Abstract

MILIONE, G.M. et al. Forestación en pastizales: el rol de las especies y el manejo forestal sobre el proceso de salinización secundaria de suelos. RIA. Rev. investig. agropecu. [online]. 2020, vol.46, n.1, pp.73-80. ISSN 1669-2314.

The introduction of fast-growing species afforestation in grassland could induce changes on the water flows with the consequent soil dissolved salts mobilization. The magnitude / direction of these water flows, and therefore, the soil salts accumulation will depend on climatic, hydrogeological and biological factors. To assess this last one, the soil electrical conductivity (EC) was measured in 12 paired plots (afforestation of Eucalyptus spp. and Pinus radiata with different silvicultural treatmens and crops / grassland) distributed on an area in the south center of Buenos Aires province. No significant differences were observed in the soil EC in all plots at 0-20 cm depth. Contrary, significant differences were found at 20-40 cm being the highest values measured in Pinus radiata plantation, whereas the lowest ones in a two year old felled area of the same tree species. On the other hand, managed agriculture/pasture soils with Eucalyptus spp. afforestation showed similar EC values. EC values were positively related to the forest cover, showing that the silvicultural management plays a crucial role in the soil salts accumulation. Beyond the EC differences between land usages, it was concluded that the vegetation changes did not generate an increment in the soil salts that could affect the production of the most conspicuous agricultural and forest crops in the region.

Keywords : afforestation impact; secondary salinization; soil use change; silvicultural treatments..