Vegetation degradation alters soil physicochemical properties and potentially affects ecosystem services in green spaces of a tropical megacity (Lubumbashi, DR Congo)
Vegetated soil, Bare soil, Soil qualities ,Ecosystem services, Urban green spaces
Abstract :
[en] Urban soils are degraded by various human pressures, including vegetation degradation, leading to changes in
physical and chemical characteristics and affecting important ecosystem services. Soil physical properties are an
important fertility control parameter, providing the basis for sustainable soil use in urban conditions; however,
they do not receive sufficient attention in work on tropical cities. We assessed the impact of vegetation degradation in six urban green spaces (bare soils versus vegetated soils) on the physical (texture, soil bulk density and
structure) and chemical (pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), organic carbon (OC), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P),
potassium (K), copper (Cu) and manganese (Mn)) qualities of soils in a tropical megacity (Lubumbashi, DR
Congo). Vegetated soils presented better physical and chemical qualities than bare soils. Vegetated soils were
characterized by a high clay and silt content and a good consistency (soil structure), while bare soils were
characterized by a high sand content and high bulk density. Vegetated soils were characterized by higher pH, OC,
N, C/N ratio, CEC, P, and K. There was no significant difference in Mn or Cu between bare and vegetated soils. Cu
was highly variable between sites (from 99 ± 61 mg.kg− 1 in VS to 8559 ± 151 mg.kg− 1 in BS). Our results
demonstrate that the destruction of vegetation, leading to bare soil, negatively affects soil properties and may
interfere with ecosystem services provided by urban soils in tropical climates. The physical properties observed
in bare soils in this study, including silt, clay, and sand content, soil structure, and soil bulk density, along with
chemical properties such as soil pH, cation exchange capacity, and soil organic carbon, can influence the
ecosystem services provided by urban soils. These services include regulating water flow and nutrient cycling,
enhancing nutrient availability, and supporting ecosystem functions through the cycling of water and nutrients.
Vegetation degradation alters soil physicochemical properties and potentially affects ecosystem services in green spaces of a tropical megacity (Lubumbashi, DR Congo)
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