Effects of ondirect impacts (tourism and roads) on biodiversity in Ischisgualasto Provincial Park: a case study.

GIANNONI STELLA; BENINATO VERÓNICA; ORTUÑO NATALIA; ADARVEZ SILVINA; CAPPA FLAVIO; DE LOS RÍOS CLAUDIA; LAHOZ VERÓNICA; CAMPOS VALERIA; ANDINO NATALIA; BORGHI CARLOS

Congreso; Segunda Reunión Conjunta de Sociedades de Biología de la República Argentina; 2011

Tourist activities and associated infrastructure (e.g., roads, trails) are anthropogenic activities causing disturbances in ecosystems; however, at the same time they promote social and economic development. Ischigualasto provincial park (San Juan, Argentina) is a protected area that aims at protecting an arid ecosystem with important paleontological remains and an interesting extant fauna, since it harbors endemic species and species of conservation concern. Tourist activity is very important and gradually increasing. The Central Bioceanic Corridor is under construction; this road will connect ports in the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans, and will traverse the park in San Juan. The tourist activities and the corridor will produce direct and indirect effects on wildlife: modifications in time allocated to behaviors related to biological fitness (e.g., foraging), modifications in the use of space, abandonment of high-quality habitats, increased vehicular traffic, increased probability of collisions, among others. We studied the effect of tourist activity in the park and areas near the road and trail (circuit) within the park on fauna species of high biological interest (Lama guanicoe, Dolichotis patagonum) relative to abiotic variables (e.g., bare soil, rocks) and biotic variables (e.g., cover of different vegetation strata). The results indicate that the presence of tourists and short distance to the road and trails negatively affect the use of space by D. patagonum and time allocation in L. guanicoe. Sites of high probability of road cross were detected and the construction of fauna crossings as a mitigation measure is proposed. Studies of the disturbances produced by ecotourism and associated infrastructure on individuals, populations and ecosystem processes are still scarce worldwide. However, the scientific community recognizes the need to study the impact of ecotourism on biological diversity, considering a balance between human enjoyment and use of nature, to contribute to appraisal of biological diversity and therefore to its conservation.