Add lime to the soil to increase fertility

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 1
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How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

80%
Certainty

18%
Harms

0%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

Application of lime (rich in calcium and Magnesium) is used to neutralize soil acidity, and increases activity of soil bacteria. This may increase soil fertility and as a result enhance biodiversity in degraded forest areas.

Study locations

Key messages

One replicated, randomized controlled study in the USA found that adding lime increased vegetation cover.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 1991-1995 in a degraded temperate coniferous forest in Idaho, USA (Walsh & Redente 2011) found that adding lime to the soil before restoration planting increased total plant cover. Total plant cover was higher in lime addition (38-40%) than control plots (17-23%). Control and lime addition treatments (at 11,000 kg/ha ) were each applied in 1991 to eight plots (3 × 10 m) at each of two hilltop sites. All plots were fertilized with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium at 112, 56 and 90 kg/ha respectively. Plots were planted with western white pine Pinus monticola trees, shrubs and grasses before treatments in 1991. Data were collected in 1995.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Walsh J.R. & Redente E.F. (2011) Comparison of reclamation techniques to re‐establish western white pine on smelter‐impacted hillsides in Idaho. Restoration Ecology, 19, 141-150.

Please cite as:

Agra, H., Schowanek, S., Carmel, Y., Smith, R.K. & Ne’eman, G. (2020) Forest Conservation. Pages 323-366 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, S.O. Petrovan & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2020. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Forest Conservation

Related Actions

Actions	Effectiveness	Studies	Category
Use fertilizer Action Link	Trade-off between benefit and harms	8	Synopsis Link
Use vegetation removal together with mechanical disturbance to the soil Action Link	Likely to be beneficial	3	Synopsis Link
Add organic matter Action Link	Trade-off between benefit and harms	4	Synopsis Link