Plants at the summit: characterization of grasslands on cerros chatos of northeastern Uruguay

Flat-top hills (“cerros chatos”) stand out as distinct relief formations in northeastern Uruguay. These are elevations of about 300 m above mean sea level, generally formed by Jurassic sandstones, characterized by a flat top, a stone ledge of variable height, and a concave or stepped hillside. Littl...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Pañella, Pedro (author)
Other Authors: Mailhos Derman, Ary (author), Bonifacino, José Mauricio (author), Lezama Huerta, Felipe (author)
Format: article
Language:English
Published: 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12008/42925
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1868890054689030144
author Pañella, Pedro
author2 Mailhos Derman, Ary
Bonifacino, José Mauricio
Lezama Huerta, Felipe
author2_role author
author
author
author_browse Bonifacino, José Mauricio
Lezama Huerta, Felipe
Mailhos Derman, Ary
Pañella, Pedro
author_facet Pañella, Pedro
Mailhos Derman, Ary
Bonifacino, José Mauricio
Lezama Huerta, Felipe
author_role author
collection COLIBRI
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Pañella Pedro, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Facultad de Agronomía.
Mailhos Derman Ary, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Facultad de Agronomía.
Bonifacino José Mauricio, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Facultad de Ciencias. Instituto de Ecología y Ciencias Ambientales.
Lezama Huerta Felipe, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Facultad de Agronomía.
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Pañella, Pedro
Mailhos Derman, Ary
Bonifacino, José Mauricio
Lezama Huerta, Felipe
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2023
2024-03-05T13:07:21Z
2024-03-05T13:07:21Z
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv 26 h.
application/pdf
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv Pañella, P, Mailhos Derman, A, Bonifacino, J [y otros autores]. "Plants at the summit: characterization of grasslands on cerros chatos of northeastern Uruguay". Darwiniana. [en línea] 2023, 11(2): 420-445. 26 h. DOI: 10.14522/darwiniana.2023.112.1145.
1850-1699
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12008/42925
10.14522/darwiniana.2023.112.1145
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv en
eng
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Instituto de Botánica Darwinion
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Darwiniana, 2023, 11(2): 420-445.
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Licencia Creative Commons Atribución - No Comercial (CC - By-NC 4.0)
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:COLIBRI
instname:Universidad de la República
instacron:Universidad de la República
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Afforestation
Conservation
Flat-top hill
Flora
Sandstone
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Plants at the summit: characterization of grasslands on cerros chatos of northeastern Uruguay
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Artículo
info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
description Flat-top hills (“cerros chatos”) stand out as distinct relief formations in northeastern Uruguay. These are elevations of about 300 m above mean sea level, generally formed by Jurassic sandstones, characterized by a flat top, a stone ledge of variable height, and a concave or stepped hillside. Little is known about the vegetation atop these hills, which consists mostly of sparse grasslands with little to no grazing. As such, the aim of this study is to make the first characterization of the vegetation at the top of flat-top hills. In order to achieve this, we describe the vegetation of three emblematic hills in the region: Del Medio Hill, Vigilante Hill and Miriñaque Hill. Plant species composition surveys were carried out in spring 2021 and autumn 2022, identifying and delineating distinct vegetation formations. 315 species belonging to 63 vascular plant families were identified, with Poaceae and Asteraceae ranking as the top two families in terms of species richness. Among the species found, 31 are included in the list of priority species for conservation in Uruguay. Furthermore, Achyrocline marchiorii represents a new record for the Uruguayan flora. Two vegetation formations were present in all three hills: the ledge formation, associated with the rocky outcrops around the perimeter of the hilltops; and the crest formation, associated with the deep soils and low rock cover at the center of the hilltops. A shoulder formation of colluvial origin was also identified in the Miriñaque Hill, showing moderate slope and rockiness. The uncommon flora found on top of these hills is threatened due to the rapid increase of afforestation in the region, and the presence of the alien species Cynodon dactylon, Melinis repens and Pinus taeda. Such evidences emphasize the need for urgent management plans to protect these hills, which are not covered by any conservation program on a national or global scale.
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
format article
id anni_53207cbff14713f72cfa623769431ede
identifier_str_mv Pañella, P, Mailhos Derman, A, Bonifacino, J [y otros autores]. "Plants at the summit: characterization of grasslands on cerros chatos of northeastern Uruguay". Darwiniana. [en línea] 2023, 11(2): 420-445. 26 h. DOI: 10.14522/darwiniana.2023.112.1145.
