THEY HAVE A WEB PORTAL FOR MONITORING RANGELAND
Since 2008, the maras (Environmental Monitoring in Arid and Semi-Arid)
network assesses changes in the medium and long term soil conditions and
vegetation of natural grasslands in Argentina's Patagonia. With more than
400 sensors installed-from La Pampa to Tierra del Fuego, the Maras provide
information at regional level and are the most reliable source of data on
rangeland trend within an area. Monitoring results are dumped in a database
that is used to produce regional maps variables such as vegetative cover,
diversity or soil organic carbon. Now, thanks to the joint with the
Management of Information Management INTA, the information gathered will be
available on the web portal Maras. According to Gabriel Oliva, specialist
area of Natural Resources INTA Santa Cruz and coordinator of the network,
share information collected from 430 sites located in 11 agro-ecological
zones of Patagonia, including 30 monitors installed by the National
Institute and Agricultural (Chile) research in the Chilean Patagonia, serve
for decision-making, planning sustainable management of establishments and
implementation of public policies. "So far 250 of these monitors were
reevaluated the age of five," Oliva said, adding: "With this information we
developed the first maps of vegetation change, in which we see that there
is a large area of Patagonia it is affected by a sharp drop in vegetation
cover. " The new website was developed over a free software that allows
updates and can be shared for free. "All information collected so far is in
a database and will be available online for anyone to see and access data
monitors," said INTA specialist. Sensors for monitoring are located in
production facilities who agreed to participate in this long-term
study. "The sites are delimited by permanent stakes and marked with
signage. In these photographs to assess changes fisonómicos and evaluated
in great detail vegetation cover, plant diversity and the size and
stability of the patches of bare soil analyzes are taken, "said Oliva.
Also, soil samples were taken to analyze organic carbon, nitrogen (N),
texture, pH and conductivity. "This work is done in the same place every
five years and all information turns to a database freely accessible
designed by the National University of Southern Patagonia" explained the
study coordinator and added, "Overturn this information a website will
allow a user anywhere in the world to analyze how these variables change
management fields and how ecosystems react to global change ". By using the
tools of the Geographic Information System (GIS), the portal displays the
location of the monitors on satellite images, topographic maps or
ecological areas. "When selecting a monitor is accessed photos obtained in
the field and a summary of the information available on vegetation and soil
analysis," said Oliva, adding: "You can compare two dates and develop
regional reports on how changed a department during the years 2009 and
2016, for example. " "Having this information is not only important for
researchers who are warning about the impact of desertification and climate
change, it is useful for more than 400 sheep producers that are distributed
in Patagonia, because serve to demonstrate sustainable use in product
certification schemes, "said Oliva and exemplified:" Lana and meat obtained
from sustainable systems today differences in market prices, a trend
accentuated in the future. " Also, among other benefits, Oliva said
that "the natural grasslands have a high capacity to sequester carbon
dioxide and monitoring of organic carbon in the soil will allow
establishments with proper management to reduce the carbon footprint of
meat and wool and could determine future benefits as green bonds. " In this
sense, Oliva explained that the evolution of grasslands "is a constant
concern from the point of view of livestock, the decrease in the
responsiveness of the fields," adding that "in arid and semi-arid lands are
produced by altering climate and overgrazing affecting productivity and
what we know today as ecological services "changes. The initiative began in
2008 under a project of the Global Environment. The project involved more
than 50 researchers from different institutions such as INTA, the National
University of Southern Patagonia, the National University of Buenos Aires,
CONICET, and other provincial and national agencies such as the Ministry of
Environment and Sustainable Development Nation. The new web portal was
funded by the Sheep Law.
network assesses changes in the medium and long term soil conditions and
vegetation of natural grasslands in Argentina's Patagonia. With more than
400 sensors installed-from La Pampa to Tierra del Fuego, the Maras provide
information at regional level and are the most reliable source of data on
rangeland trend within an area. Monitoring results are dumped in a database
that is used to produce regional maps variables such as vegetative cover,
diversity or soil organic carbon. Now, thanks to the joint with the
Management of Information Management INTA, the information gathered will be
available on the web portal Maras. According to Gabriel Oliva, specialist
area of Natural Resources INTA Santa Cruz and coordinator of the network,
share information collected from 430 sites located in 11 agro-ecological
zones of Patagonia, including 30 monitors installed by the National
Institute and Agricultural (Chile) research in the Chilean Patagonia, serve
for decision-making, planning sustainable management of establishments and
implementation of public policies. "So far 250 of these monitors were
reevaluated the age of five," Oliva said, adding: "With this information we
developed the first maps of vegetation change, in which we see that there
is a large area of Patagonia it is affected by a sharp drop in vegetation
cover. " The new website was developed over a free software that allows
updates and can be shared for free. "All information collected so far is in
a database and will be available online for anyone to see and access data
monitors," said INTA specialist. Sensors for monitoring are located in
production facilities who agreed to participate in this long-term
study. "The sites are delimited by permanent stakes and marked with
signage. In these photographs to assess changes fisonómicos and evaluated
in great detail vegetation cover, plant diversity and the size and
stability of the patches of bare soil analyzes are taken, "said Oliva.
Also, soil samples were taken to analyze organic carbon, nitrogen (N),
texture, pH and conductivity. "This work is done in the same place every
five years and all information turns to a database freely accessible
designed by the National University of Southern Patagonia" explained the
study coordinator and added, "Overturn this information a website will
allow a user anywhere in the world to analyze how these variables change
management fields and how ecosystems react to global change ". By using the
tools of the Geographic Information System (GIS), the portal displays the
location of the monitors on satellite images, topographic maps or
ecological areas. "When selecting a monitor is accessed photos obtained in
the field and a summary of the information available on vegetation and soil
analysis," said Oliva, adding: "You can compare two dates and develop
regional reports on how changed a department during the years 2009 and
2016, for example. " "Having this information is not only important for
researchers who are warning about the impact of desertification and climate
change, it is useful for more than 400 sheep producers that are distributed
in Patagonia, because serve to demonstrate sustainable use in product
certification schemes, "said Oliva and exemplified:" Lana and meat obtained
from sustainable systems today differences in market prices, a trend
accentuated in the future. " Also, among other benefits, Oliva said
that "the natural grasslands have a high capacity to sequester carbon
dioxide and monitoring of organic carbon in the soil will allow
establishments with proper management to reduce the carbon footprint of
meat and wool and could determine future benefits as green bonds. " In this
sense, Oliva explained that the evolution of grasslands "is a constant
concern from the point of view of livestock, the decrease in the
responsiveness of the fields," adding that "in arid and semi-arid lands are
produced by altering climate and overgrazing affecting productivity and
what we know today as ecological services "changes. The initiative began in
2008 under a project of the Global Environment. The project involved more
than 50 researchers from different institutions such as INTA, the National
University of Southern Patagonia, the National University of Buenos Aires,
CONICET, and other provincial and national agencies such as the Ministry of
Environment and Sustainable Development Nation. The new web portal was
funded by the Sheep Law.