The Pampas of Argentina are
located in the southern area of South America; it extends for almost 1,000
miles, and covers 294,000 square miles (9).
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| Pampas of Argentina (10). |
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| The Pampas can be divided into five different ecoregions; they are labeled by number in the above figure. (5) |
The
pampas of Argentina are located in many South American countries including Argentina,
Brazil, and Uruguay; it is a vast land covered by many varieties of grasses
(2). The pampas are home to some of the most fertile soils in the world; these
soils are called chernozems which is Russian for “black soil” (3). The types of
grasses in this ecosystem are perennial, and over time have been conditioned to fire, cold
temperature, and drought (3). The roots of these plants are able to trap
moisture and nutrients while their stems (which are narrow) reduce heat gain
during the summer (3). Two types of grasses are bunch grasses which have
rhizomes, and sod-forming grasses which don’t have rhizomes, but seeds that are
responsible for the reproducing (3). The Pampas are located in a temperate
climate with small temperature fluctuations (2); they receive about 10 to 20 inches
of rain a year which is less than temperate deciduous forests. In temperate
grasslands 80 percent of the soil is underground so if fire burns the top it
just regenerates from the bottom. A few animals that live in the Pampas include
the Greater Rhea, the Geoffrey’s cat, the Maned wolf, and the Guanaco (4). The
pampas could be divided into five different regions: Rolling Pampas, Central
Pampas, Southern Pampas, Flooding Pampas, and Mesopotamian Pampas. These
different eco-regions are used for different purposes; the rolling pampas
contain deep and well drained soils which are great for continuous farming; the
central pampas land is used for cultivation; and the flooding and mesopotamian pampas
are exceptional for cattle farming (5).
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| Chernozem Soil |
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| Top soil of chernozem soil |
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| Silver Pampas grass |
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| Geoffrey's Cat |
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Greater Rhea
|
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| Maned Wolf |
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| Guanaco |
There are an abundance of cattle and horses found in the
Pampas of Argentina. These animals were not always there though; Spaniards
brought them over from Europe in the 1500s (1). Since the cattle and horses had
no predators or competitors, they naturally were allowed to spread rapidly all
around the Pampas grassland (1). The plethora of livestock causes problems for
the ecosystem; their overgrazing results in soil erosion and native plants
being overrun by invasive species of plants (2). The tall grasses in the Pampas
grow back slowly which gives invasive or exotic species of plants a higher
chance of growing; the growth of these non-native plants puts stresses on
native plants, and eventually causes them to disappear (2).
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| Cattle in the Pampas |
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| Table of soil erosion risk (5). |
Agriculture
practices also have caused some major impacts on the Pampas. Intensive farming
has caused soil erosion, nutrient impoverishment, micro-habitat change (1), and
the damaging of natural waterways. In the Pampas (especially in the rolling and
inland pampas) agriculture from humans is having a tremendous effect on the
ecosystems. At least 1.3 million hectare of land are losing more than 20
tons/ha of soil each year (1). Another problem with continuous agriculture is
that some parts of the pampas soil is being depleted of important nutrients
(2). Up to 35 percent of soil’s original quality can be exhausted after about
twenty years of cropping (5). If the
intensive agriculture on this land continues, the nutrients could be decreased
to a level that would require even the most fertile soils to need immense
fertilization in several decades (1). Changes in the microhabitat of the pampas
are another result of the practices of agriculture. With an increase in
agriculture, comes an increase in herbicides and pesticides. Some of the
pesticides are extremely toxic to not only wildlife, but humans as well (1). A
few examples on harmful pesticides include aldicarb, methil azimphos,
carbofuran, chlorpiriphos, dimethoate, metamidophos and monocrotophos (1). Pesticides,
herbicides, and fungicides can also degrade water, soil, and air quality
(5). Runoff from the fertilizer used in
the Pampas is responsible for damaging a number of its natural waterways (2).
On some parts of the Latin American coast the fertilizer is responsible for
damaging fish stocks; this makes it difficult for fisherman to make profit, and
also contaminates seafood, making it dangerous for people to eat (2). Nitrogen
and Phosphorus play another role in the impact humans have on the Pampas. It
could be harmful to not only animal, but human health too if nitrate leaches
into the ground water (5). Also, if nitrate and phosphorus get in water runoff
then the eutrophication risk of ponds and lakes becomes at risk (5). Despite
the problems that agriculture is having on the Pampas, it continues to expand.
Wheat, maize, sunflowers, and soybean are the major crops in this ecosystem;
the upgrading of technologies has allowed for much more of these crops to be
grown with less of an environmental impact (5).
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Soybean Agriculture in Argentina
|
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Maize Agriculture in Argentina
|
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| Figure of agriculture in the Pampas expanding over the years (5). |
Humans
have also have had a negative effect on the biodiversity of the Pampas; they
are continually changing the habitat which has caused the endangerment and
extinction of many animals. Biodiversity is crucial in habitats; if humans harm
it they may be harming the germplasm and gene variability, insects and control
agents, waste disposal and recycling pools, and pollinators (5). The pampas
deer is one animal that has become endangered as a result of humans taking over
the land, and using it for their benefit. These deer are on a decline due to
habitat transformation, diseases from cattle, forage competition, and hunting
(8). The density of cows has been observed to be related to the density of
pampas deer (8). Between 1869 and 1870, two million hides of these deer were
recorded as being exported from Buenos Aires; there are now only several
hundred deer remaining (1). Unfortunately, there are only two small populations
of pampas deer left; they are located in the eastern and western margins of the
pampas (8). Saffron cowled blackbirds, eskimo curlew, and strange tailed
tyrants are a few birds that are now extinct in the pampas due to the harmful
effects of humans (1). About 10% of the
birds in Argentina are now extinct due to a number of things: invasive species,
hunting, poaching, illegal wildlife, and, of course, the destruction and fragmentation
of their habitat (7).
