Coberturas vegetales para la recuperación de suelos de uso agropecuario en el Páramo del Almorzadero, Cerrito, Santander.

Abstract

Páramo are high-mountain ecosystems. In Colombia, they cover 50% of the territory and provide vital ecosystem services. However, as an ecosystem that has only been formed for a few years, it is considered fragile, as it is exposed to degradation due to anthropogenic activities. Different vegetation covers were evaluated for the restoration of agricultural soils in the Páramo del Almorzadero, Cerrito, Santander, Colombia, over a period of 6 months in two soil types (post-potato crop (PA) and grassland system (PR)), located in the Platera district of the municipality of Cerrito, Santander. The experimental design was a randomized complete block, consisting of four blocks and five treatments. The treatments evaluated were: Vicia sativa, Avena sativa, Medicago sativa, and Holcus lanatus sown broadcast, and a control treatment, each experimental unit with an area of 25 m2. The biological variables evaluated were the enzymatic activity of urease and dehydrogenase and mycorrhizal spore count, the physical and chemical variables analyzed were texture, apparent density, organic matter, total nitrogen, pH, phosphorus and cation exchange capacity. It was determined that the apparent density in the post-crop potato system (PA) was higher than in the pasture system (PR), confirming that the use of agricultural machinery generates changes in the physical properties of the soil. When developing the univariate analysis, significant differences were observed in some of the treatments; however, there is a close relationship between the treatments that does not allow classifying and comparing the covers according to their functioning and contribution to the recovery of paramo soils. It was assumed that the factor that influenced the results was the establishment time of the vegetation covers. The covers that presented greater to lesser development in the field were: Avena sativa, Vicia sativa, Holcus lanatus and Medicago sativa. Evaluating established cover crops helps in the recovery of páramo soils; however, associating these plants and extending the evaluation of their vegetative cycles could provide more significant results in terms of páramo soil recovery.