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

CANTERO, J.; ZEBALLOS S.; NÚÑEZ, C.; SFRAGULLA, J.; ACOSTA, A.; FUNES, G.; AMUCHÁSTEGUI, A.; MULKO, J.; CABIDO, M.

APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2022

1402-2001

AbstractAims: Classification of plant communities and identification of their diagnostic speciesin different types of rocky outcrops in mountains from Central Argentina. We alsoexplored how these plant communities differ in their endemisms, chorotypes and nonnatives species composition as well as in rock chemistry, elevation and climaticvariables.Location: Córdoba Province, Central ArgentinaMethods: The study was based on 505 phytosociological relevés collected from 2009 to2019 using the Braun-Blanquet cover-abundance scale. The hierarchical ISOmetricfeature mapping and Partition Around Medoids (ISOPAM) analysis was applied. Thevegetation matrix was ordinated through isometric feature mapping (ISOMAP), and thegeo-chemical and bioclimatic variables were related to the ISOMAP ordination.Results: We identified 14 plant communities distributed in three main clusters. Werecorded 59 endemic species at the national level and 28 narrow endemics, restricted tothe study area and nearby mountains. The number of non-native plants was relativelylow (26 species). Perennial herbs (221 species), grasses (97 species) and shrubs (68species) were the most prominent life forms. Plant communities were associated to rockchemistry (carbonate and acidic rocks), and also to elevation and climatic variables.Conclusion: This study highlights the remarkable heterogeneity of outcrop vegetationin Central Argentina. It reveals that elevation and rock type (geo-chemical composition)were relevant factors associated to the floristic composition of plant communities andalso, that outcrop habitats comprise a high level of endemisms, as well as a low numberof non-native species, suggesting a high value for the conservation of local and regionalbiodiversity.