Diversity patterns in the steppe of Argentinean Southern Patagonia: Environmental drivers and impact of grazing

The steppe ecosystem, mainly characterised by the presence of tussock, short grasses and shrubs, covers 85% of the total area in Santa Cruz Province and 25% in Tierra del Fuego Island. Most of the land in the Patagonian region has been influenced by domestic livestock grazing for more than 100 year...

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Main Authors: Peri, Pablo Luis, Lencinas, María Vanessa, Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José, Wardell-Johnson, Grant W., Lasagno, Romina Gisele
Format: Capítulo de libro
Language:Inglés
Published: NOVA Science Publishers 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/11184
https://novapublishers.com/shop/steppe-ecosystems-biological-diversity-management-and-restoration/
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author Peri, Pablo Luis
Lencinas, María Vanessa
Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José
Wardell-Johnson, Grant W.
Lasagno, Romina Gisele
author_browse Lasagno, Romina Gisele
Lencinas, María Vanessa
Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José
Peri, Pablo Luis
Wardell-Johnson, Grant W.
author_facet Peri, Pablo Luis
Lencinas, María Vanessa
Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José
Wardell-Johnson, Grant W.
Lasagno, Romina Gisele
author_sort Peri, Pablo Luis
collection INTA Digital
description The steppe ecosystem, mainly characterised by the presence of tussock, short grasses and shrubs, covers 85% of the total area in Santa Cruz Province and 25% in Tierra del Fuego Island. Most of the land in the Patagonian region has been influenced by domestic livestock grazing for more than 100 years. This has led to a substantial modification of the ecosystem and the original floristic patterns. Erosion and degradation processes have occurred in several areas of Patagonia mainly due to an overestimation of the carrying capacity of these rangelands. In this chapter we review patterns of plant and insect diversity in relation to environmental drivers and grazing impact in the steppe of Argentinian South Patagonia. In Santa Cruz, results from 141 sites indicated significant interactions between grazing and the abiotic environment (mainly water avalilability) on plant diversity. The complexity of these interactions indicated the need for examining patterns of species turnover at different spatial scales. Analysis of the steppe vegetation patterns from 113 sites along Tierra del Fuego Island demostrated differences related to geographical zones (North, Center, East and South), dominant vegetation types (grasslands, peatlands or shrublands) and disturbance impact (grazing, beavers or burned areas). Because insect diversity of Tierra del Fuego steppes is poorly known, coleopterans were selected as potential indicators of biodiversity using pitfalls traps in the same vegetation survey sites. We found significant changes in ground-active beetle assemblages generated by grazing and livestock activities, both in grassland, peatlands and shrublands. Therefore, this group of insects could be useful indicators of biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management.
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institution Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA -Argentina)
language Inglés
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spelling INTA111842022-02-17T13:02:19Z Diversity patterns in the steppe of Argentinean Southern Patagonia: Environmental drivers and impact of grazing Peri, Pablo Luis Lencinas, María Vanessa Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José Wardell-Johnson, Grant W. Lasagno, Romina Gisele Steppes Vegetation Grazing Botanical Composition Biodiversity Abiotic Factors Plant Available Water Interactions Peatlands Species Richness Estepas Vegetación Pastoreo Composición Botánica Insecta Biodiversidad Factores Abióticos Agua Disponible para la Vegetación Interacciones Turberas Riqueza Específica Tierra del Fuego (Argentina) Región Patagónica The steppe ecosystem, mainly characterised by the presence of tussock, short grasses and shrubs, covers 85% of the total area in Santa Cruz Province and 25% in Tierra del Fuego Island. Most of the land in the Patagonian region has been influenced by domestic livestock grazing for more than 100 years. This has led to a substantial modification of the ecosystem and the original floristic patterns. Erosion and degradation processes have occurred in several areas of Patagonia mainly due to an overestimation of the carrying capacity of these rangelands. In this chapter we review patterns of plant and