Forty Years of Wildland Urban Interface Growth and Its Relation With Wildfires in Central-Western Chubut, Argentina

Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas are rapidly expanding worldwide. In many regions of the world, this expansion could be explained by the increasing possibilities of telecommuting and developing home-office work, while at the same time living in, or surrounded by wilderness areas of magnificent beauty. However, growth and development of these WUIs are still not well dimensioned and regulated, especially in fire prone ecosystems. Over the last two decades, an increasingly number of megafires occurred in these WUI areas in different regions of the world. Recently, big megafires occurred in WUIs located around towns in the western Andean-Patagonian region of Argentina. In this study, we analyzed the evolution of the WUI and its relationship with wildfires around cities and towns located in the northwestern part of Chubut province of Argentina. The studied region covers 324,823 ha and includes the cities of Esquel and Trevelin, and other small villages. Our objectives were to (i) map the current WUI, (ii) quantify changes occurred in the WUI in the last 40 years around the main cities of the region, and (iii) analyze the relationships among WUIs, vegetation types, and wildfire occurrence. We mapped the distribution of WUI using spatially explicit information on housing density derived from censuses and high-resolution imagery from 1981/1982 and 2021, and land cover data. The current WUI covered 8% of the study area, however it has 97% of the houses. Between 1981 and 2021, the WUI area increased by 80%, especially in the southern part of our study region. Finally, information on wildfires distribution revealed that 65% of the ignition points of the recent fires in the region occurred within the WUI. Most of the vegetation burned were herbs, sub-shrubs and woodlands. WUI expansion in our study area appears to be constrained by terrain features (slopes and accessibility), but not by vegetation characteristics. Our study suggests that continuing, unplanned housing expansion in wilderness areas without appropriate vegetation management will likely increases wildfire risk and human environmental conflicts further. Effective land use planning and wildfire management are crucial for sustainable housing expansion in western Patagonia.Fil: Godoy, Maria Marcela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Martinuzzi, Sebastián. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Masera, Pablo Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Defossé, Guillermo Emilio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica; Argentin

Characterizing forest succession with lidar data: An evaluation for the Inland Northwest, USA

Quantifying forest structure is important for sustainable forest management, as it relates to a wide variety of ecosystem processes and services. Lidar data have proven particularly useful for measuring or estimating a suite of forest structural attributes such as canopy height, basal area, and LAI. However, the potential of this technology to characterize forest succession remains largely untested. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of lidar data for characterizing forest successional stages across a structurally diverse, mixed-species forest in Northern Idaho. We used a variety of lidar-derived metrics in conjunction with an algorithmic modeling procedure (Random Forests) to classify six stages of three-dimensional forest development and achieved an overall accuracy \u3e95%. The algorithmic model presented herein developed ecologically meaningful classifications based upon lidar metrics quantifying mean vegetation height and canopy cover, among others. This study highlights the utility of lidar data for accurately classifying forest succession in complex, mixed coniferous forests; but further research should be conducted to classify forest successional stages across different forests types. The techniques presented herein can be easily applied to other areas. Furthermore, the final classification map represents a significant advancement for forest succession modeling and wildlife habitat assessment

Mapa de zonas de vida de Holdridge, República Argentina

El fin de este estudio fue identificar y mapear las zonas de vida de Holdridge presentes en Argentina. Se integraron datos climáticos disponibles a una resolución espacial de 1 km. La aplicación del modelo de Holdridge para Argentina resultó en una zonificación bioclimática objetiva, detallada y precisa del país que destaca la gran heterogeneidad ambiental del mismo para la vida espontánea, los cultivos y la producción agropecuaria y forestal, al mismo tiempo que puede emplearse como una herramienta útil para evaluar la evolución espacial de cambios climáticos, el uso de la tierra y otros aspectos socioculturales, la conservación de la biodiversidad, y demás finalidades.Universidad Nacional de La Plat

Characterizing forest succession with lidar data: An evaluation for the Inland Northwest, USA

Quantifying forest structure is important for sustainable forest management, as it relates to a wide variety of ecosystem processes and services. Lidar data have proven particularly useful for measuring or estimating a suite of forest structural attributes such as canopy height, basal area, and LAI. However, the potential of this technology to characterize forest succession remains largely untested. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of lidar data for characterizing forest successional stages across a structurally diverse, mixed-species forest in Northern Idaho. We used a variety of lidar-derived metrics in conjunction with an algorithmic modeling procedure (Random Forests) to classify six stages of three-dimensional forest development and achieved an overall accuracy \u3e95%. The algorithmic model presented herein developed ecologically meaningful classifications based upon lidar metrics quantifying mean vegetation height and canopy cover, among others. This study highlights the utility of lidar data for accurately classifying forest succession in complex, mixed coniferous forests; but further research should be conducted to classify forest successional stages across different forests types. The techniques presented herein can be easily applied to other areas. Furthermore, the final classification map represents a significant advancement for forest succession modeling and wildlife habitat assessment

