Recarbonization of Soil by Restoration of Extended Pastures and Bison Reintroduction in Northern Mexico
摘要
The Mexican Great Plains used to be covered by extensive grasslands which hosted several mammal species, among them bison. Dark colored, deep and fertile soils support this particular ecosystem. Yet overhunting led to bison extinction in northern Mexico by the end of the ninetieth century, and overgrazing by cattle has replaced grass cover with shrubs, while increased temperatures fostered by climate change promote fire frequency. Currently, natural grasslands are reduced to less than 4% of the region, and the soils have been degraded by loss of soil organic matter, erosion and compaction. In order to revert the ecosystem damage, bison herds are currently reintroduced successfully at two sites, Janos, Chihuahua, and Maderas del Carmen, Coahulia, as a strategy to preserve large herbivores, recover natural grasslands and recarbonize soils. This chapter documents this holistic approach of wildlife conservation, climate change mitigation and soil rehabilitation.