Land tenure and biological communities in dry Chaco forests of northern Argentina. (December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Marinaro, S.; Grau, H.R.; Macchi, L.; Zelaya, P.V.
• Is Part Of: Journal of arid environments. Volume 123(2015:Dec.)
• Page Start: 60
• Page End: 67
• Publication Date: 2015-12
• Subjects: Indigenous communal properties -- Land use -- Neotropical dry forests -- Species diversity -- Wichí properties; Arid regions ecology -- Periodicals; Arid regions -- Periodicals; Écologie des régions arides -- Périodiques; Régions arides -- Périodiques; 577.54
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2014.06.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0140-1963

Abstract

Abstract: Environmental factors and land use control habitat quality and resources availability, thus regulating species distribution. Land tenure in general, and particularly traditional indigenous properties, strongly influence land use in forest ecosystems, but their association with biodiversity is poorly explored. We surveyed 43 forests in the Northern Argentina Gran Chaco, to (1) compare species diversity and composition of birds, mammals and trees between land tenures across a 17 million-hectares region; and to (2) compare diversity between Wichí indigenous properties and non-indigenous properties, within a more restricted geographic range to control for climatic and soil factors ( n = 19). Contrary to our expectations, protected areas did not include higher biodiversity, although they showed higher densities of species specifically targeted for human harvest. Wichí properties were the most original regime in terms of community composition of birds and trees. Every land tenure had particular indicator bird and tree species; thus a territorial conservation strategy could include a combination of all them, with a special focus on indigenous properties. Land tenure differences in biodiversity could be the complex result of different habitat quality derived from land use practices and of different geographic location. Highlights: We compared biological communities of forests between land tenures of semiarid Chaco. We specially focused on indigenous Wichí properties of west Formosa province. Contrary to our expectations, protected areas did not include higher biodiversity. However, protected areas had higher densities of species targeted for human harvest. Every land tenure had indicator species, and Wichí properties were the most original regime.