Publication: Morfología Fluvial.-Erosion, water availability and plant characteristics control plant colonisation on semiarid eroded slopes
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Bochet, Esther ; García-Fayos, P. ; Poesen, Jean
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Universidad de Murcia
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info:eu-repo/semantics/other
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to understand the mechanisms that control spontaneous
plant colonisation on severely eroded slopes in a semiarid badland area of East Spain. More
specifically, we aimed at (1) determining topographic thresholds for plant colonisation, (2)
identifying the soil properties that limit plant establishment and (3) identifying plant traits that
enable colonising species to cope with these limitations.
We used slope angle and aspect as surrogates of erosion rate and water availability
respectively. Since soil erosion and water availability can limit plant establishment and both
interact in the landscape, we analysed variations in colonisation success with slope angle
and aspect. Vegetation success was measured in terms of total vegetation cover on 156
different slopes. After determining slope angle thresholds for plant colonisation, soil was
sampled on slopes just above and just below the threshold values for soil analysis in order to
test for differences in soil properties related to plant establishment and development. Plant
traits related to plant colonising capacity were analysed in two different groups of species:
the group of species colonising the steep slopes near the threshold and the group of noncolonising
species present on more gentle slopes but unable to colonise the slopes just
below the threshold.
The identified slope angle threshold values for plant colonisation clearly decreased from
North to South. No differences were found in soil properties neither among slope aspects at
the slope angle threshold values nor between slope positions (just below and above the
threshold) within slope aspect classes. Long-distance dispersal mechanisms and ability of
seeds to segregate mucilage in contact with water were more frequent characteristics in
colonising species than in non-colonising ones.
It is concluded that water availability for plants which, in turn, is controlled by the solar
radiation can explain the differences in the slope angle threshold values for plant colonisation
among slope aspect classes. Some important implications of these results in the context of
ecological restoration of these severely eroded areas are also discussed.�L /
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