Special Issues

Ecology of Rangelands in Argentina

Submission Deadline: 01 October 2024 (closed) View: 329

Guest Editors

Prof. Carlos Alberto Busso, Departamento de Agronomía, Universidad Nacional del Sur, y Consejo de Investigaciónes Científicas y Técnicas de la República Argentina (i.e., CONICET), Argentina

Summary

About two thirds of the total continental surface area of Argentina (3,000,000 km2) are arid and semiarid territories. Such areas, not available for cropping because of climate and/or topography constraints, are what we called rangelands.  Its major economic use should be for livestock production, utilizing the natural vegetation for animal feeding. The phytogeographic regions contained in these extensive surfaces present an outstanding variety in plant community structure. This is because of the development from north to south through various thousands of kilometers and elevations which vary from sea level to the east to the tallest mountains in the Americas to the west. Climate variations, which go from subtropical to subantarctic depending on latitude, together with the soil substrate and the biota translate into well-differentiated biomes, each with its own ecological characteristics.


Briefly, and making reference to the arid and semiarid territories from north to south, we can distinguish the following:  (1) Puna, with its high plains to elevations above 3,000 m a.s.l.; (2) Mesophytic and xerophytic  forests of the Chaco Occidental; (3) Arid and semiarid territories to the west surrounding the Andes, characterized by and homogeneous shrubby vegetation as the dominant community on about 50 million hectares recognized as Monte; (4) Prairie rich on high forage value grasses with rather isolated shrubs and trees of the ''Caldenal'' at the borders of the cropped territories to the east, and (5) Subantarctic regions to the south of the country known as Patagonia, which covers an estimated surface area of 60 million hectares, and constitutes one of the few cool deserts in the world. This special issue will include a synthesis of research currently conducted on some areas of this huge surface area. and will include biotic (e.g., defoliation) as well as abiotic (e.g., drought stress) investigations. It will also include problems of land degradation of the arid, semiarid and subhumid-dry zones because of climatic variations and human activities. Some research will be conducted on desertified areas. The term desertification identifies a series of processes directed by nature and anthropogenic forces. The topics to be included in this special issue will be related to land degradation and desertification on the land agroecosystem. Land degradation or desertification also refers to the decrease or loss of biological or economical productivity of the arid and semiarid territories. Such phenomena are currently among the major environmental challenges in Argentina.


Keywords

ecology, rangelands, arid and semiarid territories, water stress

Published Papers


  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    A New Framework for Vegetation Productivity Dynamics Assessment in Patagonia: Rangeland Functional Archetypes

    Mario Eugenio Sello, Rafael Adrian Maddio, Santiago Ignacio Hurtado, Daniel Alejandro Castillo, Daiana Vanesa Perri, Octavio Agusto Bruzzone, Marcos Horacio Easdale
    Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.9, pp. 2479-2498, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.053168
    (This article belongs to the Special Issue: Ecology of Rangelands in Argentina)
    Abstract Adaptive management in arid and semi-arid regions of Patagonia, Argentina, requires a thorough understanding of vegetative dynamics, which can be obtained via rangeland assessment and monitoring. These practices are essential for decision-making to prevent environmental degradation, especially in the light of drought aggravated by climate change. In turn, most methods used to evaluate rangelands focus on data obtained from field measurements and vegetation classifications based on remote sensing data. One of the most frequent problems is that field-based rangeland assessments, based on field measurements, turn out to be expensive because they require high efforts in… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Grasslands Response to Livestock Grazing Intensity in the Austral Pampas (Argentina): Testing the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis

    Ana Elena de Villalobos, María Andrea Long
    Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.8, pp. 2037-2050, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.053928
    (This article belongs to the Special Issue: Ecology of Rangelands in Argentina)
    Abstract Livestock grazing has a significant impact on natural grasslands, with approximately one-third of the world’s land area dedicated to this industry. Around 20% of global grasslands are highly degraded due to overgrazing, affecting their productivity and conservation capacity. Best practices are required to ensure sustainable livestock production that supports biodiversity. The Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis (IDH) suggests that environments with moderate levels of disturbance exhibit a higher species diversity. Moderate grazing can reduce the dominance of certain species, thereby enhancing plant diversity. However, concerns arise regarding the increase of exotic and unpalatable species under moderate grazing… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Morphometric Attributes of Two Native Forage Species According to Water Source Distance in Semiarid Central Grasslands of Argentina

    Carla Etel Suárez, María Sol Rossini, Ernesto Francisco Atilio Morici, Héctor Daniel Esterlich
    Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.8, pp. 2063-2074, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.053193
    (This article belongs to the Special Issue: Ecology of Rangelands in Argentina)
    Abstract The semiarid grasslands of Argentina’s central region have been modified by domestic livestock grazing, both in their composition and structure. The increase in the proportion of woody and non-forage species and the decrease in forage species are some of the most evident results of this process. There is limited available information about the effect of differential grazing pressures on morphometric attributes of native species, and it also depends on the life histories of the species in this grassland. The objective of this work was to evaluate some morphometric aspects in the grasses Poa ligularis Nees ex… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Rehabilitation of Semi-Arid Grasslands through the Perennialization of Lots by Implementing Perennial Forage Exotic Grass

