Estimación de materia seca y partición de asimilados en arbustos dominantes de dos morfologías diferentes de los Andes Centrales de San Juan, Argentina

HERRERA MORATTA, MARIO A.; NAVAS ROMERO, ANA LAURA; VENTO, BARBARA; MARTINEZ, CARRETERO, EDUARDO

BOLETíN DE LA SOCIEDAD ARGENTINA DE BOTáNICA

SOCIEDAD ARGENTINA DE BOTÁNICA

Lugar: Córdoba; Año: 2021 vol. 56 p. 1 - 13

0373-580X

High mountain shrubs play a key role in the maintenance and functioning of ecosystem processes. Nevertheless, studies to understand their morphology and dry matter partitioning are scarce. The goal of this study is to quantify dry matter partitioning and study the morphology for Senecio oreophyton and Baccharis tola ssp. tola in the Central Andes, Argentina. Additionally, allometric equations are proposed. The work was done in the Austral Puna, province of San Juan. A total of 60 S. oreophyton and B. tola plants were selected. Biometric variables were measured in each specimen to estimate dry matter. The lateral and top view of each specimen were photographed to determine shrub morphology. Each specimen was harvested and differentiated in stem, leaves and roots. The geometric shape of S. oreophyton was similar to an inverted cone and B. tola was similar to a hemisphere shape. In both shrubs, aboveground dry matter was higher than the belowground dry matter. In B. tola, similar proportions of dry matter assigned to the stem and leaves were found. Allometric equations were established for each component from direct field measurements. The dry matter partitioning found for both shrubs would indicate that itis strongly associated with the morphology of the plant, and its strategy for survivingunder harsh conditions. This is a contribution to improve the knowledge aboutmorphological characteristics of woody shrubs and their environmental interactionsfor conservation and management in highlands.