Management proposals in Nothofagus forests in Tierra del Fuego: What did we learn from long-term study permanent plots?

CELLINI, JUAN M.; MARTÍNEZ PASTUR, GUILLERMO; LENCINAS, MARIA VANESSA; SOLER, ROSINA MATILDE

Bucarest

Congreso; Forest Science for a Sustainable Forestry and Human Wellbeing in a Changing World? INCDS ?Marin Drăcea? 85 Years of Activity Centenary of The Great Union in 1918; 2018

Nothofagus forests provide numerous ecosystem services in Tierra del Fuego, and have been used by mankind throughout its history. The impacts received by the forests generate changes in their structure and function, and it is necessary to know: (i) if the resilience of these is able to absorb the impacts and return the ecosystems to their original condition, or (ii) if the impacts generate Novel ecosystems with different characteristics. Silvicultural management modifies the original forest to achieve production objectives (e.g., quality timber or livestock breeding). The management cycles include many years (e.g. > 100 years) being necessary to have long-term information for the development of new proposals that keep the provision of ecosystem services and ensure sustained economic production in the time. The PEBANPA network (Plots of Ecology andBiodiversity of Natural Environments in Southern Patagonia) established by INTA CADIC seeks to give answer to these questions, and has permanent plots of regeneration, silvopastoral system and intermediate treatments. This work presents some results in reference to questions about forest management and forest conservation, including: (i) litter production, (ii) seed production, (iii) regeneration dynamics, (iv) herbivory damage, (v) canopy stability, (vi) growth, (vii) impact of pests, (viii) biodiversity, (ix) invasion of species, and (x) climate change. The results obtained from these monitoring have allowed determining which are the most important variables for each management or conservation objective, identifying the most influential indicators and the lowest implementation cost, maximizing the results and minimizing the costs of field measurements.