Abstract

TRAVERSA-TEJERO, Ignacio P.  and  ALEJANO-MONGE, María Reyes. Characterization, distribution and management of native forests in northern Uruguay. Rev. Mex. Biodiv. [online]. 2013, vol.84, n.1, pp.249-262. ISSN 2007-8706.  https://doi.org/10.7550/rmb.23314.

The northern region of Uruguay undergoes land transformation processes, and degradation of native forest. The existing information on the structure and floristic composition of the forests in that region, as a basis for studies about dynamics, is scarce. Species distribution, floristic composition (wooden species) and forest management, was assessed in the Rivera Region, Uruguay. The study area (33 000 ha) was delimited by 2 simultaneous and complementary approaches, the first one natural (basin) and the other one socioeconomic (reference city). Data from floristic inventories and surveys of producers were captured into a geographic information system. Forests were grouped according to their water gradient associated to contour lines. Native forest area occupies 13.9% of the total study area in Rivera, which means 3 times the national average. Sixty woody species were found, with the Anacardiaceae (26.5%) and Euphorbiaceae (14.7%) as the most frequent families. Anacardiaceae are more common in subxerophytic woods, and Euphorbiaceae in more hydrophilic forests. All forests are vulnerable due to the weak integration between forestry and farming, resulting in no forest management. Non native species constitute a source of degradation of native forests, specifically in areas close to the city.

Keywords : native forest; species composition; hydro-anthropic model; GIS.

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