The potential for using soil carbon, soil texture, and elevation as indicators of grass-cover response in Chihuahuan Desert grassland restoration practices

Authors: SCHAEFFER, KATHLEEN - University Of Texas - El Paso; Bestelmeyer, Brandon; Burkett, Laura; MCLAREN, JENNIE - University Of Texas - El Paso

Submitted to: Journal of Arid Environments
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/9/2025
Publication Date: 1/16/2025
Citation: Schaeffer, K., Bestelmeyer, B.T., Burkett, L.M., McLaren, J. 2025. The potential for using soil carbon, soil texture, and elevation as indicators of grass-cover response in Chihuahuan Desert grassland restoration practices. Journal of Arid Environments. 227. Article 105326. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105326.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2025.105326

Interpretive Summary: Over the past century, shrub encroachment has led to the displacement of perennial grasslands in many arid rangeland systems. To mitigate the negative effects that accompany shrub encroachment, land managers have concentrated their efforts toward removing shrubs to restore grasslands. Predicting the outcomes of large-scale shrub removal practices is challenging for desert grassland restoration. We set out to determine if soil and site level properties could act as predictor variables for grass response following shrub removal in the Chihuahuan Desert. Grass response was positively correlated with elevation, which was also related to soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil texture (%sand and silt). These results show that SOC, soil texture, and elevation are valuable and accessible management tools for predicting grass restoration outcomes in drylands such as the Chihuahuan Desert. 

Technical Abstract: Estimating how effective shrub removal treatments will be in desert grassland restoration is a significant challenge for land managers. We investigated whether soil and site-level properties could serve as indicator variables for grass response following shrub removal in the Chihuahuan Desert. Our study took place in southwest New Mexico, at shrub removal sites established by the Restore New Mexico (RNM) program 10 years before our sampling efforts. At each site, we sampled soils and analyzed them for organic carbon (SOC), texture (% sand, silt, and clay), and pH. Site-level grass % cover data from before and after shrub removal was used to calculate grass response (GGS) to shrub removal treatment relative to controls. GGS was positively related to SOC, with a stronger relationship for soils from under shrub canopies. GGS was also strongly related to soil texture (% sand and % silt), and positively correlated with site average annual rainfall and elevation. Elevation was also related to SOC, soil texture (% sand and silt), and average annual rainfall. Our study found that soil and site properties, such as soil carbon, soil texture, and elevation, could potentially serve as useful indicators of grass response to shrub removals and suggest further exploration of these possibilities in Chihuahuan Desert restoration practices.