insect diversity in relation to environmental drivers and grazing impact in the steppe of Argentinian South Patagonia. In Santa Cruz, results from 141 sites indicated significant interactions between grazing and the abiotic environment (mainly water avalilability) on plant diversity. The complexity of these interactions indicated the need for examining patterns of species turnover at different spatial scales. Analysis of the steppe vegetation patterns from 113 sites along Tierra del Fuego Island demostrated differences related to geographical zones (North, Center, East and South), dominant vegetation types (grasslands, peatlands or shrublands) and disturbance impact (grazing, beavers or burned areas). Because insect diversity of Tierra del Fuego steppes is poorly known, coleopterans were selected as potential indicators of biodiversity using pitfalls traps in the same vegetation survey sites. We found significant changes in ground-active beetle assemblages generated by grazing and livestock activities, both in grassland, peatlands and shrublands. Therefore, this group of insects could be useful indicators of biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management. EEA Santa Cruz Fil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz; Argentina. Fil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral; Argentina. Fil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Fil: Lencinas, María Vanessa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC); Argentina. Fil: Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC); Argentina. Fil: Wardell-Johnson, Grant W. Curtin University. Curtin Institute for Biodiversity and Climate; Australia. Fil: Lasagno, Romina Gisele. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz; Argentina. 2022-02-17T12:48:04Z 2022-02-17T12:48:04Z 2013 info:ar-repo/semantics/parte de libro info:eu-repo/semantics/bookPart info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/11184 https://novapublishers.com/shop/steppe-ecosystems-biological-diversity-management-and-restoration/ Peri P.L.; Lencinas M.V.; Martinez Pastur G.; Wardell-Johnson G.W.; Lasagno R. (2013) Diversity patterns in the steppe of Argentinean Southern Patagonia: Environmental drivers and impact of grazing. En: Steppe Ecosystems: Biological Diversity, Management and Restoration (Eds. Morales Prieto M.B. and Traba Díaz J.), pp.73-95 (Chapter 4). NOVA Science Publishers, Inc., New York, USA. 346 pp. ISBN: 978-1-62808-298-2. 978-1-62808-298-2 eng info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess application/pdf NOVA Science Publishers Steppe Ecosystems: Biological Diversity, Management and Restoration / Eds. Morales Prieto M.B. and Traba Díaz J. New York: NOVA Science Publishers, 2013. Chapter 4, p.73-95
spellingShingle Steppes
Vegetation
Grazing
Botanical Composition
Biodiversity
Abiotic Factors
Plant Available Water
Interactions
Peatlands
Species Richness
Estepas
Vegetación
Pastoreo
Composición Botánica
Insecta
Biodiversidad
Factores Abióticos
Agua Disponible para la Vegetación
Interacciones
Turberas
Riqueza Específica
Tierra del Fuego (Argentina)
Región Patagónica
Peri, Pablo Luis
Lencinas, María Vanessa
Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José
Wardell-Johnson, Grant W.
Lasagno, Romina Gisele
Diversity patterns in the steppe of Argentinean Southern Patagonia: Environmental drivers and impact of grazing
title Diversity patterns in the steppe of Argentinean Southern Patagonia: Environmental drivers and impact of grazing
title_full Diversity patterns in the steppe of Argentinean Southern Patagonia: Environmental drivers and impact of grazing
title_fullStr Diversity patterns in the steppe of Argentinean Southern Patagonia: Environmental drivers and impact of grazing
title_full_unstemmed Diversity patterns in the steppe of Argentinean Southern Patagonia: Environmental drivers and impact of grazing
title_short Diversity patterns in the steppe of Argentinean Southern Patagonia: Environmental drivers and impact of grazing
title_sort diversity patterns in the steppe of argentinean southern patagonia environmental drivers and impact of grazing
topic Steppes
Vegetation
Grazing
Botanical Composition
Biodiversity
Abiotic Factors
Plant Available Water
Interactions
Peatlands
Species Richness
Estepas
Vegetación
Pastoreo
Composición Botánica
Insecta
Biodiversidad
Factores Abióticos
Agua Disponible para la Vegetación
Interacciones
Turberas
Riqueza Específica
Tierra del Fuego (Argentina)
Región Patagónica
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/11184
https://novapublishers.com/shop/steppe-ecosystems-biological-diversity-management-and-restoration/
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