Native forest restoration in an area invaded by tamarisk Tamarix ramossima in Southern Córdoba, Argentina

Abstract

Natale, E., Oggero, A., Marini, D., Reinoso, H. 2014. Native forest restoration in an area invaded by tamarisk Tamarix ramossima in Southern Córdoba, Argentina. Ecosistemas 23(2):130-136. Doi.: 10.7818/ECOS.2014.23-2.17

Humans produce impacts on ecosystems, where invasive alien species are considered one of the most relevant. In this sense, the restoration ecology, allows repairing ecosystems to be able to persist in future environments. The objective of this work was to design and implement management techniques for recovery environments invaded by saltcedar in the southern of Córdoba. We conducted an experimental restoration trial through saltcedar control (cut-stump method), selection of native species for reforestation and analyze the seed bank of saltcedar and native forest patches. Twelve plots were delimited in a saltcedar´s forest, where four treatments were applied: 1) control, 2) cut down of saltcedar, 3) cut down and native species introduction and 4) cut down, native species introduction and transplantation of the seed bank. The variables saltcedar´s resprout, species richness, species coverage, plant survival and seedlings emergence from the seed bank were monitored during 20 months. The saltcedar control method was 89 % effective. We selected the following species to be used in the restoration trials: Lycium boerhaviifolium, Vachellia caven, Schinus. fasciculatus, Celtis ehrembergiana y Atriplex undulata. The implanted seed bank didn´t provide new individuals to the system. We highlight the importance of replanting the areas with patches of native woody species after saltcedar control in order to increase the biodiversity and resilience of the system.