Efecto de los gradientes de pastoreo ovino sobre la vegetación y el suelo en Península Valdés, Patagonia Argentina

This study reveals the existence of 'piósferas' or sheep grazing gradients around water sources (aguadas) in Península Valdés, Argentina, demonstrating that grazing intensity decreases with distance from these points. Using generalized linear mixed models and multivariate techniques, researchers found that reduced grazing led to increased vegetation coverage, soil organic matter, vertical complexity, and microtopography, while higher grazing correlated with bare soil, gravel content, annual plant coverage, and soil compaction. The findings highlight significant ecosystem degradation linked to sheep grazing, emphasizing the need for integrated management strategies to balance livestock activities with biodiversity conservation in this UNESCO-recognized region.

Cheli, G. H., Pazos, G. E., Flores, G. E., & Corley, J. C. (2016). Efecto de los gradientes de pastoreo ovino sobre la vegetación y el suelo en Península Valdés, Patagonia Argentina. Ecología Austral, 26(2), 200–211. https://doi.org/10.25260/ea.16.26.2.0.237