Temporal dynamics of soil quality under Prosopis juliflora afforestation in drylands
- 1Forest Science Department Faculty of Agriculture Ilam University Ilam Iran
- 2Soil Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture Ilam University Ilam Iran
Abstract
Afforestation in drylands is an effective approach to mitigating soil degradation and erosion while promoting ecological restoration in disturbed ecosystems. This study evaluated the long‐term effects of Prosopis juliflora afforestation on soil physical, chemical, and biological properties in Iranian drylands. Four afforested stands representing two age classes (10 and 30 years) and a nearby non‐afforested control area were selected. A total of 40 soil samples were collected from two depths (0–15 and 15–30 cm). Soil properties were analyzed using two‐way analysis of variance, a generalized linear model, principal component analysis, and Duncan and Tamhane post hoc tests. The interaction between afforestation age and soil depth significantly affected pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total nitrogen (N), organic carbon (OC), sand and silt content, basal respiration, and soil quality index (SQI) (p < 0.05). EC, clay content, and bulk density did not differ significantly between soil depths, whereas saturated moisture point, OC, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, silt content, and basal respiration showed significant depth‐related differences. In surface soils (0–15 cm), afforestation age had no significant effect on pH, EC, bulk density, or clay content. However, afforestation improved several soil quality indicators, with fertility enhancement beginning in younger stands and increasing over time. Compared with younger stands, older stands exhibited 45% higher soil C, 33% higher soil N, and a 16% increase in SQI. The afforestation positively influenced soil quality, particularly in surface layers, by enhancing nutrient status and biological activity while contributing to the stabilization of loose sandy soils in arid environments.
Related
- GEB-PlantFATE v1.0 Coupling of forest demographic and soil hydrological models for simulating the hydrological impacts of afforestation and biodiversity
- Land-cover-specific network reconfiguration and spatial trajectories govern abrupt vegetation regime shifts across global drylands
- Remote sensing of aerosols over drylands: Challenges, uncertainties, and paths forward
- Microbial nutrient limitations in soil during afforestation in the Mu Us Desert, China: insights from extracellular enzyme stoichiometry
- Green space dynamics in a rapidly urbanizing landscape: A multi-temporal remote sensing assessment and CA-Markov modelling of Jashore, Bangladesh
BibTeX
@article{hosseinzadeh2026temporal,
title = {{Temporal dynamics of soil quality under Prosopis juliflora afforestation in drylands}},
author = {Jaafar Hosseinzadeh and Mehdi Heydari and Ahmad Ehsani and Masoud Bazgir},
journal = {Vadose Zone Journal},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1002/vzj2.70139},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/vzj2.70139},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Temporal dynamics of soil quality under Prosopis juliflora afforestation in drylands
AU - Jaafar Hosseinzadeh
AU - Mehdi Heydari
AU - Ahmad Ehsani
AU - Masoud Bazgir
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
JO - Vadose Zone Journal
DO - 10.1002/vzj2.70139
UR - https://doi.org/10.1002/vzj2.70139
AB - Afforestation in drylands is an effective approach to mitigating soil degradation and erosion while promoting ecological restoration in disturbed ecosystems. This study evaluated the long‐term effects of Prosopis juliflora afforestation on soil physical, chemical, and biological properties in Iranian drylands. Four afforested stands representing two age classes (10 and 30 years) and a nearby non‐afforested control area were selected. A total of 40 soil samples were collected from two depths (0–15 and 15–30 cm). Soil properties were analyzed using two‐way analysis of variance, a generalized linear model, principal component analysis, and Duncan and Tamhane post hoc tests. The interaction between afforestation age and soil depth significantly affected pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total nitrogen (N), organic carbon (OC), sand and silt content, basal respiration, and soil quality index (SQI) (p < 0.05). EC, clay content, and bulk density did not differ significantly between soil depths, whereas saturated moisture point, OC, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, silt content, and basal respiration showed significant depth‐related differences. In surface soils (0–15 cm), afforestation age had no significant effect on pH, EC, bulk density, or clay content. However, afforestation improved several soil quality indicators, with fertility enhancement beginning in younger stands and increasing over time. Compared with younger stands, older stands exhibited 45% higher soil C, 33% higher soil N, and a 16% increase in SQI. The afforestation positively influenced soil quality, particularly in surface layers, by enhancing nutrient status and biological activity while contributing to the stabilization of loose sandy soils in arid environments.
SN - 1539-1663
ER -