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In the late 19th century, Europeans brought sheep to the Argentine region in order to be ranched for the precious merino wool to sell to international markets. Typically grazed year-round in large herds, the sheep ultimately have open access to a huge expanse of land on which consume vegetation. <ref>"Argentina: How We Work." The Nature Conservancy. N.p., 2010. Web. 18 Feb 2011. <http://www.nature.org/wherewework/southamerica/argentina/work/art22256.html></ref> Over the years, the inadequate overgrazing of livestock, both cattle and sheep, in the region has led to the destruction and degradation of the natural habitat; <ref>El-Baz, Farouk, M. H., and International Centre. Physics of desertification. Springer, 1986. Print.</ref> a typical sheep can consume up to 4.5 pounds of vegetation a day, thus paving the way for vegetation scarcity in southern Argentina. The harsh winters, severe winds, dry climate and overgrazing of the Patagonian grasslands have all contributed to the critical process of erosion and desertification in Argentina. As a result of these of natural disasters on top of poor grazing practices, many faunal species that rely on the vegetation and waterways within the ecoregion have become endangered due to pollution resulting from silt runoff and an overall loss of habitat. Ranching, which was once a profitable and resourceful tool in the grasslands, is now carried out with greater difficulty as some ranchers leave Patagonia after an inability to sustain enough livestock to support their livelihood | In the late 19th century, Europeans brought sheep to the Argentine region in order to be ranched for the precious merino wool to sell to international markets. Typically grazed year-round in large herds, the sheep ultimately have open access to a huge expanse of land on which consume vegetation. <ref name="Nature">"Argentina: How We Work." The Nature Conservancy. N.p., 2010. Web. 18 Feb 2011. <http://www.nature.org/wherewework/southamerica/argentina/work/art22256.html></ref> Over the years, the inadequate overgrazing of livestock, both cattle and sheep, in the region has led to the destruction and degradation of the natural habitat; <ref>El-Baz, Farouk, M. H., and International Centre. Physics of desertification. Springer, 1986. Print.</ref> a typical sheep can consume up to 4.5 pounds of vegetation a day, thus paving the way for vegetation scarcity in southern Argentina. The harsh winters, severe winds, dry climate and overgrazing of the Patagonian grasslands have all contributed to the critical process of erosion and desertification in Argentina. As a result of these of natural disasters on top of poor grazing practices, many faunal species that rely on the vegetation and waterways within the ecoregion have become endangered due to pollution resulting from silt runoff and an overall loss of habitat. Ranching, which was once a profitable and resourceful tool in the grasslands, is now carried out with greater difficulty as some ranchers leave Patagonia after an inability to sustain enough livestock to support their livelihood.<ref>Carlos, Fernandez, and Nogués Andrea. "Preserving Patagonian Grasslands and Gauchos." The Property and Environmental Research Center. N.p., 2010. Web. 18 Feb 2011. <http://www.perc.org/articles/article1232.php></ref> The Patagonian grasslands capture and store carbon much like the forests of the world and help prevent climate change, yet grasslands in general are some of least protected and conserved habitats on the planet. <ref name="Nature"/> | ||
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Revision as of 04:54, 19 February 2011
The Patagonian Grassland Conservation Project is a current Nature Conservancy environmental program devoted to protecting Argentina’s temperate Patagonian grasslands.
Patagonian Grassland Location
The Patagonian grasslands are a major ecoregion located at the bottom tip of South America. The vast expanse of land extends from the Tierra del Fuego archipelago to the Santa Cruz Province in southern Argentina and encompasses the Falkland Islands on the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The Strait of Magellan waterway runs through the ecoregion just north of Tierra del Fuego and south of the mainland, breaking the grassland region into two distinct parts.[1]
Region Description
Low-lying mountains, meadows, mesas and plains characterize the temperate grassland region while steppe grasses and an assorted mix of treeless shrub vegetation litter the area. [2] High humidity and low average temperatures help mark the arid Patagonian grassland climate with roughly 200-300 millimeters of rainfall annually. The region features numerous coastal zones, lagoons and marshes that host a wide variety of both native and introduced fauna that occupy Argentina. [1]
Threats
In the late 19th century, Europeans brought sheep to the Argentine region in order to be ranched for the precious merino wool to sell to international markets. Typically grazed year-round in large herds, the sheep ultimately have open access to a huge expanse of land on which consume vegetation. [3] Over the years, the inadequate overgrazing of livestock, both cattle and sheep, in the region has led to the destruction and degradation of the natural habitat; [4] a typical sheep can consume up to 4.5 pounds of vegetation a day, thus paving the way for vegetation scarcity in southern Argentina. The harsh winters, severe winds, dry climate and overgrazing of the Patagonian grasslands have all contributed to the critical process of erosion and desertification in Argentina. As a result of these of natural disasters on top of poor grazing practices, many faunal species that rely on the vegetation and waterways within the ecoregion have become endangered due to pollution resulting from silt runoff and an overall loss of habitat. Ranching, which was once a profitable and resourceful tool in the grasslands, is now carried out with greater difficulty as some ranchers leave Patagonia after an inability to sustain enough livestock to support their livelihood.[5] The Patagonian grasslands capture and store carbon much like the forests of the world and help prevent climate change, yet grasslands in general are some of least protected and conserved habitats on the planet. [3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The World Wildlife Fund. "Patagonian Grasslands." The Encyclopedia of the Earth. 2006. Web. <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Patagonian_grasslands?topic=49597>
- ↑ G., Stephen, John Frame, and Food and. Grasslands: developments, opportunities, perspectives. Science Publishers, 2005. Print.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Argentina: How We Work." The Nature Conservancy. N.p., 2010. Web. 18 Feb 2011. <http://www.nature.org/wherewework/southamerica/argentina/work/art22256.html>
- ↑ El-Baz, Farouk, M. H., and International Centre. Physics of desertification. Springer, 1986. Print.
- ↑ Carlos, Fernandez, and Nogués Andrea. "Preserving Patagonian Grasslands and Gauchos." The Property and Environmental Research Center. N.p., 2010. Web. 18 Feb 2011. <http://www.perc.org/articles/article1232.php>