Abstract

AZERO A., Mauricio; MENDOZA C., Isabel  and  VEIZAGA C., Mario. Evaluation of the improvement of biological quality of soils with hedgerows practices in three case studies. RevActaNova. [online]. 2016, vol.7, n.4, pp.430-454. ISSN 1683-0789.

In the Andean region of Bolivia, many institutions have promoted the implementation of various control practices of soil water erosion. One of the most popular techniques of erosion control is the implementation of hedgerows. Despite the widespread use of these techniques, there is insufficient information on its effectiveness and efficiency in the recovery of its biological quality, which is linked to the main environmental services provided by soil. Three pairs of plots (with hedgerows and without them), located at different altitudes of Comarapa river basin were compared. Soil pit observations and indicators of soil quality: soil respiration rate, soil microbial biomass, total soil organic matter and soil organic carbon, as well as soil temperature and moisture were determined. In all cases hedgerows were effective in controlling erosion but also in the recovery of biological soil quality, reflected by the accumulation of total organic matter, heterotrophic respiration rate and soil microbial biomass. This could suggest a recovery also of the most fundamental services provided by the soil. Active organic carbon instead showed erratic behavior and not in line with other indicators.

Keywords : Soil biological quality; respiration rate; microbial biomass; active organic carbon; soil environmental services; hedgerows; agroforestry systems.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )