Ökologische Bewertung und Bewertung des Landnutzungspotentials nach naturräumlichen Einheiten in der Transecta Botánica de la Patagonia Austral

Abstract

This paper is concerned with studies of vegetation geography and landscape evaluation. These were done as part of an international botanical research project, covering a transect between the 51st and 52nd degrees of latitude from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans. Based on an vegetation map (scale 1:250 000), a geographical division of the vegetation into vegetation districts (Vegetationsbezirke) and growth districts (Wuchsdistrikte) was established following Schmithusen's scheme (1959/68). This was compared with the deductive divisions of other authors (Cabrera 1976, Hueck u. Seibert 1972/81). The ecological evaluation and evaluation of land-use potential (synoptic suitability evaluation) follows methods published by the author (Seibert 1975, 1979, 1980). The evaluation was done on the growth districts taking account of the recent vegetation and the former natural vegetation. The ecological suitability value, the forestry value and the pasture land value were each ascertained. The comparison of the values shows where, and to what degree, they have changed under human influence. These changes are demonstrated in charts which show that in the west of the cordillera and in the island and channel area with high rainfall no changes have taken place. In the east of the cordillera range, where pastoral use with cattle grazing occurs, the ecological and forestry values have largely decreased. In the drier areas of the eastern transecta part, where only sheep grazing is possible, forestry and pastoral land-use values have also decreased.