Integrating Restoration Practices With Productive Activities to Promote the Sustainable Management of Dry Forests Devoted to Livestock Raising

Livestock raising provides a livelihood for millions of people who inhabit forests worldwide. However, browsing and trampling can disrupt the regeneration of tree species, compromising the persistence of native forests in the long term. Therefore, in this study, we assess low-cost restoration practi...

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Main Authors: Cavallero, Laura, Zarate, Martín Horacio
Format: info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo
Language:Inglés
Published: Wiley 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/22171
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ldr.5615
https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5615
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author Cavallero, Laura
Zarate, Martín Horacio
author_browse Cavallero, Laura
Zarate, Martín Horacio
author_facet Cavallero, Laura
Zarate, Martín Horacio
author_sort Cavallero, Laura
collection INTA Digital
description Livestock raising provides a livelihood for millions of people who inhabit forests worldwide. However, browsing and trampling can disrupt the regeneration of tree species, compromising the persistence of native forests in the long term. Therefore, in this study, we assess low-cost restoration practices compatible with livestock production. Specifically, we tested the effect of thorny branch protection on the survival and growth of natural regeneration and nursery-grown saplings of Lithraea molleoides. Additionally, we evaluated the effect of hydrogel application on protected and unprotected L. molleoides nursery-grown saplings. Finally, we compared the survival and growth of protected and unprotected natural regeneration versus nursery-grown saplings. In three fields under different grazing pressures, we marked 105 L. molleoides seedlings < 40 cm height (we protected 69, whereas 36 remained unprotected). Also, we transplanted 120 saplings > 70 cm height that were randomly assigned to four treatments (protected-with- and without-hydrogel; unprotected-with- and without-hydrogel). The protection with thorny branches facilitated the growth of natural regeneration and nursery-grown saplings. However, the efficiency of this practice depended on the grazing pressure, being more effective in the field with lower grazing pressure. Hydrogel addition did not affect nursery-grown saplings survival or growth, suggesting that in our study system the main filter to L. molleoides regeneration is cattle browsing and trampling. Finally, protecting naturally recruited individuals was more effective than protecting nursery-grown saplings. The practice assessed in this study allows for combining restoring and producing activities rather than separating them, thereby adapting to the management objectives of land owners and incorporating human livelihood needs in restoration plans.
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spelling INTA221712025-05-06T15:11:08Z Integrating Restoration Practices With Productive Activities to Promote the Sustainable Management of Dry Forests Devoted to Livestock Raising Cavallero, Laura Zarate, Martín Horacio Producción Animal Regeneración Vegetal Bosque Primario Animal Production Revegetation Primary Forests Sustainability Sostenibilidad Livestock raising provides a livelihood for millions of people who inhabit forests worldwide. However, browsing and trampling can disrupt the regeneration of tree species, compromising the persistence of native forests in the long term. Therefore, in this study, we assess low-cost restoration practices compatible with livestock production. Specifically, we tested the effect of thorny branch protection on the survival and growth of natural regeneration and nursery-grown saplings of Lithraea molleoides. Additionally, we evaluated the effect of hydrogel application on protected and unprotected L. molleoides nursery-grown saplings. Finally, we compared the survival and growth of protected and unprotected natural regeneration versus nursery-grown saplings. In three fields under different grazing pressures, we marked 105 L. molleoides seedlings < 40 cm height (we protected 69, whereas 36 remained unprotected). Also, we transplanted 120 saplings > 70 cm height that were randomly assigned to four treatments (protected-with- and without-hydrogel; unprotected-with- and without-hydrogel). The protection with thorny branches facilitated the growth of natural regeneration and nursery-grown saplings. However, the efficiency of this practice depended on the grazing pressure, being more effective in the field with lower grazing pressure. Hydrogel addition did not affect nursery-grown saplings survival or growth, suggesting that in our study system the main filter to L. molleoides regeneration is cattle browsing and trampling. Finally, protecting naturally recruited individuals was more effective than protecting nursery-grown saplings. The practice assessed in this study allows for combining restoring and producing activities rather than separating them, thereby adapting to the management objectives of land owners and incorporating human livelihood needs in restoration plans. EEA Manfredi Fil: Cavallero, Laura. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Manfredi. Campo Anexo Villa Dolores; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Fil: Zarate, Martín Horacio. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Manfredi. Estación Forestal Villa Dolores; Argentina 2025-05-06T15:04:45Z 2025-05-06T15:04:45Z 2025-04-27 info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/22171 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ldr.5615 1085-3278 1099-145X https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5615 eng info:eu-repograntAgreement/INTA/2019-RIST-E1-I027-001, Red de agroecología info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) application/pdf Wiley Land Degradation & Development : 1-12. (First published: 19 April 2025)
spellingShingle Producción Animal
Regeneración Vegetal
Bosque Primario
Animal Production
Revegetation
Primary Forests
Sustainability
Sostenibilidad
Cavallero, Laura
Zarate, Martín Horacio
Integrating Restoration Practices With Productive Activities to Promote the Sustainable Management of Dry Forests Devoted to Livestock Raising
title Integrating Restoration Practices With Productive Activities to Promote the Sustainable Management of Dry Forests Devoted to Livestock Raising
title_full Integrating Restoration Practices With Productive Activities to Promote the Sustainable Management of Dry Forests Devoted to Livestock Raising
title_fullStr Integrating Restoration Practices With Productive Activities to Promote the Sustainable Management of Dry Forests Devoted to Livestock Raising
title_full_unstemmed Integrating Restoration Practices With Productive Activities to Promote the Sustainable Management of Dry Forests Devoted to Livestock Raising
title_short Integrating Restoration Practices With Productive Activities to Promote the Sustainable Management of Dry Forests Devoted to Livestock Raising
title_sort integrating restoration practices with productive activities to promote the sustainable management of dry forests devoted to livestock raising
topic Producción Animal
Regeneración Vegetal
Bosque Primario
Animal Production
Revegetation
Primary Forests
Sustainability
Sostenibilidad
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/22171
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ldr.5615
https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.5615
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