Abstract

BIFULCO, Carlo  and  REGO, Francisco Castro. Selection of Suitable Species for Bioengineering. Silva Lus. [online]. 2012, vol.20, n.1-2, pp.15-38. ISSN 0870-6352.

Soil bioengineering was developed in central Europe after World War II and in Mediterranean Europe in the last twenty years; soil bioengineering has been recently applied also in Portugal suggesting its potential future development. Soil bioengineering, to consolidate and stabilize sliding down slopes, uses indigenous trees and shrubs with good vegetative propagation. A key feature of these species, employed as cuttings or as whole plants, is to not get damaged when their stems are buried in the ground about one meter. In this article is selected, from Mainland Portugal flora, a list of plant species, starting from scientific literature of Portugal, Central Europe and Central and Southern Europe, and using practical knowledge developed in Southern Italy. Afterwards groups of species are defined as (i) appropriate for soil bioengineering works to do in Portugal and (ii) probably adequate, requiring further researches to improve the knowledge about their feature. Tests are planned to assess the biotechnical features of this second group.

Keywords : Soil bioengineering; vegetative propagation; cuttings; rooting; adventitious roots; flora of Mainland Portugal.

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