Lotus Species Used in Reclamation, Renovation, and Revegetation

Reclamation, renovation, and revegetation of land areas often demands plant materials that are easy to establish, grow rapidly, and persist in challenging edaphic and climatic situations. Revegetation practices provide a diverse plant population that can contribute to long-term site stability and productivity. Widespread use of Lotus sp. in reclamation–restoration seed mixtures can be attributed, in part, to experience and success in practical or applied situations. While species like L. corniculatus are often included in surveys of reclamation practices, yet Lotus sp. success in challenging environments remains to be explained. Lotus sp. possess a range of morphological and physiological attributes that makes the genus well suited for use in the restoration of disturbed or marginal land areas. Natural populations of Lotus sp. can occur as a result of fire, while introduced representatives of the species are regularly used in pasture renovation and mined or disturbed land revegetation.