Plant succession and soil degradation in desertified areas (Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain)

The results indicate that the original vegetation was established on soils with a low natural quality, severely limited by natural aridity, salinity and sodicity as well as the water and wind erosion processes dominant in the island. These same ecological factors condition the quality of the island's present soils, although the degradation of the plant cover has increased the severity of several soil degradation processes, particularly those of a physical and biological nature.