Abandoned Farmland Restoration in the Sonoran Desert

The Sonoran Desert ecosystem was degraded by agricultural development and groundwater pumping from the 1930s to 1970s. This project sought to restore the lowland desert by reestablishing perennial shrubs. The team determined historic species composition on a study site, acquiring seeds of those species, introduce them to the site, and provide them with extra water for establishment. Water catchment with tillage and berms are effective in retaining the water to support seedlings. Their study indicated that restoration efforts are only necessary in farmlands that devoid of perennial vegetation, far from seed sources, or with barren and altered soil condition.