La Pampa Province Research Articles

Updated data on Litopterna from the Huayquerian Stage/Age (Late Miocene-Early Pliocene) of central-east Argentina

Hitherto, only the Proterotheriidae Ameghino, 1887 litopterns from the Cerro Azul Formation (Chasicoan-­Huayquerian Stages/Ages; Late Miocene-Early Pliocene) in La Pampa Province had been studied, recognizing Proterotheriidae indet. at Cerro La Bota, Diplasiotherium pampa Soria, 2001 at several localities,

Reperfusion Times in a Telemedicine-guided Program for the Management of ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction in the Province of La Pampa

Background: Timing of medical care is a relevant factor for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) mortality. Objectives: The aim of the present study is to evaluate reperfusion times in STEMI patients participating in a telemedicine-based cardiology care program in the province of La Pampa between August 2018 and December 2021. Methods: This program consists of a protocol for the management of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the different locations of the province, with 24-hour remote assistance provided by cardiologists, including both diagnostic support and coordination of on-site thrombolysis. Results: Of a total of 72 STEMI patients evaluated, 44 received thrombolysis as reperfusion therapy, 25 received primary percutaneous coronary intervention, and 3 received thrombolysis followed by rescue percutaneous coronary intervention. Of the 47 subjects who received thrombolysis, only 5 required to be transferred to the referral center for this procedure. Median door-to-needle time was 24 minutes and door-to balloon-time was 105 minutes. Twenty-eight percent of the subjects with primary percutaneous coronary intervention had a door-to-balloon time < 90 minutes and 53.2% of patients who received thrombolysis fulfilled a door-to-needle time < 30 minutes. Conclusions: The implementation of a telemedicine-guided program for decentralized management of STEMI patients was associated with a high percentage of compliance with the goals of implementing fibrinolytic-based reperfusion therapy

New cranio-dental remains of Nothrotheriinae (Mammalia, Xenarthra, Folivora) from the Late Miocene of Central Argentina

ABSTRACT Among extinct sloths, Nothrotheriidae nothrotheriines are characterised by caniniforms (when present) separated by a diastema from the molariform tooth row and quadrangular, rectangular or trapezoidal molariforms with longitudinal grooves on the lingual and labial surfaces. The subfamily Nothrotheriinae is recorded from the Middle Miocene of Bolivia and Argentina to the Pleistocene of different regions of South America, Central America and North America. Neogene well-known representatives include Pronothrotherium, Huilabradys, Mionothropus, Aymaratherium, Lakukullus and the recently defined genus Mcdonaldocnus, whose remains were found from Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, Peru, Brazil and Bolivia. Mcdonaldocnus includes materials from Argentina and Bolivia previously assigned as ‘Xyophorus’. New records from Late Miocene levels of the Cerro Azul Formation cropping out in the Chasicó creek locality, Buenos Aires Province, and in the localities of Telén and Loventué, La Pampa Province, allow us to describe cranio-dental remains of Nothrotheriinae Mcdonaldocnus bondesioi and Mcdonaldocnus sp., respectively. The identification of Mcdonaldocnus sp. in the Cerro Azul Formation at La Pampa Province constitutes the first record of Nothrotheriinae for this province.

Satisfaction with the nurse in primary care: experiences in a primary health care center in La Pampa

Introduction: nursing as a health educator is the first to have contact with the patient who enters a service to consult or alleviate any ailment. Objective: to analyze satisfaction in relation to the care received by nursing staff in a primary health care center in the town of Winifreda, department of Conhelo in the province of La Pampa. Methods: an observational, descriptive, cross-sectional, prospective, descriptive study was carried out. A total of 174 patients were included. Three evaluation instruments were used, one for sociodemographic analysis and two for satisfaction analysis. Results: the study sample was 88,51 % female and the remaining 11,49 % were male. The average age was 39,81. Sixty percent of the sample attended preventive activities, while 20 % of the respondents reported following up on care plans. Of the respondents, 82,9 % obtained an appointment on the same day. Cronbach's Alpha for the AMABLE Questionnaire was 0,810; and for the Baker Questionnaire 0,826. Conclusions: Most patients perceive the care provided by nursing professionals as adequate, which is closely related to the quality of care, nursing services, participant health, and community care. In the context of primary health care, the people who attended the nursing consultations rated the care they received positively

