Evaluation of the Effect of Dolomitic Lime Application on Pastures—Case Study in the Montado Mediterranean Ecosystem

João Serrano, Shakib Shahidian, José Marques da Silva, Francisco Moral, Fernando Carvajal-Ramirez, Emanuel Carreira, Alfredo Pereira and Mário de Carvalho
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João Serrano: MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal
Shakib Shahidian: MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal
José Marques da Silva: MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal
Francisco Moral: Departamento de Expresión Gráfica, Escuela de Ingenierías Industriales, Universidad de Extremadura. Avenida de Elvas s/n, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
Fernando Carvajal-Ramirez: Department of Engineering, Mediterranean Research Center of Economics and Sustainable Development (CIMEDES), University of Almería (Agrifood Campus of International Excellence, ceiA3), La Cañada de San Urbano, s/n. 04120 Almería, Spain
Emanuel Carreira: MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal
Alfredo Pereira: MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal
Mário de Carvalho: MED-Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 9, 1-19

Abstract: The Montado ecosystem, predominant in the Mediterranean region, consists of poor soils, a sparse cover of cork and holm with an understory of natural biodiverse pastures, grazed by animals in extensive regime. The recommended procedure for increasing productivity of these pastures is based on the application of phosphate fertilizer. One of the main productivity-limiting factors is, however, associated with soil acidity. The objective of this work was to evaluate the simultaneous effect of the holm oak canopy and the application of dolomitic lime on the productivity and quality of a permanent biodiverse pasture, grazed by sheep, in an acid soil (pH = 5.4 ± 0.3). Pasture was monitored at the end of autumn 2018 and winter and spring 2019. The results show that amendment of soil acidity is a slow and gradual process that improves soil Mg/Mn ratio and has a positive impact on pasture productivity and quality. Pasture crude protein availability (CP, kg·ha −1 ), which is based on both pasture dry matter yield (kg·ha −1 ) and quality (CP, %), proved to be a very practical indicator of the contributions of tree canopy and soil acidity correction to the holistic management of the Montado ecosystem.

Keywords: soil pH amendment; tree effect; productivity; crude protein; pasture quality index (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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