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Vegetation of Península Valdés: Priority Sites for Conservation

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Book cover Late Cenozoic of Península Valdés, Patagonia, Argentina

Part of the book series: Springer Earth System Sciences ((SPRINGEREARTH))

Abstract

This chapter describes the main vegetation units of Península Valdés at scale 1:250,000 with emphasis on relevant physiognomic and floristic characteristics. Based on photogrammetry (aerial photograph pairs 1:60,000) and ground check, 18 dominant singular plant species arrangements (vegetation units) were identified reflecting the variety of environmental conditions at a mesoscale (1:250,000) within Península Valdés. At sites selected for ground check, floristic–physiognomic census including a complete floristic plant species list with the relative abundance of each species were performed. After that, censuses of species abundance were ordered by principal component analysis. The layer structure, the main life forms and the dominant species for each identified and mapped vegetation unit were described. Among them, we identified shrubby vegetation units at northern and central Península Valdés and, grassy vegetation units at southern Península Valdés. A map of vegetation units and some pictures of the most representative vegetation units complete the vegetation description. Moreover, this chapter includes a detailed description of the plant communities (resolution scale 1:1) characterizing four sites identified as priorities for ecosystem conservation. Priority sites for conservation are located in Salt marshes, Uplands and Plain Systems and Endorheic Basins. Some contrasts between conserved and degraded community states are also exemplified.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the Project of Ecology and Regional Development of Arid and Semiarid Regions (OEA-CONICET-INTA) and to the Centro Nacional Patagónico (CENPAT-CONICET) for supporting field research for the description of the Vegetation Units and to the Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE) from Argentina that supplied the satellite images. We also thank Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina and landowners for granting the access to San Pablo de Valdés and the adjacent ranches, respectively. GEP acknowledges Victoria Rodríguez and Andrea Marino for important input in the San Pablo de Valdés work. GEP was partially supported by PIP 11220120100369CO. Research permissions were granted by Secretaría de Turismo y Áreas Naturales Protegidas and Dirección de Fauna y Flora Silvestre de Chubut. We also thank G. Bernardelo and Marta Collantes for their helpful comments in the revision of this chapter.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales (IPEEC)-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) - CCT Centro Nacional Patagónico (CENPAT), Boulevard Brown 2915, 9120, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina

    Mónica B. Bertiller, Ana M. Beeskow, Paula D. Blanco, Yanina L. Idaszkin, Gustavo E. Pazos & Leonardo Hardtke

Authors
  1. Mónica B. Bertiller
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  2. Ana M. Beeskow
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  3. Paula D. Blanco
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  4. Yanina L. Idaszkin
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  5. Gustavo E. Pazos
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  6. Leonardo Hardtke
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mónica B. Bertiller .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales (CCT CONICET-CENPAT), Puerto Madryn, Argentina

    Pablo Bouza

  2. Instituto Patagónico de Geología y Paleontología (CCT CONICET- CENPAT), Puerto Madryn, Argentina

    Andrés Bilmes

Appendix: Floristic List

Appendix: Floristic List

Family

Species and authors

Ephedraceae

Ephedra ochreata Miers

Juncaginaceae

Triglochin concinna Burtt Davy

Poaceae

Amelichloa ambigua (Speg.) Arriaga and Barkworth

Aristida spegazzinii Arechav.

Avena sativa L.

Bromus catharticus Vahl

Bromus unioloides Humboldt, Bonpland et Kunth

Distichlis scoparia (Kunth) Arechav.

Distichlis spicata L.

Eremium erianthum (Phil.) Seberg and Lindle-Laursen

Hordeum comosum J. Presl

Hordeum euclaston Steud.

Hordeum murinum L.

Jarava neaei (Nees ex Steud.) Peñalillo

Koeleria mendocinensis (Hauman) C.E. Calderón and Nicora

Nassella longiglumis (Phil.) Barkworth

Nassella tenuis (Phil.) Barkworth

Panicum urvilleanum Kunth

Pappostipa chysophylla (E. Desv.) Romasch.

Pappostipa humilis (Cav.) Romasch.

Pappostipa speciosa (Trin. and Rupr.) Romasch.

Piptochaetium napostaense (Speg.) Hack.

Poa lanuginosa Poir.

Poa ligularis Nees ex Steud.

Polipogon monspeliensis (L.) Desf.

Schismus barbatus (L.) Thell.

Spartina alterniflora Loisel

Spartina densiflora Brongn.

Sporobolus rigens (Trin.) E. Desv.

Vulpia myuros (L.) C.C. Gmel. megalura Phil.

Amaryllidaceae

Rhodophiala mendocina (Phil.) Ravenna

Oleaceae

Menodora robusta (Benth.) A. Gray

Schoepfiaceae

Arjona tuberosa Cav.

Polygonaceae

Polygonum brasiliense K. Koch

Chenopodiaceae

Atriplex lampa (Moq.) D. Dietrich

Atriplex sagittifolia Speg.

Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin and Clements

Sarcocornia perennis (Mill.) A.J. Scott.

Suaeda argentinensis A. Soriano

Suaeda divaricata Moq.

Nictaginaceae

Bougainvillea spinosa (Cav.) Heimerl

Aizoaceae

Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L.

Caryophyllaceae

Cardionema ramosissima (Weinm.) A. Nelson and J.F. Macbr.

Cerastium arvense L.

Cerastium glomeratum Thuill.

Cerastium junceum Möschl

Heniaria cinerea DC.