The genus Milnesium (Eutardigrada, Apochela, Milnesiidae) in Argentina: description of three new species and key to the species of South America

A revision of microscope slides deposited between 2014 and 2017 in the collection of Rocha and Doma (National University of La Pampa, Argentina) revealed three new species of the genus Milnesium Doyère, 1840: M. pelufforum sp. nov., M. irenae sp. nov. and M. quiranae sp. nov. Milnesium pelufforum sp. nov. is mostly characterized by ten transverse bands of sculptured cuticle and pseudoplates (the first band, until now, never detected in the genus), six peribuccal lamellae and claw configuration [2-2]-[2-2] in young or [2-3]-[3-2] in senior specimens. Milnesium irenae sp. nov. is mostly characterized by complex cuticular ornamentation including a fine reticulation different from the typical one in the genus; it also has pseudoplates, six peribuccal lamellae, medioventral peribuccal papilla reduced, stylets, their furcae and supports very developed, and claw configuration [2-3]-[2-2]. Milnesium quiranae sp. nov. is mostly characterized by smooth cuticle, six peribuccal lamellae, and claw configuration [3-3]-[3-3]; with growing, the medioventral peribuccal papilla reduces and the buccal tube becomes wider. With the present contribution the genus Milnesium now has 48 valid species, and the number of described limno-terrestrial tardigrade species from South America has risen to 11, including 8 from Argentina with 5 from Salta and La Pampa province.

A LATE MIOCENE MAMMAL ASSEMBLAGE REVEALS A COMPLEX TAPHONOMIC HISTORY IN FLUVIAL DEPOSITS OF CENTRAL ARGENTINA

ABSTRACT Micro- and macromammal remains from Cerro La Bota (late Miocene; La Pampa Province, Argentina) are taphonomically analysed. All remains form a single sample recovered from Chasicoan sediments (facies FA2) of the Cerro Azul Formation, constituted by a lateral and vertical erosive superposition of sandstone and conglomeratic bodies, formed by episodic development of perennial streams without flow division on a loessic substrate. The analysis reveals that micro- and macromammal remains originally accumulated independently and differently. Once each type of accumulation was buried in a loessic context, the development of streams gave place to a reworking process of fossils that were finally incorporated together into the stream channel. Taphonomic characteristics of micromammals are interpreted as the result of the leftover prey accumulated by predators, probably at a den site. Instead, the macromammals respond to an attritional accumulation of individuals inhabiting the area. Even considering the reworking as an important process that affected this assemblage, the taxonomic and taphonomic evidences suggest a relatively short time for its formation. The different taphonomic histories of the remains evidence a complex association that differs from other assemblages from the Cerro Azul Formation previously analysed, and it is here assigned to the channel-lag taphonomic mode.

Winter survival of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) eggs at its southern limit distribution

Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae) survives in the egg stage under unfavorable environmental conditions. In this study, we assessed the survival of Ae. aegypti eggs under natural winter conditions as an overwintering mechanism. To address this, field collected eggs (from Buenos Aires city) were exposed for three months during the winter season in three sites of Santa Rosa and General Acha (La Pampa province, Argentina). Eggs survival and hatching response were analyzed considering two factors (site of exposure and time of oviposition). Of the 1397 analyzed eggs, 936 (67%) were viable at the end of the study. Egg survival showed to be high in all sites (between 53% and 84%), except in one site of Santa Rosa. Also, eggs survival was higher in eggs laid in May (94%) (late-fall) as compared to those laid in March (61%) and April (56%) (early- and mid-fall respectively). Eggs hatching response was only affected by the time of oviposition, being lower for eggs laid in May (33%) as compared to March (38%) and April (50%). These results provide information regarding the winter resistance of Ae. aegypti at the limit of its distribution in temperate regions. Given the high percentages of survival found in this study, we consider that the low winter temperatures would not be a limitation for its establishment in southern areas.

Assessment of a teleophthalmology program for the prevention of diabetes blindness in a rural area of Argentina.

