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Physico-chemical characterization of soil in a tropical landscape restored by a vegetal succession
* 1, 2 , 3
1  Instituto de Farmacia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
2  Programa de Maestría en Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia
3  Universidad del Tolima, Ibagué, Colombia

Abstract:

The knowledge of the edaphic structure and the contribution of nutrients from soils of fluvial-volcanic origin in the development and change of plant species over time contributes to the understanding of the ecological dynamics of natural restoration processes inherent to the environmental sustainability of a territory. The objective was to evaluate the physicochemical composition of soils and their relationship with successional vegetation. The study was conducted in the area of influence of fluvial volcanic muds deposited by the eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano in 1985 in the municipality of Armero-Guayabal at 400 meters above sea level in the Central region of Colombia. In 10 plots established in the floristic characterization, samples composed of soil were obtained for each one. The physical variables of texture, porosity, humidity, color, apparent density, real density; and chemical variables of pH, organic matter, cation exchange capacity, major elements (P, Ca, Mg, K), minor elements (Na, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, B, S, Al), Al saturation, base saturation, Ca/Mg relation, (Ca+Mg)/K relation and Mg/K relation were analyzed; subsequently, a multivariate analysis between variables, and descriptive of the soil-vegetation relationship was carried out. Physically, there was a negative correlation between apparent density with %porosity and real density with humidity content; the texture was classified as sandy loam and the structure as granular-crumbly type. Chemically, there was a negative correlation between pH, Mg/K relation, (Ca+Mg)/K relation and Al saturation; a positive correlation between P, Mn, Ca, Zn, Fe, Mg, and base saturation; furthermore, Na and K did not show any interaction relationship. The predominant plant species are distributed in the families Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Malvaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Cyperaceae, and Poaceae. Currently, the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil present conditions that allow the establishment and continuation of successional vegetation with a dominance of tree and shrub growth habit.

Keywords: Succession; soils; physical-chemical parameters; diversity
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