Paronychia chilensis DC.

Capparaceae

Capparis atamisquea Kuntze

Rosaceae

Tetraglochin caespitosum Phil.

Tetraglochin ameghinoi (Speg.) Speg.

Fabaceae

Adesmia candida Hook. f.

Adesmia af. acuta Burkart

Anarthrophyllum rigidum (Gillies ex Hook. and Arn.) Hieron.

Hoffmannseggia trifoliata Cav.

Prosopidastrum globosum (Gillies ex Hook. and Arn.) Burkart

Prosopis alpataco Phil.

Prosopis denudans Benth.

Vicia pampicola Burkart burkartii Giangualani

Geraniaceae

Erodium cicutarium (L.) L’Hér. ex Aiton

Zygophyllaceae

Larrea divaricata Cav.

Larrea nitida Cav.

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia portulacoides L.

Euphorbia serpens Kunth

Anacardiaceae

Schinus johnstonii F.A. Barkley

Rhamnaceae

Condalia microphylla Cav.

Discaria americana Gilles and Hook.

Malvaceae

Malvela leprosa (Ortega) Krapov.

Frankeniaceae

Frankenia patagonica Speg.

Frankenia pulverulenta L.

Loasaceae

Loasa bergii Hieron.

Cactaceae

Maihuenia patagonica (Phil.) Britton and Rose

Maihueniopsis darwinii (Hensl.) Ritter

Onagraceae

Camissonia dentata (Cav.) Reiche

Oenothera versicolor Lehm

Oenothera stricta Ledeb. ex Link altissima W. Dietr.

Apiaceae

Bowlesia incana Ruiz and Pav.

Daucus pusillus Michx.

Eryngium chubutense Neger ex Dusén

Mulinum spinosum (Cav.) Pers.

Plumbaginaceae

Limonium brasiliense (Boiss.) Kuntze

Apocyanceae

Phillibertia candolleana (Hook. and Arn.) Goyder

Convolvulaceae

Dichondra microcalyx (Haller f.) Fabris

Polemoniaceae

Gilia crassifolia Benth.

Boraginaceae

Amsinckia calycina (Moris) Chater

Lappula redowskii (Hornem.) Greene

Pectocarya linearis (Ruiz and Pav.) D.C.

Verbenaceae

Acantholippia seriphioides (A Gray) Moldenke

Glandularia aurantiaca (Speg.)Botta aurantiaca

Mulguraea ligustrina (Lag.) N. O’Leary and P. Peralta var. lorentzii (Niederl. ex Hieron.) N. O’Leary and P. Peralta

Lamiaceae

Marrubium vulgare L.

Solanaceae

Lycium ameghinoi Speg.

Lycium chilense Miers ex Bertero

Lycium gilliesianum Miers

Lycium tenuispinosum Miers

Plantaginaceae

Plantago myosuros Lam.

Plantago patagonica Jacq.

Rubiaceae

Galium richardianum (Gilles ex Hook. and Arn.) Endl.ex Walp

Calyceraceae

Boopis anthemoides Juss.

Asteraceae

Baccharis crispa Spreng.

Baccharis darwinii Hook. et Arn.

Baccharis divaricata Hauman

Baccharis gilliesii A. Gray

Baccharis melanopotamica Speg.

Baccharis spartioides (Hook. et Arn. Ex DC.) J. Remy

Baccharis tenella Hook. et Arn.

Baccharis triangularis Hauman

Brachyclados megalanthus Speg.

Chuquiraga aurea Skottsb.

Chuquiraga avellanedae Lorentz

Chuquiraga erinacea D.Don ssp. erinacea

Chuquiraga erinacea D.Don ssp. hystrix(Don) C. Ezcurra

Cyclolepis genistoides D.Don

Gamochaeta chamissonis (DC.) Cabrera

Grindelia chiloensis (Cornel.) Cabrera

Gutierrezia solbrigii Cabrera

Hyalis argentea D. Don ex Hook. and Arn. var. latisquama Cabrera

Hypochaeris radicata L.

Hysterionica jasionoides Willd.

Nassauvia fuegiana (Speg.)Cabrera

Nassauvia ulicina (Hook. f.) Macloskie

Perezia recurvata (Vahl) Less.ssp. recurvata

Noticastrum sericeum (Less.) Less. ex Phil.

Senecio chrysocomoides Hook. et Arn.

Senecio filaginoides DC.

Sonchus asper (L.) Hill.

Glossary

Adaptation

The process of adjustment of an individual organism to environmental stress

Ecotone

Transitional zone between adjacent plant communities or biomes

Floristic composition

A list of plant species of a given area, habitat, or association

Floristic element

In phytogeography, a convenient term for any group of plants sharing a common feature of importance

Halophytic

Plant tolerating saline conditions

Life form

The characteristic structural traits of a plant species

Patchy

Contagious distribution

Perennial

Plants that persist for several years with a growth period each year

Physiognomic

Appearance of a plant community or vegetation

Phytogeographical Provinces

Geographical divisions characterized by floristic composition

Stratum

Horizontal layer of vegetation

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Bertiller, M.B., Beeskow, A.M., Blanco, P.D., Idaszkin, Y.L., Pazos, G.E., Hardtke, L. (2017). Vegetation of Península Valdés: Priority Sites for Conservation. In: Bouza, P., Bilmes, A. (eds) Late Cenozoic of Península Valdés, Patagonia, Argentina. Springer Earth System Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48508-9_6

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