Aridity and overgrazing have convergent effects on ecosystem structure and functioning in Patagonian rangelands

Over 65% of drylands are used for grazing of managed livestock. Understanding what drives grazing effects on the structure and functioning of rangelands is critical for achieving their sustainability. We studied a network of 239 sites across Patagonian rangelands (Argentina), which constitute one of...

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Autores principales: Gaitan, Juan Jose, Bran, Donaldo Eduardo, Oliva, Gabriel Esteban, Aguiar, Martín Roberto, Buono, Gustavo Gabriel, Ferrante, Daniela, Nakamatsu, Viviana Beatriz, Ciari, Georgina, Salomone, Jorge Manuel, Massara Paletto, Virginia, Garcia Martinez, Guillermo Carlos, Maestre, Fernando Tomás
Formato: info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: 2018
Materias:
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/1982
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ldr.2694/full
https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2694
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author Gaitan, Juan Jose
Bran, Donaldo Eduardo
Oliva, Gabriel Esteban
Aguiar, Martín Roberto
Buono, Gustavo Gabriel
Ferrante, Daniela
Nakamatsu, Viviana Beatriz
Ciari, Georgina
Salomone, Jorge Manuel
Massara Paletto, Virginia
Garcia Martinez, Guillermo Carlos
Maestre, Fernando Tomás
author_browse Aguiar, Martín Roberto
Bran, Donaldo Eduardo
Buono, Gustavo Gabriel
Ciari, Georgina
Ferrante, Daniela
Gaitan, Juan Jose
Garcia Martinez, Guillermo Carlos
Maestre, Fernando Tomás
Massara Paletto, Virginia
Nakamatsu, Viviana Beatriz
Oliva, Gabriel Esteban
Salomone, Jorge Manuel
author_facet Gaitan, Juan Jose
Bran, Donaldo Eduardo
Oliva, Gabriel Esteban
Aguiar, Martín Roberto
Buono, Gustavo Gabriel
Ferrante, Daniela
Nakamatsu, Viviana Beatriz
Ciari, Georgina
Salomone, Jorge Manuel
Massara Paletto, Virginia
Garcia Martinez, Guillermo Carlos
Maestre, Fernando Tomás
author_sort Gaitan, Juan Jose
collection INTA Digital
description Over 65% of drylands are used for grazing of managed livestock. Understanding what drives grazing effects on the structure and functioning of rangelands is critical for achieving their sustainability. We studied a network of 239 sites across Patagonian rangelands (Argentina), which constitute one of the world's largest rangeland area. We aimed to (i) evaluate how aridity and grazing affect ecosystem structure and functioning and (ii) test the usefulness of the landscape function analysis (LFA) indices (stability, infiltration and nutrient cycling) as surrogates of soil functioning. Aridity decreased species richness and the cover of palatable grasses but increased the cover of palatable shrubs. Grazing pressure negatively impacted the cover of palatable grasses and species richness but did not affect the cover of shrubs. Aridity had direct and indirect negative relationships with the LFA indices. Grazing pressure had no direct effects on the LFA indices but had an indirect negative effect on them by affecting vegetation structure. The LFA indices were positively and negatively correlated with soil organic carbon and sand contents, respectively, suggesting that these indices are useful proxies of soil functional processes in Patagonian rangelands. Our findings indicate that aridity and overgrazing have convergent effects on the structure and functioning of ecosystems, as both promoted reductions in species richness, the cover of palatable grasses and soil functioning. Rangeland management activities should aim to enhance species richness and the cover of palatable grasses, as these actions could contribute to offset adverse effects of ongoing increases in aridity on drylands
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spelling INTA19822019-12-16T17:08:34Z Aridity and overgrazing have convergent effects on ecosystem structure and functioning in Patagonian rangelands Gaitan, Juan Jose Bran, Donaldo Eduardo Oliva, Gabriel Esteban Aguiar, Martín Roberto Buono, Gustavo Gabriel Ferrante, Daniela Nakamatsu, Viviana Beatriz Ciari, Georgina Salomone, Jorge Manuel Massara Paletto, Virginia Garcia Martinez, Guillermo Carlos Maestre, Fernando Tomás Sobrepastoreo Tierras de Pastos Ecosistema Desertificación Zona Arida Overgrazing Rangelands Ecosystems Desertification Arid Zones Región Patagónica Aridez Over 65% of drylands are used for grazing of managed livestock. Understanding what drives grazing effects on the structure and functioning of rangelands is critical for achieving their sustainability. We studied a network of 239 sites across Patagonian rangelands (Argentina), which constitute one of the world's largest rangeland area. We