Regional Integrations in Arid Central West Argentina: Trends and Expectations from a Human Paleoecological framework

GIL, A; CORBAT, M.; FERNÁNDEZ, F.; GIARDINA, M.; ZANGRANDO, F.; NEME, G.; OTAOLA, C.; SALGÁN, L.; ROJO, LEANDRO; CORTEGOSO, V.; DURÁN, V.; PALMA, M.

SOUTHAMPTON, UK

Workshop; PAGE FOCUS 4- REGIONAL INTEGRATIONS OF PAST RECORDS FOR MANAGMENT OF MODERN RESOURCES AND LANDSCAPE; 2010

PAGES-UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON

Central western Argentina is an semiarid but highly hetereneous landscape (Figure 1). This area is located between 30° and 37° S, and can be subdivided into three environments: the western mountain area, the central plains (which are the driest biome with a mean annual precipitation below 250 mm), and the southeastern volcanic plateau of La Payunia, characterised by a mean annual precipitation ranging between 200 and 400 mm (Capitanelli, 1972; Abraham and Rodríguez, 2000).There is four type of desert (Altoandina, Puna, Patagonia and Monte). The animal food sources can be divided into two main provinces within this region: the Fauna de Montaña and the Fauna de Llanura (Roig, 1972). The first is characterised by the presence of camelids (Lama guanicoe and Vicugna vicugna), carnivores, such as the grey fox (Dusicion griseus) and puma (Felis concolor), small rodents, and several birds. The Fauna de Llanura is more diverse, including the previously mentioned taxa plus other small mammals and big flightless birds like Pterocnemia pennata and Rhea americana. The area is located over the South American Arid Diagonal and within the inversion zone of precipitation regimes (Bruniard, 1982). It is located in a temperate zone with an arid to semiarid climate with average annual precipitations of around 250 mm. It is exposed to the action of the Atlantic anticyclone (piedmont, depressions and oriental plains) and the Pacific Ocean anticyclone (western mountains). From the morpho-climatic aspects, the subregions within Cuyo are highly contrasting due to their relief, dominant masses of maritime air and the season of dominant precipitation. Because of the great distance travelled, the humid winds of the Atlantic produce little precipitation, while the winds from the Pacific precipitate at the mountain range of the Andes, arriving at this region generally dry and warm (Abraham and Rodríguez, 2000).             The present highest human density demography is localized in some “oasis” mostly in fluivial valleys (Figure 1). The human settlement is very heterogeneous with regular size urban center and a high number of spread household. The economy is variable but farming and pastoral activity occupy the biggest area but industry and minery is in developing today.