CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Cerro Tocorpuri, belongs to the II region of Chile, in San Pedro de Atacama, on the border of Chile-Bolivia. The presence of a more or less constant supply of water conditions the existence of characteristic vegetation systems known as bogs (bofedales, vegas and marshes). These wetlands have a cultural, environmental and economic social importance. As a result of the exploitation of aquatic rights peatlands began to dry up with the consequent loss of natural resources and damage to ancestral rights, and natural resources. The microbiome in wetlands plays an important role in biogeochemical processes and microbial activities there is crucial to the functions of wetland systems. The relationship between microbial diversity and soil function is unknown, but it has been assumed that biodiversity influences ecosystem stability, productivity, and resilience to stress. In the present work, the soil characteristics and the associated microbial biodiversity were studied, comparing samples of active and deteriorated peatland. It was seen that the loss of water causes great changes in the physical-chemical characteristics of the soil, which leads to a modification of the microbiota Proteobacteria decreased by 18% in deteriorated peatlands, which are evident more sensible to extreme conditions while Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria increased in these sample showing a better adaptation to the change of conditions. In view of the fact, that high Andean Peatlands are exposed to increasing environmental impact. This preliminary comparative study of pristine and altered soil could guide the research directed to recovery of dead peatlands strategies.