CALIDAD DEL SUELO Y SUCESIÓN VEGETAL EN ANDOSOLES
FORESTALES DE LAS ISLAS CANARIAS

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

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

Abstract

Soil quality is closely related to processes of ecological succession. The degradation of an ecosystem causes a decrease in soil quality and a simultaneous regression in plant succession. The aim of this work is to study regeneration processes of the vegetation on forest andosols in an area within the Garajonay National Park (island of La Gomera, Canary Islands) and determine the variations in the soil quality associated with plant succession. The results obtained show that the plant formations with a lesser degree of regeneration are associated with processes of leptosolization, erosion, compactation and mineralization of organic matter, while the communities closer to the climax present important improvements in soil quality, tending towards andosolization.

Key words: Andosols, Soil quality, Plant succession, Laurel forest, Leptosolisation, Andosolisation, Canary Islands.