AUTHOR=Patidar Pankaj , Sannagoudar Manjanagouda S. , Ghosh Avijit , Singh Amit Kumar , Misra Sukanya , Khandibagur Vanitha , Ojha Deepak , Casini Ryan , Elansary Hosam O. , Chandra Amaresh 

TITLE=Tropical range grasses can sustain soil functions despite nutrient depletion in semiarid degraded land

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems

VOLUME=Volume 7 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systems/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1230156

DOI=10.3389/fsufs.2023.1230156

ISSN=2571-581X

ABSTRACT=Soil function encompasses numerous functions and services provided by the soil and can be measured using physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. In any event, research on fertility and biological activity are increasingly being stressed as indices of ecosystem services.Rangeland degradation is one of the world's most widespread land use changes, with serious consequences for soil processes and ecosystem services. The influence of uncontrolled grass cover on soil functioning in semi-arid environments is little understood. The following seven varieties of grass coverings were studied in a semi-arid area of central India in the current study, Cenchrus ciliaris (CC), Megathyrsus maximus (MM), Chrysopogon fulvus (CF), Heteropogon contortus (HC), Sehima nervosum (SN), Vetiveria zizanioides (VZ), Tri-Specific hybrid (TSH). The carbon accumulation proficiency of TSH, MM, and HC was ~2.23, 2.17, and 2.07 times greater than fallow. The nutrient cycling capacity of grasses were ~1.1 to 1.6 times greater than fallow, despite the grasses depleted macronutrients in soil. The biological activity under MM and HC was ~1.23 and 1.67 times higher than fallow. Overall soil functionality under TSH and HC was 83 and 25% greater than MM, respectively. These functions of soil augmented the ecosystem services like, climate regulation, biomass production, nutrient recycling, water and air flow. However, more attention should be paid to the management of inputs for greater ecosystem services from these grass cover in semi-arid degraded land.