PLANT RICHNESS AND LIFE FORM DIVERSITY ALONG VEGETATION AND FOREST USE GRADIENTS IN NORTHWESTERN PATAGONIA OF ARGENTINA

ABSTRACT The imbalace between the increase in the demand and the decrease in the supply of products from natural forests, partly explains the on-going development of exotic tree plantations. In northwestern Patagonia of Argentina, Pinus ponderosa (Pinaceae) afforestation plays a key role in ameliorate degraded soils, but may also reduce biodiversity. The ecological sustainability of this activity was assessed in Aguas Frías (38°46´ W, 70°54´ S) and Litrán (38°54´ W, 71°01´ S) forest stations, where species richness and life form diversity of plants were compared in vegetation units, ...