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Opportunistic vegetation in quarry soil restoration from semiarid South East Spain: pines and spontaneous species.
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  • Lourdes Luna-Ramos,
  • R Lazaro,
  • Isabel Miralles,
  • Albert Sole-Benet
Lourdes Luna-Ramos
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas

Corresponding Author:lourdes@eeza.csic.es

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R Lazaro
Estacion Experimental de Zonas Aridas
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Isabel Miralles
University of Almeria
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Albert Sole-Benet
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas
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Abstract

The objective was to know the effect of amendments and mulch (pine woodchips) on three planted autochthonous species in two substrates six years after the beginning of the restoration. But because this kind of mulch contained pine cones, pine seedlings appeared after the first year of the restoration; new objectives were added to the initial one: to know if organic amendments influence pine growth among planted vegetation, and if there were competition among planted species, opportunistic species and pines. Essential soil parameters, plant cover and diversity and pine growth were measured and statistically processed with correlation analyses, ANOVA and Detrended Correspondence Analysis. Six years after restoration organic amendments, applied all over the plots contributed significantly to explain the differences on the tested variables. The combined effects of the two substrates and the two organic amendments effectively enhanced soil properties recovery, but they also facilitated the establishment and entry of new species in addition to planted vegetation, driving a differential plant development. The number of pines, as well as their coverage, depended on the interaction between the amendment and the substrate: a) only one amendment favoured the pines and b) the way the amendment works depended on the substrate. Planted vegetation cover and total plant cover from amended plots doubled that of control plots. Results indicate the potential suitability of organic amendments, pine chips mulch and derived opportunistic species for restoring post-mining areas.
14 Jan 2022Submitted to Land Degradation & Development
18 Jan 2022Submission Checks Completed
18 Jan 2022Assigned to Editor
14 Feb 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
13 Mar 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
13 Mar 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Major
13 May 20221st Revision Received
14 May 2022Submission Checks Completed
14 May 2022Assigned to Editor
22 Jun 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
25 Jun 2022Editorial Decision: Accept