Relationship between vegetation of the levee neo-ecosystems and environmental heterogeneity in the Lower Delta of the Paran´a River, Argentina

FABIO KALESNIK, PABLO ACEÑOLAZA, MARTıN HURTADO & JORGE MART´ıNEZ

WATER AND ENVIRONMENT JOURNAL

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2011 vol. 25 p. 88 - 98

1747-6585

The relationship between environmental heterogeneity and the vegetation ofthe levee neo-ecosystems in the Delta of the Paran´a River was studied. Thesehabitat types were considered plant communities of recent origin related tolocal productive activities. Vegetation coverage was evaluated in 97 plots ofthree different environmental units (A, B and C), using classification analysis,indirect and direct ordinations. The differential vegetation in different environmentalunits could be related to a greater fluvial influence of the Paran´a Riveron unit A and a greater tidal influence of the de la Plata River on units B and C.The Lower Delta hydrological regimes only affect a few of edaphic variablesparticularly pH, organic matter percentage and clay content. To understand thespatial pattern of neo-ecosystems vegetation, it is also necessary to consider theinvasion of alien species that has been taking place for over 50 years.