Native forests in Patagonia have been influenced by human activities since the beginning of the past century. Nevertheless, the availability of aerial photographs to conduct analysis of changes at a landscape level due to anthropic factors is generally restricted to the last decades. Therefore this study was aimed to detect changes of the forest landscape heterogeneity during the last thirty years in the northwest region of Chubut, the middle-located Patagonian province, and to study spatial patterning of forest landscapes. For the first goal, we focused on a 2,000 ha landscape unit with prevailing Austrocedrus chilensis forests. In 466 ha covered by these forests, 41% of this area was negatively affected by forest fires, timber logging followed by livestock grazing and substitution with pine plantations. In contrast, growth of young Austrocedrus forests was verified in 9% of the forest area. Spatial patterns were studied on an area of 10,000 ha showing a high heterogeneity of the distinctive landscape configurations.Key words: Austrocedrus chilensis, fragmentation, landscape patterning. ResumenCambios en la heterogeneidad del paisaje y organización espacial de bosques nativos en Patagonia, ArgentinaLos bosques nativos en Patagonia han estado influidos por la acción del hombre desde principios del siglo pasado. Sin embargo, la disponibilidad de fotografías aéreas para efectuar análisis de cambios debidos a factores antrópicos a escala de paisaje está generalmente restringida a las últimas décadas. En consecuencia, este estudio estuvo orientado a detectar y analizar los cambios de la heterogeneidad del paisaje forestal durante los últimos treinta años en la región noroeste de Chubut, la provincia central de Patagonia en Argentina, y a estudiar la organización espacial de paisajes forestales. Para el primer objetivo, nos concentramos en una unidad de paisaje de 2.000 ha con predominancia de bosques de Austrocedrus chilensis. En 466 ha cubiertas con estos bosques, 41% de esta área fue negativamente afectado por incendios forestales, extracciones forestales seguidas de pastoreo y reemplazo de bosques nativos por plantaciones de pinos. En contraste, el crecimiento de bosques jóvenes de Austrocedrus se verificó en el 9% del área forestal. Los patrones espaciales se estudiaron en un área de 10.000 ha y mostraron una alta heterogeneidad de las configuraciones distintivas del paisaje.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.