Describing and Monitoring Marine Benthic Communities in South American Rocky Shores: State of knowledge: Argentina

SCHWINDT E; BORTOLUS A

São Lourenço

Congreso; Congreso Latino-Americano de Ecología; 2009

The coast of Argentina is over 4000 km long and is dominated by rocky shores and salt marshes, sandy and shingle shores. There are different kinds of rocks according to the origin: sedimentary and volcanic. Two kind of sedimentary rocks are found over the coast being the most common the soft rock (as limestone and sandstone). The objective of this work is to review the methods used to describe the rocky shores in Argentina since the earliest works to the present and to discuss the logistical and biological considerations to study this environment throughout the coast. To review the methods used we compiled all the descriptive papers since the early 60´s published in national and international journals. From each paper we extracted specific details of the sampling methods as the number of replicates, sample size, statistical analysis used and the spatial and temporal scale studied. From the review we found that the transect was most common sampling method used, with poor or null replicates, poor quantitative data and big sample unit during the 60´s and 70´s. During the 90´s and 2000´s other variables as wave exposure, higher number of replicates, different localities, sites and seasons were incorporated in the methods, however, the number of studies published and the localities studied are still low. We discuss the major logistical constraints affecting the performance of this kind of studies, and propose alternative solutions by using the monitoring of rocky shore environments as example.