Tropentag, September 16 - 18, 2026, Göttingen "Towards multi-functional agro-ecosystems promoting climate-resilient futures"

Effect of marabou (Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight & Arn.) on soil properties in agricultural systems in Cuba

¹Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas, Dept. of Agronomy, Cuba
²University of Rostock, Agricultural and Environmental Faculty, Germany
³Ghent University, Dept. of Environment, Belgium
⁴Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Biomass to Resources Group, Ecuador

Abstract

The widespread expansion of marabou (Dichrostachys cinerea) in Cuban agricultural landscapes represents not only an ecological challenge but also a potential transformation of soil system dynamics. While traditionally considered an invasive species, its influence reveals a more complex role on the indicators that determine soil quality. Soil assessment in areas invaded by marabou using selected physical, chemical, and biological indicators can provide valuable information for monitoring soil quality in agroecosystems. This study evaluated agricultural systems invaded by marabou near the city of Santa Clara, in Villa Clara province, in central Cuba. The results obtained here suggest that marabou can contribute positively to soil quality, particularly through increased carbon (C) availability and alteration of the nitrogen (N) cycle. The elevated levels of potentially mineralisable carbon and nitrogen have indicated an increase in soil organic matter turnover, especially in agricultural systems previously cultivated and managed organically. Biological parameters show that soil mesofauna communities (specifically those related to mites and springtails) remained stable in both invaded and non-invaded systems, indicating that marabou promotes conditions conducive to soil life, likely through its role in nutrient cycling and organic inputs. This ecological stability challenges the assumption that invasion by this plant in agroecosystems necessarily decreases biodiversity or soil function. Overall, marabou invasion can be interpreted as a shift toward alternative but viable soil states where agronomic potential is preserved. Instead of being solely a target for eradication, marabou could be integrated as a soil improvement tool in agricultural systems and strategically in land management frameworks aimed at restoring or maintaining soil quality in degraded agroecosystems.

Keywords: Farming systems, marabou, mesofauna, soil quality

Contact Address: Héctor Pablo Hernández-Arboláez, Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas, Dept. of Agronomy, Calle A e/ 2da y 4ta rpto. lizardo proenza, 50100 Santa Clara, Cuba, e-mail: hectorphagmail.com