Abstract
Isla de las Gaviotas is an island located in Río de la Plata estuary, Uruguay. The aim of this study is to determine and analyze plant species composition on this island and to identify vegetation zonation patterns. An angiosperm species list was generated using a qualitative sampling technique. We registered a total of 27 species, distributed among 18 families. According to species distribution patterns on the island, we propose four vegetation zones: North, Central, Southeast and West. Exotic species comprised 52% of the total number of species, reflecting a history of disturbance in the area. Nonetheless, this site also has a remarkable number of native species, in particular Heliotropium curassavicum, which is listed among Uruguayan species of conservation concern. Given that the loss of coastal plant species is a current problem, the proportion of native halophyte species recorded (37%) indicated the island’s importance as a relict of Uruguayan coastal vegetation.
Highlights
The Río de la Plata estuary possesses outstanding biodiversity and is considered one of the world’s largest and most dynamic aquatic systems because of its length, breadth and flow rate (Framiñan and Brown 1996; Vizziano et al 2002)
This site has a remarkable number of native species, in particular Heliotropium curassavicum, which is listed among Uruguayan species of conservation concern
Since the late nineteenth century, the Río de la Plata coast has been highly modified by increased tourism, the introduction of exotic species and urbanization (Delfino and Masciadri 2005; Alonso-Paz and Bassagoda 2006; Delfino et al 2011)
Summary
The Río de la Plata estuary possesses outstanding biodiversity and is considered one of the world’s largest and most dynamic aquatic systems because of its length, breadth and flow rate (average discharge is 22,000 m3 s-1) (Framiñan and Brown 1996; Vizziano et al 2002). The Uruguayan coast extends approximately 450 km along the Río de la Plata estuary (MTOP-UNDP-UNESCO 1979) The coastline of this estuary consists of a series of rocky points, sandy beaches, coastal cliffs, dunes, littoral lagoons and islands (Chebataroff 1969). Since the late nineteenth century, the Río de la Plata coast has been highly modified by increased tourism, the introduction of exotic species and urbanization (Delfino and Masciadri 2005; Alonso-Paz and Bassagoda 2006; Delfino et al 2011). These activities have fragmented the original vegetation into reduced patches along the coastline
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