Restoration of montane forest on degraded soils: Early fertilization quintuples post-plantation growth of Polylepis australis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.23.33.2.0.2059Keywords:
native forest, fertilizer, degradation, NPK, urea, growth, survivalAbstract
Montane soils disturbed by forest loss, fire and livestock, are highly susceptible to erosion, leading to rapid degradation that reduces their fertility. Soil degradation hampers native forest restoration efforts, resulting in low natural recruitment rates and slow growth in field plantations. In order to contribute to more effective forest restoration strategies, we conducted a study to test the hypothesis that early addition of fertilizers in degraded montane soils improves the survival and growth of saplings during the initial months after planting. Our model species for this study was Polylepis australis, a tree commonly used in restoration projects in the highest mountains of central Argentina. In an area undergoing restoration with patches of degraded soils, we implemented seven treatments: three different doses of NPK (25, 34 and 67 g), three doses of urea (10, 20 and 30 g), and a control without fertilizer. After 14 months, the overall survival rate was 80%, and there was no significant correlation with the fertilization treatment. Regardless of the doses, saplings fertilized with NPK exhibited an average growth five times greater than unfertilized saplings, and more than twice that of urea-fertilized saplings. There were no significant differences in growth between unfertilized saplings and those fertilized with urea. These results suggest a deficiency of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and/ or potassium (K) in the degraded soils for P. australis saplings, which apparently could be amended with any of the tested NPK doses, but no with the addition of urea alone (nitrogen only). We conclude that early nutrients addition in degraded montane soils can be an effective strategy to increase tree cover and reduce soil erosion in a shorter timeframe.
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