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Eskimo Curlew
|
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| Saffron Cowled Blackbird |
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Strange-tailed Tyrant
|
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| Pampas Deer |
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| Jaguar |
The
conservation of the Pampas hasn't been completely ignored. There are many
organizations and people who are stepping up to protect this vital piece of
land. The Aage V. Gensen charity foundation’s mission is to preserve the Pampas
grassland. They are taking action, and attempting to make a difference. This
organization plan is to develop an organic rice initiative, launch several
conservation projects including the management of grasslands and rice, reach
out and educate people, gain support from the government, and several others
(6). IUCNs world commission has also created a plan to discover which parts of
the Pampas would need the most protection based on socio-economic factors,
cultural factors, historical events, and other constraints (1). Another
organization is the Asociacion Ornitologica del Plata; their protection of
land in the Pampas includes identification, monitoring, conservation and
restoration of a number of important areas for birds and biodiversity, as well
as raising awareness to people that these sites are vital to biodiversity (7).
To improve the conditions of this ecosystem several steps
need to be taken. The most important step is to make people aware of how
important the pampas are, and how humans are negatively affecting this
ecosystem. If people knew that we get 80 percent of our food from temperate
grasslands (Gillepsie), then they would be more willing to look into what is going on in
the pampas, and how they can help protect this beneficial ecosystem. There are
plenty of people that have an urge to save other ecosystems like tropical rain forests because they are well aware of the problems that are occurring
there; if people around the world educated others about the human impacts on
the Pampas, then there would be a greater urge for people to take action in the
Pampas. To further this cause one step that could be taken is reaching out to
international organizations that would be willing to help raise funds to
protect the Pampas. There is less than 150,000 hectare of land included in the
reserves of the Pampas; this is only 0.3 % of the total land it takes up (1). The
troubling part is that inside of that small piece of land the biodiversity isn't even protected. Another way of helping to preserve the land in the Pampas is to
provide incentives to farmers. If farmers received benefits for taking care of
their land then they would be more likely to preserve the Pampas. A few methods
farmers could use to preserve the land include crop and cattle rotations,
protection of the habitat, cattle grazing in natural grasslands, management of
pests, and an end to tillage cropping (1). The biodiversity of the pampas is
another huge issue that needs to be addressed. The pampas deer are extremely
endangered; not only do these animals themselves need to be protected, but the
land they live on, and the grasses they eat do too. If farmers were to limit
the areas where their cattle could graze, then there would be more grasses for
the pampas deer to eat, and less competition for them. The birds of this
ecosystem are also disappearing due to the alteration and destruction of their
home. Although several birds have become extinct already, it is not too late to
save the remaining ones. It may be a sacrifice for people, and it could cost a
lot of money, but it is worth it to improve the strategies for using the land
in the pampas; if people commit and take responsible action then this temperate
grassland could be sustainably used for many years to come.
Works Cited
1)
Krapovickas, Santiago, and Adrian S. Di Giacamo.
"Conservation of Pampas and Campos
Grasslands in Argentina." Parks: Grassland
Protected Areas. IUCN, Oct. 1998. Web. 3
Dec. 2012.
<http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/parks_oct98.pdf#page=48>.
2)
Smith, S.E., and Bronwyn Harris. "What Are Some
Environmental Issues in the
Pampas?" WiseGeek.
Conjecture, 06 Aug. 2012. Web. 03 Dec. 2012.
<http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-some-environmental-issues-in-the-pampas.htm>.
3)
Woodward, Susan L. "Temperate
Grasslands." Biomes of the World. Radford University,
1997. Web. 03 Dec. 2012.
<https://php.radford.edu/~swoodwar/biomes/?page_id=173>.
4)
"Animals and Plants of Argentina." Country
Facts and Information, 29 Mar. 2010. Web. 03
Dec. 2012.
<http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/argentina/animals-and-plants-of-argentina/4949>.
5)
Viglizzo, E. F., A. J. Pordomingo, M. G. Castro, and F.
A. Lertora. "Environmental
Assessment of Agriculture at a Regional
Scale in the Pampas of Argentina." Springer Link. Kluwer
Academic Publishers, Sept. 2003. Web. 3 Dec. 2012. <http://www.springerlink.com/content/m2p192m02638kk84/fulltext.pdf>.
6)
"Alliance for the Conservation of the South
American Pampas." AAGE V. GENSEN Charity
Foundation, Dec. 2010. Web. 3 Dec. 2012.
<http://www.avjcf.org/wp-content/uploads/Pampas_Grasslands_Aug-Dec_2010_Final_Report.pdf>.
7)
"Aves Argentinas - Asociacian Ornitolagica Del
Plata." Aves Argentinas. N.p., n.d. Web. 03
Dec. 2012.
<http://www.avesargentinas.org.ar/12/conservacion.php>.
8)
Demarı´a, Manuel R., William J. McShea, Kevin Koy, and
Nestor O. Maceira. "Pampas Deer
Conservation with Respect to Habitat Loss
and Protected Area Considerations in San Luis, Argentina."
Science
Direct. Biological Conservation, 12 Feb. 2003. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.
<http://www.ecologia-manejo.org.ar/pdfs/Demaria-Pampas_deer(2003).pdf>.
9)
"Major Landforms of South America." World
Atlas. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.
<http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/salnd.htm>.
10) "ESLB2ISBHumanities
- 1.5 The Pampas." ESLB2ISBHumanities - 1.5 The Pampas. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2012. <http://eslb2isbhumanities.wikispaces.com/1.5%20The%20Pampas>.