MAPA DE ZONAS DE VIDA DE HOLDRIDGE REPÚBLICA ARGENTINA

La zonificación ecológica es una herramienta fundamental para el manejo del territorio y de los ecosistemas. El modelo de Holdridge es un sistema de zonificación ecológica que identifica unidades bioclimáticas (zonas de vida) en base a  las variables biotemperatura, precipitación (P), evapotranspiración potencial (EVT), cociente EVT/P, latitud, y altitud. Argentina presenta una gran variabilidad ambiental, sin embargo, y a despecho  de que dispone de varias zonificaciones comprehensivas de  valor científico intrínseco, el país no cuenta con  una zonación ecológica detallada cuya unidades  estén definidas objetiva y precisamente y pueda ser repetida en el tiempo. El fin de este estudio fue identificar y mapear las zonas de vida de Holdridge presentes en Argentina. Se integraron datos climáticos disponibles a una resolución espacial de 1 km. El modelo aplicado a la Argentina reveló una gran heterogeneidad ambiental, con un total de 83 zonas de vida, dónde el 69 %  correspondió a zonas de vida ya descritas por Holdridge, y 11 zonas de vida fueron nuevas. El modelo estimó 5 Regiones latitudinales (desde Boreal a Tropical) y 7 fajas altitudinales (desde Basal a Nival), el noroeste del país mostró la mayor concentración de zonas de vida. El Bosque Seco Templado Cálido (15 % del territorio) y el Bosque Seco Subtropical (9 %) fueron las zonas de vida de mayor extensión geográfica, mientras que la Tundra Muy Húmeda Alpina Templada Cálida, y Tundra Húmeda Alpina Subtropical representaron menos del 0.1 % del territorio. Los grandes rangos que presentan la biotemperatura, precipitación y altitud sobre el nivel del mar como sus diversas combinaciones, explican el elevado número de zonas de vida. Varios factores influencian los sistemas climáticos que operan en Argentina. Ellos incluyen su ubicación geográfica principal en latitudes medias  la gran extensión latitudinal  N-S  (ca. 21º  a 55º S), la presencia,  al Oeste, de la Cordillera de los Andes (de hasta ca. 7000 m snm) con porciones de diferentes características así como el predominio de planicies y tierras baja al este,  y el efecto de la corriente oceánica circumpolar y otras corrientes derivadas de ella que intervienen principalmente en el Pacífico sur y el Atlántico sur. La aplicación del modelo de Holdridge para Argentina resultó en una zonificación bioclimática objetiva, detallada y precisa del país que  destaca la gran heterogeneidad ambiental del mismo para la vida espontánea, los cultivos y la producción agropecuaria y forestal, al mismo tiempo que puede emplearse como una herramienta útil para evaluar la evolución espacial de cambios climáticos, el uso de la tierra y otros aspectos socio-culturales, la conservación de la biodiversidad, y demás finalidades

Mapa de zonas de vida de Holdridge, República Argentina

El fin de este estudio fue identificar y mapear las zonas de vida de Holdridge presentes en Argentina. Se integraron datos climáticos disponibles a una resolución espacial de 1 km. La aplicación del modelo de Holdridge para Argentina resultó en una zonificación bioclimática objetiva, detallada y precisa del país que destaca la gran heterogeneidad ambiental del mismo para la vida espontánea, los cultivos y la producción agropecuaria y forestal, al mismo tiempo que puede emplearse como una herramienta útil para evaluar la evolución espacial de cambios climáticos, el uso de la tierra y otros aspectos socioculturales, la conservación de la biodiversidad, y demás finalidades.Universidad Nacional de La Plat

Mapa de zonas de vida de Holdridge, República Argentina

El fin de este estudio fue identificar y mapear las zonas de vida de Holdridge presentes en Argentina. Se integraron datos climáticos disponibles a una resolución espacial de 1 km. La aplicación del modelo de Holdridge para Argentina resultó en una zonificación bioclimática objetiva, detallada y precisa del país que destaca la gran heterogeneidad ambiental del mismo para la vida espontánea, los cultivos y la producción agropecuaria y forestal, al mismo tiempo que puede emplearse como una herramienta útil para evaluar la evolución espacial de cambios climáticos, el uso de la tierra y otros aspectos socioculturales, la conservación de la biodiversidad, y demás finalidades.Universidad Nacional de La Plat

Holdridge Life Zone Map Republic of Argentina

Ecological zonation is a fundamental tool for territorial and ecosystem management. The Holdridge model is a system of ecological zoning based on the identification of bioclimatic units (life zones)that employs the variables of biotemperature, precipitation, potential evapotranspiration (EVT), EVT/P ratio, latitude, and altitude. Argentina displaysa high environmental variability. However, despite the completion of several comprehensive zonationsof intrinsicscientific value, the countrylacksanecological zonation withobjectively and precisely delimitedunits that may be repeated throughtime.The objective of this study was to identify and map the Holdridge life zones present in Argentina. Available climatic data wereintegrated at 1 km spatial resolution.The applied model revealed a highenvironmental heterogeneity, with a total of 83 life zones. Ofthis total, 72 corresponded to life zones in the original triangular model of 120 life zones described by Holdridge,and 11 were new life zones,extending the original model to a total of 131.The model recognized fivelatitudinal regions, from boreal to tropical,and sevenaltitudinal belts, from basal to nival.NorthwestArgentina contained the highest concentration of life zones.The life zones with the most geographic extent are Warm Temperate Dry Forest (15 percent of the nation)and Subtropical Dry Forest (9 percent), while Warm Temperate Alpine Wet Tundra and Subtropical Alpine WetTundra covered less than 0.1 percent.A wide range of biotemperatures, precipitation levels, and elevations,and their diverse combinations, explainwhy so manylife zones are present. Several factors influence climatic systems operating in Argentina,including itsgeographiclocation andnorth-south latitudinal extension (from about 21° to 55° S); the presence and characteristics of different portions of the Cordillera de los Andes (which reach elevations of up to 7000 m above sea level) in the west; the eastern lowlands; and the circumpolar oceanic current and related currents in the southern Pacific and southern AtlanticOceans.Application of the Holdridge system to Argentina resulted in an objective, detailed, and precise country bioclimatic zonation that highlights its environmental heterogeneity,which supports natural ecosystems, cultivated species,agriculture, forestry, and livestock production.This assessment can serve as a useful tool for evaluating the spatial evolution of climate change, land management and other socio-cultural aspects, biodiversity conservation, and other objectives.Fil: Derguy, María Rosa. Universidad Nacional de Avellaneda. Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Laboratorio de Investigacion de Sistemas Ecologicos y Ambientales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Frangi, Jorge Luis. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Laboratorio de Investigacion de Sistemas Ecologicos y Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Drozd, Andrea Alejandra. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Laboratorio de Investigacion de Sistemas Ecologicos y Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Arturi, Marcelo Fabián. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Laboratorio de Investigacion de Sistemas Ecologicos y Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Martinuzzi, Sebastián. University Of Wisconsin-madison. Silvis Lab; Estados Unido

National parks influence habitat use of lowland tapirs in adjacent private lands in the Southern Yungas of Argentina

Protected areas are cornerstones of conservation efforts worldwide. However, protected areas do not act in isolation because they are connected with surrounding, unprotected lands. Few studies have evaluated the effects of protected areas on wildlife populations inhabiting private lands in the surrounding landscapes. The lowland tapir Tapirus terrestris is the largest terrestrial mammal of the Neotropics and is categorized as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. It is necessary to understand the influence of landscape characteristics on the tapir's habitat use to enable effective conservation management for this species. Our objectives were to (1) determine the potential distribution of the lowland tapir's habitat in the Southern Yungas of Argentina, and (2) evaluate the role of protected areas and other covariates on tapir habitat use in adjacent private lands. We used records of lowland tapirs to model the species' potential distribution and determined habitat use with occupancy modelling. Based on the covariates found to be significant in our models, we constructed predictive maps of probability of habitat use and assessed the area of potential habitat remaining for the species. Probability of habitat use was higher in the vicinity of two national parks and small households than further away from them. We found that in 85% of the lowland tapir's potential distribution the probability of habitat use is high (> 0.5). These areas are near the three national parks in the study area. The probability of detecting lowland tapirs increased with distance to roads. We conclude that national parks play a key role in the persistence of lowland tapir populations on adjacent private lands.Fil: Rivera, Luis Osvaldo. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy; ArgentinaFil: Martinuzzi, Sebastián. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Politi, Natalia. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas; ArgentinaFil: Bardavid, Sofia. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy; ArgentinaFil: De Bustos, Soledad. Secretaria de Ambiente de la Provincia de Salta; ArgentinaFil: Chalukian, Silvia. Proyecto Tapir; ArgentinaFil: Lizárraga, Leonidas. Administración de Parques Nacionales. Delegación Regional del Noroeste; ArgentinaFil: Radeloff, Volker. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Pidgeon, Anna Michle. University of Wisconsin; Estados Unido

Projected land-use change impacts on ecosystem services in the United States

Providing food, timber, energy, housing, and other goods and services, while maintaining ecosystem functions and biodiversity that underpin their sustainable supply, is one of the great challenges of our time. Understanding the drivers of land-use change and how policies can alter land-use change will be critical to meeting this challenge. Here we project land-use change in the contiguous United States to 2051 under two plausible baseline trajectories of economic conditions to illustrate how differences in underlying market forces can have large impacts on land-use with cascading effects on ecosystem services and wildlife habitat. We project a large increase in croplands (28.2 million ha) under a scenario with high crop demand mirroring conditions starting in 2007, compared with a loss of cropland (11.2 million ha) mirroring conditions in the 1990s. Projected land-use changes result in increases in carbon storage, timber production, food production from increased yields, and \u3e10% decreases in habitat for 25% of modeled species. We also analyze policy alternatives designed to encourage forest cover and natural landscapes and reduce urban expansion. Although these policy scenarios modify baseline land-use patterns, they do not reverse powerful underlying trends. Policy interventions need to be aggressive to significantly alter underlying land-use change trends and shift the trajectory of ecosystem service provision