RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 N2-fixing Shrubs as Nature-based Solutions to Store Soil Nutrients in Grazed Post-mining Pastures of Northern Spain
A1 Muñoz Cerro, Elena
A1 García Duro, Juan
A1 Martínez Ruiz, Carolina
A1 López Marcos, Daphne
K1 Ecología
K1 Conservación de suelos
K1 Recursos naturales
K1 Química del suelo
K1 Arbustos leguminosos
K1 Ganado
K1 Almacenamiento de nutrientes en el suelo
K1 Praderas tras la explotación minera del carbón
K1 Clima mediterráneo
K1 3106 Ciencia Forestal
AB Grazing can adversely affect soil physicochemical properties and, despite its potential benefits on restored areas, may ultimately lead to the ecosystem degradation. Given that shrubs can partially buffer these effects, we investigate their potential as a Nature-based Solution to enhance soil nutrient storage in grazed, post-mining pastures. We assessed the combined influence of legume shrubs (plots with vs. without shrubs) and grazing (plots with vs. without a fence to prevent browsing and trampling) on soil C: N:P stoichiometry, as well as on C-N-P and exchangeable cations’ stocks in a rehabilitated coal mine. The natural colonization of legume shrubs in post-mining Mediterranean pastures maintained C: N:P stoichiometry and nutrient stocks at levels comparable to those in ungrazed areas. Specifically, the presence of shrubs increased total soil organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus stocks by approximately 15%, 18%, and 12%, respectively, compared to grazed areas without shrubs. In addition, exchangeable potassium (K+) and magnesium (Mg+ 2) stocks increased by approximately 20% and 16%, respectively, under shrub canopies. In contrast, exchangeable calcium (Ca+ 2) and sodium (Na+) stocks exhibited divergent trends. In Mediterranean post-mining grasslands with low grazing pressure, native leguminous shrubs can effectively replicate the benefits of grazing exclusion by significantly enhancing soil nutrient storage. Variations in soil organic matter and structural properties accounted for 75% and 76% of the variability in nutrient stocks, respectively, underscoring their key mediating roles. These findings highlight the importance of integrating shrub management with grazing practices to support nutrient cycling and soil restoration in degraded grassland ecosystems.
PB Springer Nature
SN 0718-9508
YR 2026
FD 2026
LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/83805
UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/83805
LA eng
NO Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 2026 (Version of record)
NO Producción Científica
DS UVaDOC
RD 25-mar-2026