Evaluación de los esfuerzos de restauración ecológica en el matorral espinoso tamaulipeco

Ecological restoration in arid and semi-arid ecosystems faces complex challengesdue to water scarcity, extreme temperatures, degraded soils, and biotic interactionssuch as livestock grazing and the high presence of exotic plant species.Reforestation, as an active restoration technique, aims to recover these ecosystemsthrough the planting of native species. However, these projects are costly andrequire significant intervention. Eight restoration initiatives in the tamaulipanthornscrub (TTS) of Nuevo León, Mexico, were reviewed, with results publishedbetween 2016 and 2024. These projects were implemented on land altered by ahistory of agricultural and livestock use. Restoration actions includedsupplementary irrigation and the removal of exotic vegetation. Native plantspecies extracted or rescued from the wild, as well as plants developed innurseries, were used for planting. A total of 33 plant species were used in thereviewed initiatives, with Cordia boissieri A. DC. being the only species commonto all. Planting designs included "tres bolillo" and "marco real" systems withvarying densities. Survival rates fluctuated with plantation monitoring, beinglower as time increased and maintenance decreased.