1850-1699
10.14522/darwiniana.2023.112.1145
instacron_str Universidad de la República
institution Universidad de la República
instname_str Universidad de la República
language eng
language_invalid_str_mv en
network_acronym_str anni
network_name_str oai-lr-anni
oai_identifier_str oai:colibri.udelar.edu.uy:20.500.12008/42925
publishDate 2023
publishDateSort 2023
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Instituto de Botánica Darwinion
reponame_str COLIBRI
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository_id_str
rights_invalid_str_mv Licencia Creative Commons Atribución - No Comercial (CC - By-NC 4.0)
spelling Plants at the summit: characterization of grasslands on cerros chatos of northeastern UruguayPañella, PedroMailhos Derman, AryBonifacino, José MauricioLezama Huerta, FelipeAfforestationConservationFlat-top hillFloraSandstoneFlat-top hills (“cerros chatos”) stand out as distinct relief formations in northeastern Uruguay. These are elevations of about 300 m above mean sea level, generally formed by Jurassic sandstones, characterized by a flat top, a stone ledge of variable height, and a concave or stepped hillside. Little is known about the vegetation atop these hills, which consists mostly of sparse grasslands with little to no grazing. As such, the aim of this study is to make the first characterization of the vegetation at the top of flat-top hills. In order to achieve this, we describe the vegetation of three emblematic hills in the region: Del Medio Hill, Vigilante Hill and Miriñaque Hill. Plant species composition surveys were carried out in spring 2021 and autumn 2022, identifying and delineating distinct vegetation formations. 315 species belonging to 63 vascular plant families were identified, with Poaceae and Asteraceae ranking as the top two families in terms of species richness. Among the species found, 31 are included in the list of priority species for conservation in Uruguay. Furthermore, Achyrocline marchiorii represents a new record for the Uruguayan flora. Two vegetation formations were present in all three hills: the ledge formation, associated with the rocky outcrops around the perimeter of the hilltops; and the crest formation, associated with the deep soils and low rock cover at the center of the hilltops. A shoulder formation of colluvial origin was also identified in the Miriñaque Hill, showing moderate slope and rockiness. The uncommon flora found on top of these hills is threatened due to the rapid increase of afforestation in the region, and the presence of the alien species Cynodon dactylon, Melinis repens and Pinus taeda. Such evidences emphasize the need for urgent management plans to protect these hills, which are not covered by any conservation program on a national or global scale.Instituto de Botánica DarwinionPañella Pedro, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Facultad de Agronomía.Mailhos Derman Ary, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Facultad de Agronomía.Bonifacino José Mauricio, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Facultad de Ciencias. Instituto de Ecología y Ciencias Ambientales.Lezama Huerta Felipe, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Facultad de Agronomía.2024-03-05T13:07:21Z2024-03-05T13:07:21Z2023Artículoinfo:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion26 h.application/pdfPañella, P, Mailhos Derman, A, Bonifacino, J [y otros autores]. "Plants at the summit: characterization of grasslands on cerros chatos of northeastern Uruguay". Darwiniana. [en línea] 2023, 11(2): 420-445. 26 h. DOI: 10.14522/darwiniana.2023.112.1145.1850-1699https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12008/4292510.14522/darwiniana.2023.112.1145reponame:COLIBRIinstname:Universidad de la Repúblicainstacron:Universidad de la RepúblicaenengDarwiniana, 2023, 11(2): 420-445.Las obras depositadas en el Repositorio se rigen por la Ordenanza de los Derechos de la Propiedad Intelectual de la Universidad de la República.(Res. Nº 91 de C.D.C. de 8/III/1994 – D.O. 7/IV/1994) y por la Ordenanza del Repositorio Abierto de la Universidad de la República (Res. Nº 16 de C.D.C. de 07/10/2014)info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessLicencia Creative Commons Atribución - No Comercial (CC - By-NC 4.0)oai:colibri.udelar.edu.uy:20.500.12008/429252026-04-14T10:10:32Z
spellingShingle Plants at the summit: characterization of grasslands on cerros chatos of northeastern Uruguay
Pañella, Pedro
Afforestation
Conservation
Flat-top hill
Flora
Sandstone
status_str publishedVersion
title Plants at the summit: characterization of grasslands on cerros chatos of northeastern Uruguay
title_full Plants at the summit: characterization of grasslands on cerros chatos of northeastern Uruguay
title_fullStr Plants at the summit: characterization of grasslands on cerros chatos of northeastern Uruguay
title_full_unstemmed Plants at the summit: characterization of grasslands on cerros chatos of northeastern Uruguay
title_short Plants at the summit: characterization of grasslands on cerros chatos of northeastern Uruguay
title_sort Plants at the summit: characterization of grasslands on cerros chatos of northeastern Uruguay
topic Afforestation
Conservation
Flat-top hill
Flora
Sandstone
url https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12008/42925