1. Recovery of ultramafic soil functions and plant communities along an age-gradient of the actinorhizal tree Ceuthostoma terminale (Casuarinaceae) in Sabah (Malaysia)
- Author
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Sukaibin Sumail, Rimi Repin, Ramez F. Saad, Sophie Leguédois, Michel-Pierre Faucon, Françoise Watteau, John B. Sugau, Antony van der Ent, Etienne Auber, Celestino Quintela-Sabarís, Guillaume Echevarria, Jean-François Masfaraud, Reuben Nilus, Laboratoire Sols et Environnement (LSE), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université de Lorraine (UL), Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Environnements Continentaux (LIEC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire Terre et Environnement de Lorraine (OTELo), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Lorraine (UL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Lorraine (UL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut Ecologie et Environnement (INEE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UniLaSalle, Agro-écologie, Hydrogéochimie, Milieux et Ressources (AGHYLE), Forest Research Centre (FRC), ANR-10-LABX-0021,RESSOURCES21,Strategic metal resources of the 21st century(2010), Université de Lorraine (UL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and ANR-10-LABX-0021/10-LABX-0021,RESSOURCES21,Strategic metal resources of the 21st century(2010)
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Nitrogen ,Tropical areas ,Soil Science ,Soil enzymes ,Plant Science ,Technosol ,Biology ,complex mixtures ,01 natural sciences ,Plant-soil interaction ,Soil functions ,Pioneer plants ,Revegetation ,Leptosol ,2. Zero hunger ,Pioneer species ,[SDE.IE]Environmental Sciences/Environmental Engineering ,food and beverages ,Plant community ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,15. Life on land ,Agronomy ,040103 agronomy & agriculture ,Soil recovery ,0401 agriculture, forestry, and fisheries ,Plant cover ,[SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology ,Soil fertility ,010606 plant biology & botany - Abstract
International audience; Background and aims: Pioneer plants may improve the ecological restoration of degraded ultramafic areas by plant-soil interaction processes. In this study, we assess the effect of the pioneer actinorhizal tree C. terminale (Casuarinaceae) on the recovery of plant communities and soil functions on degraded tropical ultramafic sites.Methods: Soil and plant samples were collected along a tree-age gradient in two degraded ultramafic sites in Sabah (Northern Borneo, Malaysia): a Technosol and a Leptosol. Chemical composition of plants and soils, and biological activity of soils were assessed at both sites. Plant colonisation was assessed by plot vegetation surveys.Results: An improvement in soil fertility parameters (pH reduction from 8.5 to 6.8, an increase in the concentrations of several nutrients and enhanced soil enzyme activities) was observed along the C. terminale age gradient. However, plant cover and diversity was only improved around mature trees at the site that was not impacted by mining.Conclusion: C. terminale promotes the recovery of several soil functions, mainly related to the storage and recycling of N, P, K, S. Besides plant-soil feedback, other environmental factors (i.e. exposition to sunlight, drought) may play an important role on revegetation of ultramafic soils.
- Published
- 2019
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