A survey of cacti richness in a biodiversity hotspot of Western Argentina

ESTEVEN, ALEJANDRO SAINT; BENEDICTTO, MARIANA; GAROLLA, FRANCO A.; PADRÓ, JULIÁN; SOTO, IGNACIO M.

BRADLEYA

BRITISH CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOC

Año: 2021 vol. 2021

0265-086X

The Multiple Use Reserve of Valle Fértil(San Juan province, Argentina) is a protected areawith particular climatic features that includes a largesegment of xeric environments. It harbors numerousendemic and protected species. Despite the conspicuouspresence of a cacti and succulent community inthe area, a formal survey of species richness had beenlacking. Moreover, as this region has been declared atrisk of degradation due to soil erosion driven by highdeforestation rates the importance of carrying outbiodiversity surveys with interest on conservationraises. During the last decade, and product of severalfield trips to the Reserve, seven genera of Cactaceaewere observed. Thus, we present the first formal listof cacti and succulent species in the Multiple UseReserve of Valle Fértil gathering relevant informationfor scientific and conservational purposes.