Abstract

PRIETO, María del R.; ABRAHAM, E.  and  DUSSEL, P.. Transformation of a marshy ecosystem.: The big swamp of Bermejo - Mendoza, XVIII and XIX Centuries. Multequina [online]. 2008, vol.17, n.2, pp.147-164. ISSN 1852-7329.

The area that presently comprises part of the departments of Guaymallen, Lavalle and Maipu in the province of Mendoza was occupied until the beginning of the 20^th century by a large marshy and lacustrine system. This system has undergone variations in its extension and water volume along several centuries until its desiccation in the first quarter of the 20^th century. By the turn of the 18^th century and beginning of the 19^th the marsh started a disproportionate growth reaching enormous dimensions, thus provoking the loss of farming land and pasture fields. Our interest has been the study of the natural and anthropic causes that occasioned the transformation of this ecosystem. For this, we have resorted to historical documents, ancient maps, descriptions by voyageurs and scientists, complemented by field work in the relicts of the old marsh zone plus the analysis of aerial photographs and satellite images. The phenomenon can be attributed to the wrong catering management in the higher oasis zones, to the topographic characteristic of the terrain and the deficient drainage, jointly with geotectonic phenomena and a period of large snow precipitation in the cordillera that caused the ascent of the phreatic layers.

Keywords : Environmental history; Dehesa environment; Hydric resources; Climatic variations.

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