A survey of succulent richness in the Natural reserve of Valle Fértil, San Juan Province, Argentina

BENEDICTTO MARIANA; SAINT ESTEVEN ALEJANDRO; PADRO JULIAN; SOTO IGNACIO M.

2015-03-01/2016-07-01

Biológica

Medio terrestre-Conservacion

The Natural Reserve of Valle Fértil (San Juan province, Argentina) is a protected area with particular climatic features that includes a large segment of xeric environments. It harbors numerous endemic and protected species, and it belongs to the region with the largest biodiversity in region. Despite the conspicuous cacti and succulent community present in the Area, a formal survey of species richness was still lacking. This region has been declared at risk of degradation due to soil erosion driven by the high rate of deforestation pointing out the importance of carrying out biodiversity surveys. We present an accurate list of cacti species of the Reserve, product of several field trips along the past three years. Seven genera of Cactaceae were observed as most abundant, as well as three succulent species of Portulacaceae and Anacampserotaceae families. Thus, we present the first formal list of cacti and succulent species in the Natural Reserve of Valle Fértil gathering relevant information for scientific and conservational purposes.