Berberis microphylla: an important component to protect the regeneration of Nothofagus antarctica in silvopastoral systems of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.

BUSTAMANTE G; ARENA M; ROSINA S

Montpellier

Congreso; 4th World Congress on Agroforestry; 2019

Trees grow under herbivores pressure caused by browsing and trampling of livestock insilvopastoral systems. Consequently, the seedlings establishment is disrupt and young treesgrow in a shrubby form. However, other shrubby plants can protect trees at differentdevelopment stages. In Tierra del Fuego, Nothofagus antarctica (ñire) forests were intervenedto maximize livestock, but some sectors were burned and overgrazed resulting in a degradationhardly reversible. In these sites, the spiny shrub Berberis microphylla (calafate) grow naturallyand vigorously after fire, being less palatable for livestock. The objective of this study was toevaluate the possible nursing effect of calafate shrubs on ñire seedlings in silvopastoral systemsof Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. We established a manipulative assay by planting ñire seedlings(2-3 years) under and out of the crown influence of calafate shrubs during spring 2017. . After 3months survival, we analysed seedling survival and growth: diameter (DAC), height (H), leafnumber (LN), leaf size (LL, LW). In addition, in eight different sites we compared isolatedadvanced regeneration (trees