Soil recovery of alluvial gold mine spoils in the Peruvian Amazon using Stylosanthes guianensis, a promising cover crop

The Amazon is an important reservoir of biodiversity and carbon but it is under pressure by multiple threats such as artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). In Peru ASGM has degraded 90,000 ha of old growth forest since the eighties, leaving vast areas as wastelands. As most ASGM in the region...

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Autores principales: Velásquez Ramírez, Manuel Gabriel, Castillo Torres, Dennis del, Guerrero Barrantes, Juan Antonio, Vásquez Bardales, Joel, Thomas, Evert, Cusi Auca, Edgar, Chinen Gushiken, Midori, Muñoz Diaz, Betzy, Russo, Ricardo, Corvera Gomringer, Ronald
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Wiley 2021
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/115589
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author Velásquez Ramírez, Manuel Gabriel
Castillo Torres, Dennis del
Guerrero Barrantes, Juan Antonio
Vásquez Bardales, Joel
Thomas, Evert
Cusi Auca, Edgar
Chinen Gushiken, Midori
Muñoz Diaz, Betzy
Russo, Ricardo
Corvera Gomringer, Ronald
author_browse Castillo Torres, Dennis del
Chinen Gushiken, Midori
Corvera Gomringer, Ronald
Cusi Auca, Edgar
Guerrero Barrantes, Juan Antonio
Muñoz Diaz, Betzy
Russo, Ricardo
Thomas, Evert
Velásquez Ramírez, Manuel Gabriel
Vásquez Bardales, Joel
author_facet Velásquez Ramírez, Manuel Gabriel
Castillo Torres, Dennis del
Guerrero Barrantes, Juan Antonio
Vásquez Bardales, Joel
Thomas, Evert
Cusi Auca, Edgar
Chinen Gushiken, Midori
Muñoz Diaz, Betzy
Russo, Ricardo
Corvera Gomringer, Ronald
author_sort Velásquez Ramírez, Manuel Gabriel
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description The Amazon is an important reservoir of biodiversity and carbon but it is under pressure by multiple threats such as artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). In Peru ASGM has degraded 90,000 ha of old growth forest since the eighties, leaving vast areas as wastelands. As most ASGM in the region is illegal, efforts to recover degraded areas have been scant. Here we assessed the potential of Stylosanthes guianensis to recover soil health as a first step in the restoration of gold mine spoils in a Native community and a mining concession in Madre de Dios, Peru. We evaluated plant growth and analyzed changes in physical, chemical and biological soil parameters. After 470 days after sowing, average plant height was 46.7 cm with a survival rate > 50% and yields of 23.9 t ha−1 and 450 kg ha−1 of dry biomass and nitrogen, respectively. Multiple soil parameters increased significantly, including cationic exchange capacity (3.3 to 4.0 cmol [+] kg−1), soil organic matter (0.03 to 0.39%), soil respiration (0.02 to 0.06 mg CO2 g−1 d−1) and biomass (0.03 to 0.15 mg C g−1). Soil macrofauna increased from 2 to 11 taxonomic groups, including ants, considered as soil engineers. Furthermore, S. guianensis increased soil carbon sequestration of impacted areas from 0.004 t C ha−1 by more than 1650%, up to 0.07 t C ha−1. These promising findings clearly illustrate S. guianensis potential to kick-start natural succession of Amazonian forests after degradation by ASGM and hence help achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
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spelling CGSpace1155892025-08-15T13:21:27Z Soil recovery of alluvial gold mine spoils in the Peruvian Amazon using Stylosanthes guianensis, a promising cover crop Velásquez Ramírez, Manuel Gabriel Castillo Torres, Dennis del Guerrero Barrantes, Juan Antonio Vásquez Bardales, Joel Thomas, Evert Cusi Auca, Edgar Chinen Gushiken, Midori Muñoz Diaz, Betzy Russo, Ricardo Corvera Gomringer, Ronald plant growth soil analysis alluvial soils cover plants crecimiento de planta análisis del suelo suelo aluvial development The Amazon is an important reservoir of biodiversity and carbon but it is under pressure by multiple threats such as artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). In Peru ASGM has degraded 90,000 ha of old growth forest since the eighties, leaving vast areas as wastelands. As most ASGM in the region is illegal, efforts to recover degraded areas have been scant. Here we assessed the potential of Stylosanthes guianensis to recover soil health as a first step in the restoration of gold mine spoils in a Native community and a mining concession in Madre de Dios, Peru. We evaluated plant growth and analyzed changes in physical, chemical and biological soil parameters. After 470 days after sowing, average plant height was 46.7 cm with a survival rate > 50% and yields of 23.9 t ha−1 and 450 kg ha−1 of dry biomass and nitrogen, respectively. Multiple soil parameters increased significantly, including cationic exchange capacity (3.3 to 4.0 cmol [+] kg−1), soil organic matter (0.03 to 0.39%), soil respiration (0.02 to 0.06 mg CO2 g−1 d−1) and biomass (0.03 to 0.15 mg C g−1). Soil macrofauna increased from 2 to 11 taxonomic groups, including ants, considered as soil engineers. Furthermore, S. guianensis increased soil carbon sequestration of impacted areas from 0.004 t C ha−1 by more than 1650%, up to 0.07 t C ha−1. These promising findings clearly illustrate S. guianensis potential to kick-start natural succession of Amazonian forests after degradation by ASGM and hence help achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. 2021-12 2021-10-21T09:25:15Z 2021-10-21T09:25:15Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/115589 en Limited Access Wiley Velásquez Ramírez, M.G.; del Castillo Torres, D.; Guerrero Barrantes, J.A.; Vásquez Bardales, J.; Thomas, E.; Cusi Auca, E.; Chinen Gushiken, M.; Muñoz Diaz, B.; Russo, R.; Corvera Gomringer, R. (2021) Soil recovery of alluvial gold mine spoils in the Peruvian Amazon using Stylosanthes guianensis, a promising cover crop. Land Degradation & Development, Online first paper (03 October 2021). ISSN: 1085-3278
spellingShingle plant growth
soil analysis
alluvial soils
cover plants
crecimiento de planta
análisis del suelo
suelo aluvial
development
Velásquez Ramírez, Manuel Gabriel
Castillo Torres, Dennis del
Guerrero Barrantes, Juan Antonio
Vásquez Bardales, Joel
Thomas, Evert
Cusi Auca, Edgar
Chinen Gushiken, Midori
Muñoz Diaz, Betzy
Russo, Ricardo
Corvera Gomringer, Ronald
Soil recovery of alluvial gold mine spoils in the Peruvian Amazon using Stylosanthes guianensis, a promising cover crop
title Soil recovery of alluvial gold mine spoils in the Peruvian Amazon using Stylosanthes guianensis, a promising cover crop
title_full Soil recovery of alluvial gold mine spoils in the Peruvian Amazon using Stylosanthes guianensis, a promising cover crop
title_fullStr Soil recovery of alluvial gold mine spoils in the Peruvian Amazon using Stylosanthes guianensis, a promising cover crop
title_full_unstemmed Soil recovery of alluvial gold mine spoils in the Peruvian Amazon using Stylosanthes guianensis, a promising cover crop
title_short Soil recovery of alluvial gold mine spoils in the Peruvian Amazon using Stylosanthes guianensis, a promising cover crop
title_sort soil recovery of alluvial gold mine spoils in the peruvian amazon using stylosanthes guianensis a promising cover crop
topic plant growth
soil analysis
alluvial soils
cover plants
crecimiento de planta
análisis del suelo
suelo aluvial
development
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/115589
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