Can organic amendments be useful in transforming a mediterranean shrubland into a dehesa?

Published source details Tarrasón D., Ojeda G., Ortiz O. & Alcañiz J.M. (2014) Can organic amendments be useful in transforming a mediterranean shrubland into a dehesa?. Restoration Ecology, 22, 486-494.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Other biodiversity: Add sewage sludge to the soil Action Link

Other biodiversity: Add sewage sludge to the soil

A replicated, controlled study in 2001–2003 in a degraded wood pasture in Catalonia, Spain (same study as (1)), found greater pasture cover and faster tree growth in plots with added sewage sludge, compared to plots without. Plants: Greater pasture cover and faster tree growth were found in plots with added sewage sludge, compared to plots without it, in two of three comparisons (90–98% vs 80–90% cover; 0.25 vs 0.16–0.17 cm/year). Similar numbers of species were found in plots with or without added sewage sludge (data not reported). Implementation options: No differences in pasture cover, tree growth, or numbers of species were found in plots with dewatered, composted, or thermally dried sewage sludge (0.07–0.25 cm/year; other data not reported). Methods: Plots (100 m²) growing shrubs and trees such as Quercus ilex and Q. humilis through natural regeneration had added sewage sludge (dewatered, composted, or thermally dried) or no sewage sludge (five plots for each): dewatered (11 Mg/ha), composted (mixed with pinewood splinters and composted; 14 Mg/ha), or thermally dried (dried at 130 ^oC; 50 Mg/ha). All sewage sludge was anaerobically digested before being processed. All plots were seeded with grasses Lolium perenne, Festuca arundinacea and Dactylis glomerata, and were weeded to simulate grazing. Woody vegetation remnants were crushed and scattered over the soil surface. Cover and number of species was estimated using a line-intercept method (every 10 cm along 10 m transect) in June 2001 and 2002. Tree growth was measured in January 2001 and December 2001–2003.