Abstract

SOSA-CASTANEDA, Jesús et al. Protection against herbivory in reforestation of degraded arid land, with Palo Verde (Parkinsonia microphylla Torr.). Ecosistemas y recur. agropecuarios [online]. 2019, vol.6, n.18, pp.549-556.  Epub Feb 20, 2020. ISSN 2007-901X.  https://doi.org/10.19136/era.a6n18.2037.

Rehabilitating degraded arid lands requires overcoming biotic and abiotic limitations. The objective of this study was to determine if low-cost protective shelters improve the survival and growth of palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla) plants during the first year of reforestation at degraded sites in the Sonoran Desert. Protective shelters were built using pruning waste and plastic containers. For one year, 264 palo verde plants were subjected to differential protection treatments against herbivores: unprotected, and protected by branch shelters, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) shelters or both), and their survival and height were monitored. The survival of plants with the use of protective shelters was greater than that of unprotected plants (34.9-56.7 vs. 1.8%, x2 = 63.5; p < 0.0001); also, the heights of protected plants were greater. The use of shelters is an alternative for reforestation with palo verde in degraded lands in the Sonoran desert.

Keywords : Biodiversity; Hermosillo coast; desertification; Sonoran Desert.