“Hidroecosistemas” de la Puna y Altos Andes de Argentina
Wetlands are areas where water is the primary factor controlling ecological functions. Especially in arid areas such as the Puna, these systems are extremely important for biodiversity and local populations that depend on ecosystem services these wetlands pro- vide. Here, we present a map of wetlands based on satellite images classification of an area of 14.3 million ha in the Argentine Puna: salt flats, lakes and ponds and peatbogs. Based on this information, we quantify and characterize these systems from a regional perspective of land use and conservation. We report 866,580 ha of wetlands spread over 654,076 ha of salt flats (4.6% of the study area surface), 40,486 ha of water bodies (0.28%), 61,123 ha of “salty peatbogs” (0.43%) and 110, 895 ha of peatbogs (0.78%). In turn, the union of neighboring areas of different classes resulted in 15 complexes “ hydro-ecosystems ” totaling 634,851 ha, which have transitional areas between classes that fluctuate between them according to the response of different wetlands to seasonal weather changes and /or an- thropic impact. This wetland inventory and its consideration as complex systems as functional “ hydro-ecoystems ” are a relevant contribution to the conservation and management of these ecosystems of high ecological, economic, social and cultural value; and could specifically con- tribute to the currently discussed wetlands law of Argentina
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| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | spa |
| Published: |
Fundación Miguel Lillo
2016
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| Online Access: | http://www.lillo.org.ar/journals/index.php/acta-geologica-lilloana/article/view/85 |
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