VEGETATION RESPONSE TO SOIL AND MORPHOLOGICAL PROPERTIES IN AN ARID REGION ALLUVIAL FAN LANDSCAPE. PRE-ANDES OF SAN JUAN, ARGENTINA

DANIEL FLORES; EMMANUEL OCAÑA; EDGARDO MELIÁN; ANDRÉS ORTEGA; YANINA ESPER; MARÍA PITTALUGA

JOURNAL OF EARTH SCIENCE

CHINA UNIV GEOSCIENCES

Año: 2024

1674-487X

The Monte Desert is characterized by a great diversity of landforms created with fluvial,alluvial which the vegetation patterns are related to. The present work has the followingobjectives: 1: determine whether topographical attributes, surface characteristics, soilproperties and vegetation patterns vary between alluvial landforms, and 2: define whethermorphometric, soil and surface properties influence vegetation patterns along alluviallandscape. Morphometric data were obtained by processing a 5 m digital elevation model.The coverage of rock fragments, fine sediments and mulch was quantified. Observationsand descriptions of the soil profiles were restricted to the uppermost 50 cm. Vegetationproperties were calculated using a Point Quadrat Method. The relationship betweenvariables was evaluated through multivariate statistical analysis. The main results showthe presence of 45 plant species distributed in 19 families, where shrubs are dominant.The wind effect, topographic wetness and dissection of the landscape are limiting factorsof diversity. The coverage of superficial rock fragments influence vegetation coveragethrough the distribution and availability of rainwater. Furthermore, the different soiltextures reveal that the silt content favors an increase in vegetation coverage. Thepresence of V horizon could condition the installation and development of vegetation inthe early stages of growth.