RT Conference Proceedings
T1 The influence of organic amendments on soil aggregate stability from semiarid sites
A1 Hueso-González, Paloma
K1 Ecosistemas mediterráneos
K1 Deforestación
AB Restoring the native vegetation is the most effective way to regenerate soil health. Under these conditions,vegetation cover in areas having degraded soils may be better sustained if the soil is amended with an externalsource of organic matter. The addition of organic materials to soils also increases infiltration rates and reduceserosion rates; these factors contribute to an available water increment and a successful and sustainable landmanagement.The goal of this study was to analyze the effect of various organic amendments on the aggregate stabilityof soils in afforested plots.An experimental paired-plot layout was established in southern of Spain (homogeneous slope gradient:7.5%; aspect: N170). Five amendments were applied in an experimental set of plots: straw mulching; mulch withchipped branches of Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis L.); TerraCotten hydroabsobent polymers; sewage sludge;sheep manure and control. Plots were afforested following the same spatial pattern, and amendments were mixedwith the soil at the rate 10 Mg ha-1. The vegetation was planted in a grid pattern with 0.5 m between plants ineach plot. During the afforestation process the soil was tilled to 25 cm depth from the surface.Soil from the afforested plots was sampled in: i) 6 months post-afforestation; ii) 12 months post-afforestation; iii)18 months post-afforestation; and iv) 24 months post-afforestation. The sampling strategy for each plot involvedcollection of 4 disturbed soil samples taken from the surface (0–10 cm depth). The stability of aggregates wasmeasured by wet-sieving.Regarding to soil aggregate stability, the percentage of stable aggregates has increased slightly in all thetreatments in relation to control. Specifically, the differences were recorded in the fraction of macroaggregates (≥0.250 mm). The largest increases have been associated with straw mulch, pinus mulch and sludge. Similar resultshave been registered for the soil organic carbon content. Independent of the soil management, after six months, nosignificant differences in microaggregates were found regarding to the control plots.These results showed an increase in the stability of the macroaggregates when soil is amended with sludge,pinus mulch and straw much. This fact has been due to an increase in the number cementing agents due to: (i) theapplication of pinus, straw and sludge had resulted in the release of carbohydrates to the soil; and thus (ii) it hasfavored the development of a protective vegetation cover, which has increased the number of roots in the soil andthe organic contribution to it.
YR 2016
FD 2016-09-09
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10630/11983
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10630/11983
LA eng
NO Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech.
DS RIUMA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Málaga
RD 23 ene 2026