Evaluation of the Effect of Dolomitic Lime Application on Pastures—Case Study in the Montado Mediterranean Ecosystem

Sustainability

Francisco Moral¹  Fernando Carvajal-Ramirez²  José Marques da Silva³  Shakib Shahidian³  Máriode Carvalho³  Emanuel Carreira³  Alfredo Pereira³  João Serrano³ 

[1] Departamento de Expresión Gráfica, Escuela de Ingenierías Industriales, Universidad de Extremadura. Avenida de Elvas s/n, 06006 Badajoz, Spain;Department of Engineering, Mediterranean Research Center of Economics and Sustainable Development (CIMEDES), University of Almería (Agrifood Campus of International Excellence, ceiA3), La Cañada de San Urbano, s/n. 04120 Almería, Spain;MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal;

关键词: soil PH amendment;    tree effect;    productivity;    crude protein;    pasture quality index;   

DOI  :  10.3390/su12093758

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The Montado ecosystem, predominant in the Mediterranean region, consists of poor soils, a sparse cover of cork and holm with an understory of natural biodiverse pastures, grazed by animals in extensive regime. The recommended procedure for increasing productivity of these pastures is based on the application of phosphate fertilizer. One of the main productivity-limiting factors is, however, associated with soil acidity. The objective of this work was to evaluate the simultaneous effect of the holm oak canopy and the application of dolomitic lime on the productivity and quality of a permanent biodiverse pasture, grazed by sheep, in an acid soil (pH = 5.4 ± 0.3). Pasture was monitored at the end of autumn 2018 and winter and spring 2019. The results show that amendment of soil acidity is a slow and gradual process that improves soil Mg/Mn ratio and has a positive impact on pasture productivity and quality. Pasture crude protein availability (CP, kg·ha⁻¹), which is based on both pasture dry matter yield (kg·ha⁻¹) and quality (CP, %), proved to be a very practical indicator of the contributions of tree canopy and soil acidity correction to the holistic management of the Montado ecosystem.

【 授权许可】

Unknown