Fourteen years of anthropization dynamics in the Uapaca bojeri Baill. forest of Madagascar

Thalès de Haulleville, Olivia L. Rakotondrasoa, Harifidy Rakoto Ratsimba, Jean-François Bastin, Yves Brostaux, François J. Verheggen, Gabrielle L. Rajoelison, François Malaisse, Marc Poncelet, Éric Haubruge, Hans Beeckman, Jan Bogaert
2018 Landscape and Ecological Engineering  
Perturbations caused by alien species on native plant regeneration and on soil microbial dynamics are major problem to biodiversity conservation. In this study, our main objective was to evaluate the impact of the propagation of an exotic plant species, Psidium cattleianum, i) on soil Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungus dynamics, and ii) on the regeneration of Uapaca ferruginea, a native species in the Eastern forest of Madagascar. Soil samples were collected within (i) a homogenous formation of
more » ... P. cattleianum, (ii) a natural forest devoid of P. cattleianum dominated mainly by U. ferruginea, and (iii) a degraded soil outside the forest and devoid of P. cattleianum. Soil enzymatic activities, soil microbial activity, the Most Probable Number (MPN) of mycorrhizal propagules in soil and the total number of Arbucular Mycorrhiza spores in soil were assessed. Seedling development of U. ferruginea planted on these three soil samples were assessed after 5 months culturing under greenhouse conditions. The total numbers of AM Fungal spores were significantly high on colonized soil by P. cattleianum. Global microbial activity was significantly higher on natural forest soil than those recorded on the other soil samples. Seedling development of U. ferruginea decreased from soil forest to invaded soil by P. cattleianum and degraded soil.
doi:10.1007/s11355-017-0340-z fatcat:arnvzkopdja6lbqwk4evckuwsi