Effect of livestock on soil structure and chemistry in the coastal marshes of the central Gulf Coast of Mexico

Abstract

Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems on earth because of their high ecological and economic value. On the central Gulf Coast of Mexico, there are numerous coastal wetlands, although 58% of their area has been lost or degraded due to management activities, among them raising livestock. Globally, little is known about the effect of this activity on hydromorphic soils of herbaceous wetlands, and in Mexico, there is even less knowledge. This study assessed the degree of impact of livestock on soil physicochemical properties of the coastal marshes of Alvarado, in the south of Veracruz. In four sampling sites (two organic and two with mineral soils) with different levels of impact, soil samples were taken during one year to obtain data on variables such as bulk density, total porosity, organic matter, pH, and nutrients. At sites where the stocking was low, cattle were rotated once a year and the hydrology was unaltered, and soil hydromorphic intrinsic properties were preserved. The results of this study should be considered in the development of strategies for the management and conservation of these tropical ecosystems, as a means to achieve sustainable livestock farming in wetlands.