Soil Health and Management
Tropical forest restoration: Fast resilience of plant biomass contrasts with slow recovery of stable soil C stocksBackgroundThe study looks at three land-use types: 1) land left barren after a clear-cut in the 1950s, with only a sparse cover of shrubs, grasses, and vines, 2) a Eucalyptus exserta plantation established in the 1960s, and 3) a eucalyptus plantation that was clear-cut in 1974 and converted into a plantation of native tree species, now considered a secondary forest. The biomass and soil carbon (C) of these three land-use types were compared to a nearby natural old-growth forest. Open access copy available |
Bioremediation of a crude-oil polluted agricultural-soil at Port Harcourt, NigeriaBackgroundSince more than 98% of Nigeria’s current economic support is crude oil, and oil spills are in inevitable and frequent, six treatment sample-cell were tested on the soils of the Niger Delta of Nigeria for crude oil bioremediation. Oil spills cause nitrogen levels to decrease, while increasing carbon content. A decrease in nitrogen and the toxicity of crude oil reduces the growth of heterotrophic bacteria, which utilize petroleum carbon for cell synthesis. Available with subscription or purchase |
Development of the soil macrofauna community under silvopastoral and agrosilvicultural systems in AmazoniaBackgroundThe Brazilian Amazon has experienced extensive land conversion from forests to cattle pasture, many of which now lay abandoned. Agro-forestry serves as one potential solution to this problem and this study examines the re-establishment of a diversified soil macrofauna in order to inform this approach. Available with subscription or purchase |
Tree species selection for a mine tailigns bioremediation project in PeruBackgroundThis article explains a project in southern Peru where tree plantings were used as bioremediation for treating tailings water from a copper mine. A variety of 25 tree species were selected for trial plantings on the site that could also be suitable for fuel and construction wood in the future. Available with subscription or purchase |
Charaterization and Impact Assessment of Water Harvesting Techniques: A Case Study of Abreha Atsbeha Watershed, Tigray, EthiopiaBackgroundThis report gives a comprehensive overview of water harvesting techniques in a community called Abreha we Atsbeha in Tigray, Ethiopia. This community was awarded the UN Equator Prize for their restoration work in 2012. In addition to providing a detailed historical, demographic, ecological, and hydrological description of the site, the authors also detail the major water harvesting techniques employed, including: bench terracing, stone bunds, stine bunds with trenches, soil bunds with trenches, semi-circular stone bunds, percolation ponds check dams, shallow wells, diversion heads, and hand dug wells. Open access copy available |
Riparian restortion for protecting water quality in tropic agricultural watershedsBackgroundIn the Sarapui River watershed in southeastern Brazil, the water quality system was measured for six subwatersheds in the region. In addition to measuring the subwatersheds, the entire watershed system was also measured and compared to a simulation model that included riparian zones throughout the river watershed. Available with subscription or purchase |
Case Study: Community Based Ecological Mangrove Rehabilitation (CBEMR) in IndonesiaBackgroundMangrove plantings in Indonesia have typically failed for a number of reasons including inappropriate site selection, inappropriate species selection, and/or conflict over land tenure. The authors discussed ecological mangrove rehabilitation (EMR) and its use in Indonesia, which required a more socio-cultural-political apprach as compared with EMR in the United States. Open access copy available |
The effects of The International Smallgroup and Tree Planting Program on household income in Nyeri district, KenyaBackgroundThe aim of the study was to determine the effects of TIST program on household income, environmental services and to determine factors that influence participation. Available with subscription or purchase |
Early effects of four fast-growing tree species and their planting density on ground vegetation in Imperata grasslandsBackgroundThe study aimed to test the early effects of four successful reforestation fast-growing exotics tree species and alternative planting densities on the development of ground vegetation. The study was conducted in Riam Kiwa, South Kalimantan, Indonesia in Imperate grasslands. The four fast-growing exotics tree species used in the study were Acacia mangium, Acacia crassicarpa, Gmelina arborea, and Paraserianthes falcataria. Available with subscription or purchase |
Terrestrial Invertebrate Community Structure as an Indicator of the Success of a Tropical Rainforest Restoration ProjectBackgroundAvailable with subscription or purchase |
