How Do Agricultural Practices Modify Soil Nutrient Dynamics in CCB?

Abstract

Increasing crop production to satisfy food demand of the growing population is one of the greatest challenges that we currently face. This has increased the rate at which natural ecosystems are transformed into agricultural systems. These land use changes, which are accompanied by agricultural practices such as the use of agrochemicals (pesticides and fertilizers), tillage, and irrigation, can lead to ecosystem degradation. Nationally, the state of Coahuila ranks seventh in production of alfalfa (1, 742,149 Mg), which is primarily used to feed the livestock in the country's largest milk-producing area, Comarca Lagunera in Torreón. The alfalfa produced at Cuatro Cienegas Basin (CCB) is transported to this region, therefore, effectively exporting the wetland water and threatening CCBs' sustainability.