INVESTIGADORES
ABRAHAM Elena Maria
artículos
Título:
Viticulture and desertification in Mendoza, Argentine
Autor/es:
ABRAHAM, E. M. Y M. DEL R. PRIETO.
Revista:
Zentralblatt für Geologie und Paläontologie
Editorial:
E. Schweizerbart Science Publishers
Referencias:
Lugar: Stuttgart; Año: 2000 p. 1063 - 1078
ISSN:
0340-5109
Resumen:
Abstract: The substitution in Mendoza province (Argentina) of a production model based
on livestock raising for an agroindustrial model focused mostly an viticulture and wine
making, generated, as of 1880, severe desertification processes on the eastem plain of the
province. The major factor to set these processes in motion was an intense forest activity
which brought about over-exploitation of algarrobo forests to meet the demands for wood
of the newly-established crops, and to satisfy the growing need for fired woody, charcoal
and timber for the increasing urban population in the oasis.
This study deals with the traditional forest-exploitationlrailroad association, also connecting
degradation of native vegetation with wine industry expansion. The extent of the
forest in the 19thcentury is determined, degraded sites are identified, critical moments of
over-exploitation are indicated. In particular, we quantified both the volume of timber and
firewood extracted and the extent of the area affected by desertification processes. For such
purposes, data on forest-product cargo transported by the railroad from wood-Ioading stations
on the plain toward the agricultural oasis were used.
Throughout the 35 years under study (1901 to 1935), 1,003,497 metric tons of forest
products were cut down, directly affecting an area of 200,699.4 hectares of forest. These
figures are far beyond the early hypothesis on the magnitude of the impact produced.algarrobo forests to meet the demands for wood
of the newly-established crops, and to satisfy the growing need for fired woody, charcoal
and timber for the increasing urban population in the oasis.
This study deals with the traditional forest-exploitationlrailroad association, also connecting
degradation of native vegetation with wine industry expansion. The extent of the
forest in the 19thcentury is determined, degraded sites are identified, critical moments of
over-exploitation are indicated. In particular, we quantified both the volume of timber and
firewood extracted and the extent of the area affected by desertification processes. For such
purposes, data on forest-product cargo transported by the railroad from wood-Ioading stations
on the plain toward the agricultural oasis were used.
Throughout the 35 years under study (1901 to 1935), 1,003,497 metric tons of forest
products were cut down, directly affecting an area of 200,699.4 hectares of forest. These
figures are far beyond the early hypothesis on the magnitude of the impact produced.