Fragmentación de las estructuras ecosistémicas en el periurbano de Villa María, Córdoba, Argentina

Abstract

Changes in land use have been detrimental to natural ecosystems. In Argentina, the Espinal ecoregion is one of the most affected, with only a few relics remaining. The province of Córdoba is one of the largest agricultural producers, which led to the modification of natural ecosystems, losing the environmental services they provide. This happens in the city of Villa María and especially in its peri-urban territory. The identification and analysis of the fragmentation of the ecosystem structures in this peri-urban area provide a different way of identifying the new ecosystem structures to be considered in the territorial planning of medium or small cities. Six ecosystemic structures (patches) were identified: Residual Ecosystems, Neoecosystems, Neosols, Neohumedales, Surface Runoff Neoredes, and Geophagy. It's processing through a Geographic Information System allowed mapping the survey results and identifying the environmental services that they provide. The fieldwork allowed to show the richness and diversity present; however, their distance and size denote the vulnerability of the patches. The importance of the structures in terms of the provision of services demands the need to consolidate political strategies in municipal management aimed at protecting the patches.