Fire is the most important disturbance factor in Cypress (Austrocedrus chilensis) forests in Patagonia, Argentina. This ecosystem recovers poorly after fire, and direct sowing could be a potentially useful restoration practice. To evaluate the effect of season of sowing, post-fire plant cover (PC), and climatic variability on seedling emergence and survival, three direct sowing studies were established in two burned cypress stands: Trevelin (xeric conditions) and El Bolsón (mesic conditions). Two studies were conducted in winter (2000 and 2001) and one in spring (2001). Precipitation was higher than the mean during the 2000-2001 growing season and lower during 2001-2002.At both sites, emergence and survival were much higher for winterthan for spring-sown seedlings. In the xeric stand, emergence and survival of winter-sown seedlings increased with medium and high PC values, after the humid and dry summers, respectively. However, most spring-sown seedlings did not emerge, and those that did were shortlived. Because of the more favorable growing conditions in the mesic stand, PC had no effect on emergence and only favored first year survival of winter-sown seedlings after the dry summer. Spring-sown seedlings showed no association with PC in the mesic site, probably because the first summer was exceptionally humid. We speculate that shading plants exert a positive effect on cypress seedling establishment, likely by reducing the stress from high temperatures and low water availability. Sowing of small patches under the protection of understory vegetation could be useful in restoring burned cypress stands.

-Early post-fire effects on plant cover, in soil temperature (0,5,20, and 30 cm depth) and moisture (0)(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36), and 40-56 cm depth) were analyzed for two years in two cypress stands in Patagonia, Argentina. Each stand (Trevelin = xeric and Bolsón = mesic) contained three treatments: unburned (UN), partially (PB), and completely burned (CB). In Trevelin, 4 and 6 years after fire, understory cover increased (CB > PB > UN) and overstory decreased (CB = PB < UN) related to the burning treatment. In Bolsón, one year after fire, all treatments had similar under-and overstory cover, but were similar to Trevelin two years later. Soil temperature was significantly different (PB > CB > UN) at all depths and dates only in Trevelin. Soil moisture was significantly higher in the burned treatments of both stands. While plant cover might have protective effects and soil water appears as not limiting, high soil temperatures seem to be detrimental for post-fire cypress establishment, especially in xeric sites. . À Trevelin, 4 et 6 ans après le feu, la couverture du sous-bois inférieur augmenta (CB > PB > UN) tandis que celle du sous-bois supérieur diminua (CB = PB < UN) dépendant du traitement de brûlage. À Bolsón, un an après le feu, la couverture des deux étages du sous-bois fut la même pour les trois traitements, quoique deux ans plus tard la situation se rapprocha de celle de Trevelin. Seule à cet endroit, la température du sol montra des différences significatives (PB > CB > UN) à chaque profondeur et à chaque date. Dans les deux peuplements, l'humidité du sol a été nettement plus haute pour les traitements brûlés. Tandis que la couverture végétale pourrait avoir des effets de protection et que l'humidité du sol n'apparaît pas comme étant limitative, les hautes températures du sol semblent être restrictives pour l'établissement des cyprès à la suite du feu, notamment dans les sites xériques.Austrocedrus / feu / température / humidité du sol / forets tempérées / établissement

Cordilleran cypress (Austrocedrus chilensis [D.Don] Pic. Serm. et Bizarri) forests occupy 140,000 ha along a sharp environmental gradient of central Andean-Patagonia in Argentina. Every summer, about 3200 ha of these forests are affected by wildfires, taking thereafter long time to recover. To accelerate forest recovery, we determined in xeric and mesic cypress stands burned 5 and 2 year before whether survival and growth of two planted cypress seedling stocktypes are affected by plant cover and contrasting precipitation conditions. Two experiments were conducted on each site, involving 100 replicates of two seedling stocktypes, having each significantly different morphological attributes. The experiments comprised a dry and humid growing season on each site. Both stocktypes performed similarly within stands, but differently between stands. In the xeric stand, plant cover had neutral effects on seedling survival, favored seedling height growth in the dry season, and was negative on collar diameter and stem growth. In the mesic site, high plant cover favored survival and height growth, but was inconsequential for collar diameter and stem growth. In this short-term post-fire period, and independent of precipitation received during both seasons (dry or humid), plant cover appears as playing a facilitative role, having neutral or even positive effects on survival and growth of planted seedlings. During the early post-fire successional stages, and besides seedling stocktype, there was a synergistic balance between light and soil moisture that seems to benefit planted seedling performance in burned cypress forests, and especially in mesic sites.

