Patagonian Wetlands: Vertientes, Vegas, Mallines, Turberas and Lagunas.

EPELE, LUIS B.; MAZZONI, ELIZABETH; ITURRASPE, R.; LEÓN, C. ; DOMÍNGUEZ DÍAZ, E.; MISERENDINO, M.L.; MATALONI, G.

Freshwaters and Wetlands of Patagonia

Springer

Lugar: Cham; Año: 2022;

Abstract Patagonian wetlands contribute significantly to regional biodiversity, and alsofulfill a wide range of nature contributions to people such as water storage and purification,carbon sequestration, pasturelands, nutrient cycling, food production and recreation.Despite covering less than 7% of the region, they exhibit a wide climatic, geomorphologicand physicochemical variability that drives their biodiversity. Moreover, significantdifferences exist not only in their ecological conditions, but also in the main uses they aresubjected to, and the subsequent threats they face. Therefore, among others, vertientes(springs) and lagunas (shallow lakes and ponds) are used as drinking water sources, vegasand mallines as pasturelands and turberas (peat bogs) for peat extraction. The global loss ofwetlands biodiversity through increase in human pressures and emerging threats likeclimate change, demands concerted actions based on adequate knowledge about ecosystemsdynamics and functioning, to halt their deterioration and their many valuable contributionsto people. Despite being essential for the regional economy, Patagonian wetlands are stillfar from meeting global conservation targets, with less than 3% of those in arid andsemiarid Patagonia being located within protected areas. This chapter aims at summarizingcurrent ecological knowledge on the main Patagonian wetland types, their current uses andthe threats they face, and detecting knowledge gaps to be filled in future studies.