aimed to (i) evaluate how aridity and grazing affect ecosystem structure and functioning and (ii) test the usefulness of the landscape function analysis (LFA) indices (stability, infiltration and nutrient cycling) as surrogates of soil functioning. Aridity decreased species richness and the cover of palatable grasses but increased the cover of palatable shrubs. Grazing pressure negatively impacted the cover of palatable grasses and species richness but did not affect the cover of shrubs. Aridity had direct and indirect negative relationships with the LFA indices. Grazing pressure had no direct effects on the LFA indices but had an indirect negative effect on them by affecting vegetation structure. The LFA indices were positively and negatively correlated with soil organic carbon and sand contents, respectively, suggesting that these indices are useful proxies of soil functional processes in Patagonian rangelands. Our findings indicate that aridity and overgrazing have convergent effects on the structure and functioning of ecosystems, as both promoted reductions in species richness, the cover of palatable grasses and soil functioning. Rangeland management activities should aim to enhance species richness and the cover of palatable grasses, as these actions could contribute to offset adverse effects of ongoing increases in aridity on drylands Instituto de Suelos Fil: Gaitan, Juan Jose. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Suelos; Argentina Fil: Bran, Donaldo Eduardo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche; Argentina Fil: Oliva, Gabriel Esteban. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz; Argentina Fil: Aguiar, Martin Roberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura; Argentina Fil: Buono, Gustavo Gabriel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Chubut; Argentina Fil: Ferrante, Daniela. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz; Argentina Fil: Nakamatsu, Viviana Beatriz. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Chubut; Argentina Fil: Ciari, Georgina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Esquel; Argentina Fil: Salomone, Jorge Manuel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Chubut; Argentina Fil: Massara Paletto, Virginia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Chubut; Argentina Fil: Garcia Martinez, Guillermo Carlos. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Esquel; Argentina Fil: Maestre, Fernando T. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología. Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica; España 2018-03-07T14:53:11Z 2018-03-07T14:53:11Z 2018-02 info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/1982 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ldr.2694/full 1085-3278 1099-145X https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2694 eng info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess application/pdf Land degradation & development 29 (2) : 210–218. (February 2018)
spellingShingle Sobrepastoreo
Tierras de Pastos
Ecosistema
Desertificación
Zona Arida
Overgrazing
Rangelands
Ecosystems
Desertification
Arid Zones
Región Patagónica
Aridez
Gaitan, Juan Jose
Bran, Donaldo Eduardo
Oliva, Gabriel Esteban
Aguiar, Martín Roberto
Buono, Gustavo Gabriel
Ferrante, Daniela
Nakamatsu, Viviana Beatriz
Ciari, Georgina
Salomone, Jorge Manuel
Massara Paletto, Virginia
Garcia Martinez, Guillermo Carlos
Maestre, Fernando Tomás
Aridity and overgrazing have convergent effects on ecosystem structure and functioning in Patagonian rangelands
title Aridity and overgrazing have convergent effects on ecosystem structure and functioning in Patagonian rangelands
title_full Aridity and overgrazing have convergent effects on ecosystem structure and functioning in Patagonian rangelands
title_fullStr Aridity and overgrazing have convergent effects on ecosystem structure and functioning in Patagonian rangelands
title_full_unstemmed Aridity and overgrazing have convergent effects on ecosystem structure and functioning in Patagonian rangelands
title_short Aridity and overgrazing have convergent effects on ecosystem structure and functioning in Patagonian rangelands
title_sort aridity and overgrazing have convergent effects on ecosystem structure and functioning in patagonian rangelands
topic Sobrepastoreo
Tierras de Pastos
Ecosistema
Desertificación
Zona Arida
Overgrazing
Rangelands
Ecosystems
Desertification
Arid Zones
Región Patagónica
Aridez
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/1982
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ldr.2694/full
https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.2694
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