Flora and vegetation of coastal wetlands near Tolten, Chile
Flora and vegetation of coastal wetlands near Tolten, Chile
Authors
Hauenstein Barra, Enrique
González, M.
Peña Cortés, Fernando
Muñoz Pedreros, Andrés
González, M.
Peña Cortés, Fernando
Muñoz Pedreros, Andrés
Authors
Date
2012-02-25
Datos de publicación:
10.4067/S0717-66432002000200006
Keywords
Flora - Humedales - Macrófitos
Collections
Abstract
Programas de drenado ponen en serio peligro la permanencia de los humedales de Chile. Sin embargo, la flora y vegetación de estos ecosistemas han sido poco estudiadas. Este estudio clasifica los humedales de la costa de Toltén (IX Región, Chile), determinando su flora y vegetación. De acuerdo a la clasificación de la Convención de Ramsar, se determinaron 5 tipos de humedales en el área: lagunas costeras de agua dulce, ríos y arroyos permanentes, pantanos permanentes de agua dulce, pantanos estacionales de agua dulce y humedal boscoso de agua dulce (bosque pantanoso). Se trabajó con 39 censos de vegetación de acuerdo a la metodología fitosociológica de la Escuela Zürich-Montpellier, y recolecciones al azar. La flora vascular está formada por 84 especies, en las que dominan las nativas (69%). En el espectro biológico dominan los hemicriptófitos, seguidos en importancia por los fanerófitos y criptófitos, estos últimos representan a geófitos, helófitos e hidrófitos. Las especies más importantes en el humedal son Myrceugenia exsucca, Eleocharis macrostachya, Scirpus californicus, Juncus procerus, Anagallis alternifolia y E. pachycarpa. La tabla de vegetación ordenada muestra la presencia de 9 asociaciones vegetales: Juncetum procerii, Scirpetum californiae, Eleocharietum macrostachyaea, Loto-Cyperetum eragrostidae, Alismo-Sagittarietum montevidensis, Myriophylletum aquaticum, Myriophyllo-Potametum linguatii, Polygono-Ludwigietum peploidis y Blepharocalyo-Myrceugenietum exsuccae
Drainage programs threaten many of Chile's remaining wetlands, yet the flora and vegetation of these ecosystems have yet to be thoroughly documented. This study classifies and describes the flora and vegetation of the wetlands from the coast of Toltén, IX Region, Chile. According to the Ramsar classification, five types of wetlands were determined in the area: coastal freshwater lagoons, permanent rivers and streams, freshwater marshes, seasonal freshwater and wetlands and swamp forest. Thirty-nine censuses of vegetation according to Zürich-Montpellier methodology were used. The vascular flora is formed by eighty-four species, in which the natives dominate (69%). The hemicryptophytes dominate within the biological spectrum followed by the fanerophytes and cryptophytes. The most important species are: Myrceugenia exsucca, Eleocharis macrostachya, Scirpus californicus, Juncus procerus, Anagallis alternifolia and E. pachycarpa. The vegetation table shows the presence of nine vegetation associations: Juncetum procerii, Scirpetum californiae, Eleocharietum macrostachyaea, Loto-Cyperetum eragrostidae, Alismo-Sagittarietum montevidensis, Myriophylletum aquaticum, Myriophyllo-Potametum linguatii, Polygono-Ludwigietum peploidis and Blepharocalyo-Myrceugenietum exsuccae
Drainage programs threaten many of Chile's remaining wetlands, yet the flora and vegetation of these ecosystems have yet to be thoroughly documented. This study classifies and describes the flora and vegetation of the wetlands from the coast of Toltén, IX Region, Chile. According to the Ramsar classification, five types of wetlands were determined in the area: coastal freshwater lagoons, permanent rivers and streams, freshwater marshes, seasonal freshwater and wetlands and swamp forest. Thirty-nine censuses of vegetation according to Zürich-Montpellier methodology were used. The vascular flora is formed by eighty-four species, in which the natives dominate (69%). The hemicryptophytes dominate within the biological spectrum followed by the fanerophytes and cryptophytes. The most important species are: Myrceugenia exsucca, Eleocharis macrostachya, Scirpus californicus, Juncus procerus, Anagallis alternifolia and E. pachycarpa. The vegetation table shows the presence of nine vegetation associations: Juncetum procerii, Scirpetum californiae, Eleocharietum macrostachyaea, Loto-Cyperetum eragrostidae, Alismo-Sagittarietum montevidensis, Myriophylletum aquaticum, Myriophyllo-Potametum linguatii, Polygono-Ludwigietum peploidis and Blepharocalyo-Myrceugenietum exsuccae