∙ Within the last decade, many individuals of several bird species with abnormal and strange beaks deformations have been reported from Alaska, United States, and from United Kingdom and Ireland. Different forms of beak deformities were observed, but the causes of these abnormalities are unknown. We report beak deformities in two species of birds in northwestern Patagonia, Argentina: Austral Thrush (Turdus falcklandii) and Patagonian Mockingbird (Mimus patagonicus). Between 2013 and 2016, we captured individuals of White‐crested Elaenia (Elaenia albiceps, N = 305), Rufous‐collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis, N = 119), Austral Thrush (N = 100), Black‐chinned Siskin (Spinus barbata, N = 64), Patagonian Sierra‐Finch (Phrygilus patagonicus, N = 48) and Gray‐hooded Sierra‐Finch (Phrygilus gayi, N = 40) in surroundings of Esquel city, located in western Patagonia, Chubut province, and quantified the prevalence of beak deformities. Only adult Austral Thrushes (5 out of 78; 6.41%) showed abnormal beaks. Neither juvenile thrushes (N = 22) nor the other five species showed beak deformations. Austral Thrushes with beak deformations were also observed and photographed (but not captured) in other areas around the city. We also photographed one Patagonian Mockingbird with an abnormal beak near Las Plumas Village, Chubut province. Beak deformities varied from light to severe, and also in their form. Most of them were characterized by an elongated and often decurved upper mandible, producing an overbite; in other individuals both mandibles were elongated and sometimes crossed or had a pronounced gap. Most affected birds showed signs of improper preening, and one of them was malnourished. All of these characteristics are similar to those described for birds affected by avian keratin disorder in North America. Further research is needed to detect potential presence of other species with beak deformities in Patagonia, to find out possible causes of such deformities, and to determine whether these anomalies are associated with natural habitats or urban environments.Resumen ∙ Deformidades del pico en aves del norte de Patagonia En la última década se ha informado acerca de individuos de varias especies de aves con picos anormales y extraños en Alaska, Estados Unidos, y en Reino Unido e Irlanda. Se observaron diferentes formas de deformidades del pico, pero las causas de estas anormalidades no se conocen. Reportamos la presencia de dos especies de aves con pico deformado en el noroeste de la Patagonia en Argentina: el Zorzal Patagónico (Turdus falcklandii) y la Calandria Mora (Mimus patagonicus). Entre 2013 y 2016 capturamos individuos de Fiofío Silbón (Elaenia albiceps, N = 305), Chingolo (Zonotrichia capensis, N = 119), Zorzal Patagónico (N = 100), Cabecita Negra Austral (Spinus barbata, N = 64), Comesebo Patagónico (Phrygilus patagonicus, N = 48) y Comesebo Andino (Phrygilus gayi, N = 40) en los alrededores de la ciudad de Esquel, oeste de Patagonia, provincia del Chubut, y cuantificamos la prevalencia de las deformaciones. Solo los zorzales adultos (5 de 78, 6,41%) mostraron picos anormales. Ni los zorzales juveniles (N = 22) ni las otras cinco especies mostraron deformaciones del pico. También se observaron y fotografiaron (pero no se capturaron) zorzales con deformaciones del pico en otras áreas alrededor de la ciudad. Además fotografiamos una Calandria Mora con pico deformado en los alrededores de Las Plumas, provincia del Chubut. Las deformidades del pico variaron en severidad y en forma. La mayoría estaba caracterizada por un pico alargado y una mandíbula superior curvada hacia abajo, produciendo una sobremordida. En otros individuos ambas mandíbulas estaban alargadas y a veces cruzadas o con un espacio importante entre ellas. La mayoría de las aves afectadas mostraron deficiencias en el acicalado de las plumas y una de ellas estaba desnutrida. Todas estas características son similares a las descritas para las aves afectadas por el desorden de queratina aviar en Norte América. Los trabajos futuros deberían evaluar la presencia de otras especies con pico deformado en la Patagonia, determinar la causa de las deformidades y estudiar si podrían estar asociadas al ambiente rural o urbano.