Vegetation and flora of marble outcrops and their nearby matrices in mountains of central Argentina. Rock chemistry also matters

Classification of rocky outcrops plant communities in the mountains of Central Argentina

“…The number of non‐native species was surprisingly low, with a slight representation in all the communities. Similar findings have been reported for marble and migmatite outcrops in nearby mountains (Cantero et al, 2021). However, the naturalized non‐natives Cynodon dactylon , Rumex acetosella and Taraxacum officinale showed a high fidelity and were identified as diagnostic species of some rocky outcrop communities.…”

“…The importance of rocky outcrops for the maintenance and conservation of endemisms has long been recognized in the literature (Porembski et al, 1996;Speziale & Ezcurra, 2015;Pinto-Junior et al, 2021). Several authors reported that, in relation to the total flora of a given study area, outcrop vegetation has a higher rate of endemism with more stenochorous species (Nowak et al, 2014;Kristensen & Frangi, 2015;Kontapanou & Panitsa, 2020;Cantero et al, 2021) Although the highest number of endemic species was recorded in the richest families (Asteraceae, Poaceae and Fabaceae), the Cactaceae also presented an elevated number of endemic taxa (i.e., nine species), particularly within the genus Gymnoncalycium (i.e., six species), with several species highly restricted to the study area. We should also highlight that a considerable number of endemic species were diagnostic to different sub-clusters and also at the community level.…”

“…In recent years, floristic research on outcrop vegetation has involved a variety of rocky substrates such as granitic (Funes & Cabido, 2008), basaltic (Cantero et al, 2016), carbonatic (Cantero et al, 2011(Cantero et al, , 2014 and serpentinite (Cantero et al, 2011), as well as a comparison of the floristic composition between basaltic and marble rocks with the surrounding matrix vegetation (Cantero et al, 2017). Those previous studies reveal that the most prominent chorotype in the outcrop floras comprises chaquenian species, whereas the more numerous life forms are perennial herbs, grasses and shrubs (Cantero et al, 2021). All these surveys also suggest the essential role of rocky outcrops in providing spatial heterogeneity, which offers potential habitats for different plant species, but also the turnover of species with elevation within a single type of rock.…”

Flora vascular de las montañas de Córdoba (Argentina): características y distribución de las especies a través del gradiente altitudinal

“…Isostigma cordobense; Mimosa cordobensis, más detalles consultar Chiapella & Demaio, 2015). Información complementaria sobre la flora de las sierras de Córdoba puede encontrarse en numerosos trabajos publicados, entre los que se destacan las contribuciones de Bianco & Cantero (1986); Cantero et al (2001Cantero et al ( , 2011Cantero et al ( , 2017Cantero et al ( , 2021, Oggero & Arana (2012) y Zeballos et al (2021).…”

“…ej. Cabido et al, 1991;Cantero et al, 2001Cantero et al, , 2011Cantero et al, , 2021Cingolani et al, 2003;Giorgis et al, 2011bGiorgis et al, , 2017Oggero & Arana, 2012). En el trabajo de Giorgis et al (2011b), publicamos por primera vez un listado de plantas vasculares de toda la extensión de las montañas de Córdoba, pero sólo hasta los 1750 msnm, excluyendo las zonas más altas.…”