk values of heavy metals generated by different exposure pathways, with oral ingestion > dermal contact > oral nasal inhalation. Children were more susceptible to the toxic effects of heavy metals compared to adults. Both As and Cr caused an increased risk of cancer in both children and adults, which is a matter of great concern. The results of this study contribute to a more accurate description of the sources of heavy metals in farmland soil. This study indicates that the application of PMF for soil source analysis yields clear results that can be further applied. This research also has potential policy significance as it can help to improve the sustainability of ecosystems by coordinating both environmental and human activities.

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Is Joint Management between Conservationists and Farmers Sustainable and Biodiversity-friendly? A Ten-year Study in Residual Grasslands of a Protected Area

Cohen,

Ottmann,

Varga Linde

et al. 2024

Environmental Management

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In recent decades, there has been a discernible reduction in temperate and Mediterranean grasslands with consequences on the decline of biodiversity and landscape heterogeneity. When this decline is due to agricultural abandonment, a renewed joint management, combining bush clearing by conservationists and grazing by farmers, should favor the maintenance of grasslands, their protected habitats and species and forage production.Rainfall irregularity explains part of the variation of these parameters.To verify these hypotheses, we conduct a comprehensive, multi-scale, multi-taxa study over a ten-year period in a Mediterranean protected area. At the regional scale, experimental plots in which this joint management was implemented are representative of residual managed grasslands of the protected area. At the mesoscale, rainfall irregularity is the main factor explaining inter-annual differences in the biomass of open landscapes, while fauna depends on management, tree cover and trophic resources. At the local scale, in a representative experimental plot, clearing had an immediate negative impact on plant richness and bird and positive on forage. Over a decade, plant biodiversity increased while forage, specialist plants and bird maintained, despite the regrowth of bush. Drought had a negative impact on richness, plant and forage abundance and phenological asynchrony on butterflies.In conclusion, joint management has positive, neutral and negative impacts to be considered before implementing this strategy. This long-term monitoring study draws important lessons for designing a sustainable management of grasslands under abandonment and irregular climate, that should be applied in temperate and Mediterranean regions that are increasingly vulnerable to these trends.

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Shrub clearing and extensive livestock as a strategy for enhancing ecosystem services in degraded Mediterranean mid-mountain areas

Cited by 8 publications

References 119 publications

Medium-Term Comparative Effects of Prescribed Burning and Mechanical Shredding on Soil Characteristics in Heathland and Shrubland Habitats: Insights from a Protected Natural Area

Medium-Term Comparative Effects of Prescribed Burning and Mechanical Shredding on Soil Characteristics in Heathland and Shrubland Habitats: Insights from a Protected Natural Area

Spatial Distribution, Source Analysis, and Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in the Farmland of Tangwang Village, Huainan City, China

Is Joint Management between Conservationists and Farmers Sustainable and Biodiversity-friendly? A Ten-year Study in Residual Grasslands of a Protected Area

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