The effects of human trampling on the microbiological properties of soil and vegetation in mediterranean mountain areas
(2011) In Land Degradation and Development 22. p.383-394- Abstract
- Increased tourist activity and recreational use of wilderness and other protected areas has endangered zones of high environmental value. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of trampling intensity (low, high use trails and untrampled trails) and distance from the trails (on the trails, at 10 and 20m from the trails) on the vegetation, chemical, physical and microbiological properties of a soil in Mediterranean mountain areas. Trail type and distance from the trail significantly influenced several parameters. High use trails showed lower values of plant cover and diversity of vegetation species, as well as soil respiration and some enzyme activities (phosphatase, β-glucosidase and dehydrogenase) than low use trails. In... (More)
- Increased tourist activity and recreational use of wilderness and other protected areas has endangered zones of high environmental value. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of trampling intensity (low, high use trails and untrampled trails) and distance from the trails (on the trails, at 10 and 20m from the trails) on the vegetation, chemical, physical and microbiological properties of a soil in Mediterranean mountain areas. Trail type and distance from the trail significantly influenced several parameters. High use trails showed lower values of plant cover and diversity of vegetation species, as well as soil respiration and some enzyme activities (phosphatase, β-glucosidase and dehydrogenase) than low use trails. In addition, the effects of trampling spatially extended further from these high use trails than from low use trails. Statistical analysis showed that some microbiological (basal respiration, dehydrogenase activity and β-glucosidase activity) and vegetal parameters (plant cover and diversity) may be established as a set of indicators for the evaluation of soil quality on these areas subjected to human trampling. We concluded that trampling significantly impacts on soil microbial processes and vegetal communities, and visitor should be restricted from entering ecologically sensitive areas due to the effects of trampling. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/4362813
- author
- Lucas-Borja, M. E. ; Bastida, F. ; Moreno, J. L. ; Cuevas, César Nicolás LU ; Andres, M. ; López, F. R. and del Cerro, A.
- publishing date
- 2011
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Enzyme activity, Human trampling, Mediterranean mountain areas, Plant cover, Soil microbial activity, Soil quality, Spain
- in
- Land Degradation and Development
- volume
- 22
- pages
- 383 - 394
- publisher
- John Wiley & Sons Inc.
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:79960707868
- ISSN
- 1099-145X
- DOI
- 10.1002/ldr.1014
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- additional info
- 4
- id
- ceff134e-19fa-4d55-b67e-6c8e99e97c83 (old id 4362813)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-04 12:55:55
- date last changed
- 2022-03-31 20:07:32
@article{ceff134e-19fa-4d55-b67e-6c8e99e97c83, abstract = {{Increased tourist activity and recreational use of wilderness and other protected areas has endangered zones of high environmental value. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of trampling intensity (low, high use trails and untrampled trails) and distance from the trails (on the trails, at 10 and 20m from the trails) on the vegetation, chemical, physical and microbiological properties of a soil in Mediterranean mountain areas. Trail type and distance from the trail significantly influenced several parameters. High use trails showed lower values of plant cover and diversity of vegetation species, as well as soil respiration and some enzyme activities (phosphatase, β-glucosidase and dehydrogenase) than low use trails. In addition, the effects of trampling spatially extended further from these high use trails than from low use trails. Statistical analysis showed that some microbiological (basal respiration, dehydrogenase activity and β-glucosidase activity) and vegetal parameters (plant cover and diversity) may be established as a set of indicators for the evaluation of soil quality on these areas subjected to human trampling. We concluded that trampling significantly impacts on soil microbial processes and vegetal communities, and visitor should be restricted from entering ecologically sensitive areas due to the effects of trampling. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.}}, author = {{Lucas-Borja, M. E. and Bastida, F. and Moreno, J. L. and Cuevas, César Nicolás and Andres, M. and López, F. R. and del Cerro, A.}}, issn = {{1099-145X}}, keywords = {{Enzyme activity; Human trampling; Mediterranean mountain areas; Plant cover; Soil microbial activity; Soil quality; Spain}}, language = {{eng}}, pages = {{383--394}}, publisher = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}}, series = {{Land Degradation and Development}}, title = {{The effects of human trampling on the microbiological properties of soil and vegetation in mediterranean mountain areas}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ldr.1014}}, doi = {{10.1002/ldr.1014}}, volume = {{22}}, year = {{2011}}, }