Dendroecological evaluation of anthropogenic influence on the growth of Neltuma flexuosa in Monte Central, Argentina
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.24.34.1.0.2161Keywords:
cattle raising, wood extraction, land uses, drylands, ProsopisAbstract
Neltuma flexuosa is the main tree species in the Central Monte which presents important ecological and socio-cultural functions. Grazing and wood extraction, the most widespread human uses in the region, can modify the growth of Neltuma trees and generate changes in the woodland dynamics, which, in turn, is influenced by water availability. Our aim was to assess the growth pattern of N. flexuosa trees that inhabit open woodlands of the Central Monte and associate it to land use and to the climate. Dendrochronological methods were employed to analyze wood samples collected in areas destined for conservation, grazing use and wood extraction. Trees in the wood extraction area grew approximately twice that of the individuals in grazing fields and the protected area between 1977 and 2000, reaching their maximum growth rate between 20 and 40 years of age. In opposition, the maximum growth rate in the protected area and in the grazing fields occurred at approximately 70 years of age. A positive correlation between rainfall and growth was observed, however the association between climate and growth was low. Our results show that the different land uses have affected the radial growth pattern of N. flexuosa trees. The resprout capacity of the species would have allowed its recovery at the tree level, which, combined with a change in the intensity of anthropogenic use, enabled the recovery of the N. flexuosa population and the reestablishment of the forest. These results suggest that the extensive grazing and the extraction of wood to domestic use are activities compatible with the sustainable use of the woodland.
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