Abstract

TALAMO, Andrés; TRUCCO, Carlos E  and  CAZIANI, Sandra M. Woody vegetation of an abandoned road in the semiarid Chaco forest in relation to the surrounding vegetation matrix and grazing. Ecol. austral [online]. 2009, vol.19, n.2, pp.157-165. ISSN 1667-782X.

In an abandoned road in of the semiarid Chaco forest (Copo National Park, Argentina), we compared the community of woody plant species in two areas: one with livestock, surrounded by secondary forest, and another without livestock, surrounded by primary forest. We measured characteristics of the woody vegetation in nine plots (2 x 100 m) selected randomly in the area with livestock and in six plots in the area without livestock. Considering the same number of samples, species richness was similar in both areas. No significant differences were found in species richness per plot, adult plants density and basal area between the two areas. In the plots with livestock, 34% of the total basal area corresponded to Capparis retusa, decreasing the assembly eveness in this area. The number of branches per individual and the branch density were similar in both areas. Achatocarpus praecox, Prosopis sp. and Ximenia americana were present only in plots with livestock, while Senna aphilla was found only in the plots without livestock, however these differences could be the result of intrinsic variations. The density and basal area per species were not different between areas. In the considered period of time, we did not find evidence of differences in the community of woody plant species related to the different grazing history and the surrounded vegetation matrix.

Keywords : Disturbance; Diversity; Woody plants; Cattle grazing; Forest; Abandoned road; Chaco.

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