These soils have no cover nor compost on the top. Any loose soil is constantly washed away and no seeds of any kind can establish or germinate on a natural bases. There are lots of pioneer plants that will establish if the seed can get a foothold. Paper thorns (Alternanthera caracasana), Devil thorns (Tribulus terrestris) and annual grasses like Three-awn grass (Aristida congesta) are such plants. A succession of plants will follow as more compost forms and the ph change. Note that ph only change in the top few centimeters. In the rest of the soil profile the ph stay the same. The top few centimeters will also undergo a color change for the daker side because of the compost. The rest of the soil profile color stay the same. The topsoil microbes, mostly fungi and a few bacteria is very important here. At this stage there is not much diversity of microbes, so fungi like Mycorrhiza sp. and Trichoderma sp. plays an important role in nutrient density, cycling and pathogen depression. Lactobacillus sp. a bacteria promote decomposition of organic material.
Perennial pioneer grasses like Sporobolus africanus will establish now. Also legumes of the Faboideae family will start growing like Rhynchosia densiflora subsp. chrysadenia to supply in a higher demand for nitrogen. Vachellia karroo and Vachellia tortilis trees might also germinate if there are in the area. More shade and deeper rooted plants will come about now. Soil temperatures are now cooler under cover.
This now benefit the growth of deeper microbes, mostly bacteria that sustain plant growth. This is bacteria like Streptomyces and Bifidobacterium. Perennial grasses like Digitaria sp., Panicum maximum and Chloris gyana can start to grow now. This only happen after 3 years or so from when the regeneration started. The microbial diversity in the soil is now higher. Climax grasses can start growing only 25 to 40 years after soil natural fertility has been achieved, like Themedia triandra and Digitaria macroblephara the two dominant grasses in some parts of the Serengeti plains in Tanzania.
The application of SOIL BIO MICROBES bring one strait to this point of high microbial diversity in the subsoil, and perennial grasses can be established with success on eroded soils immediately. This is the beauty of using SBM.
Ways to prevent soil from being washed away: