Pampas blog

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).

Pampas of Argentina (10).

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).

Chernozem Soil

Top soil of chernozem soil

Silver Pampas grass

Geoffrey's Cat

Greater Rhea

Maned Wolf

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).

Cattle in the Pampas

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).

Soybean Agriculture in Argentina

Maize Agriculture in Argentina

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).

Eskimo Curlew

Saffron Cowled Blackbird 

Strange-tailed Tyrant

Pampas Deer

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>.