EDAFOLOGÍA, Vol 12. (2), pp 139-151, 2005


VARIACIONES DE LA CALIDAD DEL SUELO ASOCIADAS A LA DEGRADACIÓN DE LA VEGETACIÓN EN AREAS DESERTIFICADAS (FUERTEVENTURA, ISLAS CANARIAS)


J. L. MORA, C. D. ARBELO, A. RODRÍGUEZ RODRÍGUEZ, J. BORDÓN


Dpto. Edafología y Geología, Facultad de Biología,Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez s/n, 38204, La Laguna, Tenerife (Islas Canarias) antororo@ull.es


Abstract

Vegetation in the island of Fuerteventura has been profoundly transformed over the last few hundred years, and the greater part of the insular territory is presently covered by substitution brush. In this paper a study of soil degradation processes relating to plant cover transformation is presented. To this end, soils that characterize the present-day countryside of the island and those associated with enclaves of original vegetation are studied, and the sequential variation of soil properties along the plant succession is established by means of multivariant analysis of environmental gradients. The results indicate that the ori- ginal vegetation was established on soils with a low natural quality, severely limited by natural aridity, sa- linity and sodicity as well as the water and wind erosion processes dominant in the island. These same ecological factors condition the quality of the island’s present soils, although the degradation of the plant cover has increased the severity of several soil degradation processes, particularly those of a physical and biological nature.


Key words: Multivariant analysis, Soil quality, Canary Islands, Plant succession, Soil degradation, Desertification