40. URBAN FORESTRY AND BUILT ENVIRONMENTS. THE CITY-OASIS MODEL AND ITS SUSTAINABILITY IN AN ARID ZONES

ROIG FIDEL A.; CANTÓN M. ALICIA; MARTINEZ CLAUDIA F.

Le Corum, Montpellier

Congreso; 5º International EcoSummit 2016 ?Ecological Sustainability: Engineering Change?; 2016

Theenvironmental sustainability of the model of city-oasis of Mendoza, Argentina,is based on the presence of an intense urban forestry associated with anirrigation system. Given the geographical condition of the site, under aridclimate of limited rainfall, the limiting factor for growth of the forestmatrix is the water resource. The irregularity in the frequency of irrigationand its availability allow conditions of water stress affecting longevity andpermanence of the urban forest, threatening the sustainability of the urban andbuilt environment quality. The objective of this study is to assess the degreeof tolerance to water stress of frequent forest species in Mendoza urban forest - Acacia visco andPlatanus hispanica - to apply management strategies to ensure their presence inthe urban environment and the corresponding contributions to the urban model. Themethodology included the development of an experimental approach consisting ofa controlled irrigation test under greenhouse conditions, applied to youngforest for three growing seasons. The results showed consistent growthresponses to the differential volumes of water applied, which variedstatistically between species and treatment according to ANOVA applied. Bothspecies had lower growth under severe water stress without showing significantdifferences under moderate water stress. P. hispanica were relatively sensitiveto water stress, while A. Visco, a native of the region, was more tolerant and showeda better degree of adaptation to the resource deficit. This enables itsrecommendation as an alternative replacement to built environments of cities indrylands, or the incorporation of new afforestations, so as to ensure long-termachievement of the sustainability of the city-oasis.