    Delfina Arancio Sidoti, Juan Manuel Zeberio, Guadalupe Peter
    Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.8, pp. 2115-2125, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.053483
    (This article belongs to the Special Issue: Ecology of Rangelands in Argentina)
    Abstract Argentina is the country with the highest proportion of arid and semi-arid ecosystems in Latin America. In the rangelands of Southwestern Buenos Aires (Patagones Department), there is a clear advancement of the agricultural frontier to the detriment of the native forest in this region. Due to rainfall variation and seed acquisition, Thinopyrum ponticum is cultivated as a forage perennial crop in this region. Our objective was to evaluate the performance of T. ponticum as a facilitating crop for the medium-term rehabilitation of natural grasslands in semi-arid areas. The working hypotheses were that: 1) native perennial grass cover… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    The Effect of Water and Salt Stress on Paspalum dilatatum, a Constituent of Pampas Natural Grasslands

    Claudia A. Porcelli, Gerardo Rubio, Flavio H. Gutiérrez Boem, Raul S. Lavado
    Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.8, pp. 2009-2018, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.052874
    (This article belongs to the Special Issue: Ecology of Rangelands in Argentina)
    Abstract The effects of the salt stress on plant growth are usually increased by the water stress. We studied the impact of both stresses in simultaneous pulses of drought and salinity on Paspalum dilatatum. This forage species is native to South America, spread in grasslands in many tropical, subtropical, and temperate areas of the world, and very common in grasslands of the Flooding Pampas of Argentina. Mimicking what happens in nature. We compared a pot experiment, a non-stressed control against water stress for a month (midpoint between field capacity and wilting point), and two saline stresses (moderate,… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Assessing the Environmental Impact of Extensive Beef Production in Grazing Lands of Argentina

    Ernesto Viglizzo, Florencia Ricard
    Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.8, pp. 1943-1962, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.052513
    (This article belongs to the Special Issue: Ecology of Rangelands in Argentina)
    Abstract Because of environmental constraints, beef cattle was for more than a century the only viable farming option in the extensive semiarid and subhumid lands of Argentina and the main source of nutrients for humans as well. However, a growing concern and criticism have risen today about its possible negative impact on the climate and the environment. These worries tend to affect current public opinions, national policies, and international trade. Based on 40 beef cattle farms scattered across different semiarid and subhumid regions of Argentina, here we evaluated the impact of extensive cattle production on carbon,… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Experimental Exclusion of Guanaco Grazing Increases Cover, Diversity, Land Function and Plant Recruitment in Patagonia

    Carla Cepeda, Gabriel Oliva, Daniela Ferrante
    Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.7, pp. 1383-1401, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.052534
    (This article belongs to the Special Issue: Ecology of Rangelands in Argentina)
    Abstract Semiarid Patagonia represents 25% of the rangeland area in Argentina, and sheep overgrazing has degraded about a third of it in the past. In this century, depleted domestic stocks have mostly stabilized, but Guanaco populations have grown. These native camelids share habitat and diets with sheep, but their effect on vegetation is poorly understood and has long been debated. We set up an exclusion experiment in Monte León and Cañadón Vaca, a semiarid shrubland grassland in southern Patagonia, currently grazed only by guanacos. Vegetation baselines were studied in 2016 in twelve plots, and half of… More >

  • Open Access

    REVIEW

    Ecosystem Services of Grazed Grasslands in the Flooding Pampa

    Elizabeth J. Jacobo, Adriana M. Rodríguez
    Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.6, pp. 1179-1202, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.050928
    (This article belongs to the Special Issue: Ecology of Rangelands in Argentina)
    Abstract The Flooding Pampa grasslands are the last remnant of the Rio de la Plata grasslands in Argentina. Anthropogenic interventions have led to severe degradation and, as a result, the ecosystem services provided by the grasslands are declining, in terms of provisioning, regulating, and supporting services. We synthesized the existing literature on the ecosystem goods and services provided by these grasslands under grazing in different conditions and conservation status. We found that plant and animal diversity and primary production are the most studied ecosystem services, while climate regulation, water supply, nutrient cycling, meat production and erosion… More >

  • Open Access

    REVIEW

    Endophytic Occupation in Nodules of Rhynchosia Plants from Semiarid Regions of Argentina

    Cinthia T. Lucero, María de los Á. Ruíz, Fabiola Pagliero, Carolina Castaño, Mariela L. Ambrosino, Graciela S. Lorda
    Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.6, pp. 1081-1099, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.050762
    (This article belongs to the Special Issue: Ecology of Rangelands in Argentina)
    Abstract Beneficial microbes can improve soil health by promoting soil structure, nutrient cycling, and disease suppression. In addition, a wide array of rhizospheric microbes are responsible for producing metabolically active compounds including various types of plant growth regulators. So, microbial biodiversity studies could contribute to the improvement of agricultural practices in deprived areas, such as the Pampean semiarid region. The vast majority of studies conducted on endophytic microorganisms have focused on intensive crop legume species. In contrast, little attention has been paid to microorganisms of native legumes, whose ecology is not directly affected by human action.… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Grazing Pressure and Plant Functional Types in Puna Highlands, Northwestern Argentina

    Quiroga Mendiola Mariana, Tálamo Andrés
    Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.93, No.5, pp. 1067-1080, 2024, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2024.050556
    (This article belongs to the Special Issue: Ecology of Rangelands in Argentina)
    Abstract The Puna grasslands support grazing systems that produce meat and wool in multi-species herds, especially from llama (Lama glama) and sheep. However, it is yet unknown whether grazing pressure can modify grassland structure and Plant Functional Types diversity and cover in Puna grasslands. We analyzed the relationship between grazing pressure and Plant Functional Types by comparing transects located near stockyards (high grazing pressure) and far from them (low pressure) and by evaluating the relationship between the Plant Functional Types cover to a Grazing Pressure Index (GPI). This index incorporates the heterogeneity of traditional pastoral management. At… More >

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