Patterns of vegetation primary succession on recently deglaciated surfaces in the Patagonian Andes

GARIBOTTI, I.A.

Coyhaique, Chile

Workshop; International workshop: Global Change in Harsh Environments; 2009

Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia

In this talk the patterns of vegetation primary succession on recently deglaciated terrains in the Patagonian Andes are discussed. We assessed how variability in environmental conditions (abiotic and/or biotic factors) affects the course of the succession, determining different successional pathways. Different spatial scales were considered, including small-scale variability within moraines and geographic-scale variability among glacier forelands. Finally the factors determining the convergence/divergence of the vegetation development are discussed.