CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

The environmental sustainability of the model of city-oasis of Mendoza, Argentina,is based on the presence of an intense urban forestry associated with an irrigation system. Given the geographical condition of the site, under arid climate of limited rainfall, the limiting factor for growth of the forestmatrix is the water resource. The irregularity in the frequency of irrigation and its availability allow conditions of water stress affecting longevity and permanence of the urban forest, threatening the sustainability of the urban and built environment quality. The objective of this study is to assess the degree of tolerance to water stress of frequent forest species in Mendoza urban forest - Acacia visco and Platanus hispanica - to apply management strategies to ensure their presence in the urban environment and the corresponding contributions to the urban model. The methodology included the development of an experimental approach consisting of a controlled irrigation test under greenhouse conditions, applied to young forest for three growing seasons. The results showed consistent growth responses to the differential volumes of water applied, which varied statistically between species and treatment according to ANOVA applied. Both species had lower growth under severe water stress without showing significant differences under moderate water stress. P. hispanica were relatively sensitive to water stress, while A. visco, a native of the region, was more tolerant and showed a better degree of adaptation to the resource deficit. This enables its recommendation as an alternative replacement to built environments of cities indrylands, or the incorporation of new afforestations, so as to ensure long-term achievement of the sustainability of the city-oasis.

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