EFFECTS OF MAN-MADE FIRES ON WETLANDS OF THE PARANÁ RIVER IN ARGENTINA: PERSPECTIVES OF ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION

Authors

  • Paola Mariela Peltzer Universidad Nacional del Litoral- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8533-1129
  • Ana Paula Cuzziol Boccioni Universidad Nacional del Litoral- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8498-7134
  • Rodrigo Ezequiel Lorenzon Universidad Nacional del Litoral- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9854-9039
  • Andrés Bortoluzzi Universidad Nacional del Litoral
  • Natalia Peña Universidad Nacional del Litoral
  • Andrés Maximiliano Attademo Universidad Nacional del Litoral- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
  • Agustín Basso Universidad Nacional del Litoral https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9523-6013
  • Evelina Jésica León Universidad Nacional del Litoral- Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas
  • Adolfo Héctor Beltzer Universidad Nacional del Litoral
  • Rafael Carlos Lajmanovich Universidad Nacional del Litoral- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4257/oeco.2023.2704.01

Keywords:

biodiversity, environmental collapse, fire, restoration, wetland

Abstract

Fire caused by man in South America is one of the most concerning environmental catastrophes, due to its potential impacts on global climate change. The aim of the present study was to determine the immediate effects of man-made fires on both the soil and the diversity of vascular plants and vertebrates present in the wetlands of the Paraná River (Argentina) during 2020, with emphasis on the perspectives of restoration in the short-term. In particular, we measured the depth of burning and listed the vascular plant and vertebrate species that were burned. We also collected field data of plant species by in situ observation (affected species, vegetal configuration, flam height on wood) and data on vertebrate species by visual encounter surveys. Species that could not be determined in situ were recorded by photographs for later identification in the laboratory. We also determined the difference normalized burn ratio (dNBR) and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) before and after the fire event. The soil burned at a depth of 2 -12 cm, whereas the flame heights ranged from 2.70 to 4.20 m due to the presence of woody species. At least, total of 46 plant and 39 vertebrate species were affected by fires. The dNBR index showed moderate (17.64%) to high (52.94%) burn severity. The NDVI values decreased by half compared to the values recorded in the control images immediately after the fire and showed low medium-term revegetation after three to four months. Since man-made fires in wetlands are likely to increase due to climate change in the coming years, there is an urgent need for legislation to regulate the conservation and restoration of these ecosystems.

Author Biographies

Paola Mariela Peltzer, Universidad Nacional del Litoral- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

Laboratorio de Ecotoxicología- Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas

Ana Paula Cuzziol Boccioni, Universidad Nacional del Litoral- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

Laboratorio de Ecotoxicología- Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas

Rodrigo Ezequiel Lorenzon, Universidad Nacional del Litoral- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

Instituto  Nacional de Limnología

Andrés Bortoluzzi, Universidad Nacional del Litoral

Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias

Natalia Peña, Universidad Nacional del Litoral

Laboratorio de Ecotoxicología- Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas

Andrés Maximiliano Attademo, Universidad Nacional del Litoral- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

Laboratorio de Ecotoxicología- Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas

Agustín Basso, Universidad Nacional del Litoral

Laboratorio de Ecotoxicología-Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas

Evelina Jésica León, Universidad Nacional del Litoral- Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas

Instituto Nacional de Limnología- Laboratorio de Ecotoxicología-Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas

Adolfo Héctor Beltzer, Universidad Nacional del Litoral

Instituto Nacional de Limnología

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Published

2023-04-06