Characterization and restoration of lenga sites disturbed by fires in two areas of Patagonia, Argentina: first results

URRETAVIZCAYA M.F.; MONELOS L.; OYHARCABAL M.F.; PERI P.L.; DEFOSSE G.

Bariloche, Río Negro

Congreso; VI Southern Connection Congress; 2010

INIAVE-CONICET

This study was aimed at characterizing vegetation present in two distant and temporally different fire-disturbed lenga (Nothofagus pumilio (Poepp. et Endl.) Krasser)) stands, and to test lenga establishment through plantation experiments in Patagonia Argentina. Study sites are located 1020km apart, in Esquel, Chubut province and Río Turbio, Santa Cruz province. A year after the fire, Esquel site showed 54.8% of the ground covered by 21 species. At Río Turbio, 27 yr after fire, vegetation cover 99.5% of the ground. Only two genera were present in either sites, and neither showed lenga regeneration. Similar lenga seedlings (plug+1), grown in an Esquel nursery, were planted in both sites in fall 2009, protected by polypropylene tree-shelters and metal sheets in Esquel, and plastic material in Río Turbio. Starts growing were monitored in early October in Rio Turbio, and by mid November in Esquel. Of the seedlings planted in Esquel, 85% of shelter protected plants showed initiation of bud break and 63% those with metal sheet. In Río Turbio, only 13% of the seedlings start growing. Preliminary results suggest that tree-shelters in Esquel improved micro-environmental conditions for lenga bud break as related to metal sheet. Differences between sites could be related to plant transport, site environmental conditions and /or time of monitoring. The results of this project will provide useful information for restoration of degraded lenga forests of Chubut and Santa Cruz provinces.