Teleophthalmology programs have become one of the main tools for the early detection of diabetic retinopathy. Assessing the implementation of these programs is essential to contextualize and understand their effectiveness in different regions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of annual eye examination in people with diabetes before and after implementing a teleophthalmology program in the province of La Pampa (Argentina). A before-and-after study design was performed, comparing the rate of eye examination performed before and after starting with the Program. The analysis was carried out with a random survey of people with diabetes. People from rural and urban areas of the province were included. The program was implemented only in the rural area, while the urban area has the traditional care system. The annual eye examination rate carried out before and after the implementation of the Program in rural areas improved from 39.3% to 78.6%. Being 22.9% higher than in the urban area. The studied teleophthalmology program achieved a significant increase in eye examinations. These kinds of programs are essential to face blindness due to diabetes in the rural regions of Argentina.

Microorganismos calcáreos y silíceos de la Laguna “Don Tomás”, Provincia de La Pampa, Argentina

Calcareous and siliceous microorganisms of the “Don Tomás” Lagoon, La Pampa Province, Argentina. Studies on diatoms, cysts and ostracods in shallow lakes are very scarce in the Province of La Pampa. The aim of this study is to collect new information on the diversity and abundance of microorganisms present in a hypertrophic body of water and their seasonal changes. The samplings were carried out seasonally in the period from January to October 2014. From the sediment analysis of the "Don Tomás" lagoon, 21 diatom taxa were identified, of which three correspond to the order Centrales and 18 to the order Pennales; four genera of ostracods and two morphotypes of chrysophyte cysts (ornamented and smooth) were also recorded. The data obtained from the study of current samples will allow us to interpret with a greater degree of certainty the Holocene deposits from lake environments of temperate climates. Keywords: diatoms, chrysophyte cysts, ostracods, shallow lake.

Safety and Efficacy of a MEURI Program for the Use of High Dose Ivermectin in COVID-19 Patients.

BackgroundIn the absence of antiviral alternatives, interventions under research for COVID-19 might be offered following guidelines from WHO for monitored emergency use of unregistered and experimental interventions (MEURI). Ivermectin is among several drugs explored for its role against SARS-CoV-2, with a well-known safety profile but conflicting data regarding clinical utility for COVID-19. The aim of this report is to inform on the results of a MEURI Program of high-dose ivermectin in COVID-19 carried out by the Ministry of Health of the Province of La Pampa, Argentina.MethodsCOVID-19 subjects, within 5 days of symptoms onset were invited to participate in the program, which consisted in the administration of ivermectin 0.6 mg/kg/day for 5 days plus standard of care. Active pharmacosurveillance was performed for 21 days, and hepatic laboratory assessments were performed in a subset of patients. Frequency of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission and COVID-19-related mortality of subjects in the ivermectin intention to treat group were compared with that observed in inhabitants of the same province during the same period not participating in the program.ResultsFrom 21,232 subjects with COVID-19, 3,266 were offered and agreed to participate in the ivermectin program and 17,966 did not and were considered as controls. A total of 567 participants reported 819 adverse events (AEs); 3.13% discontinued ivermectin due to adverse events. ICU admission was significantly lower in the ivermectin group compared to controls among participants ≥40 year-old (1.2 vs. 2.0%, odds ratio 0.608; p = 0.024). Similarly, mortality was lower in the ivermectin group in the full group analysis (1.5 vs. 2.1%, odds ratio 0.720; p = 0.029), as well as in subjects ≥ 40 year- old (2.7 vs. 4.1%, odds ratio 0.655; p = 0.005).ConclusionsThis report highlights the safety and possible efficacy of high dose ivermectin as a potentially useful intervention deserving public health-based consideration for COVID-19 patients.

A new species of Leptoconops Skuse from Argentina, description of the male of L. casali Cavalieri amp; Chiossone and a key to the Neotropical species (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).

A new species, Leptoconops (Proleptoconops) chacoensis, is described and photographed from a female collected in a forest area of the Chaco province, Argentina. This is the first record of the subgenus L. (Proleptoconops) Clastrier from the Neotropical region south of Mexico, and the new species is compared with L. (P.) werneri Wirth Atchley from southern USA and Mexico and L. (P.) aviarum from Tajikistan. Besides, the first description of the male of L. (Leptoconops) casali Cavalieri Chiossone is provided, from males collected associated with females in La Rioja and La Pampa provinces, Argentina, and this species is newly recorded from several areas of the country, significantly enlarging its geographical distribution. In addition, a key to Neotropical species of the genus is provided.

Taxonomic and ontogenetic diversity of Dinomyidae (Rodentia) from the late Miocene-early Pliocene of La Pampa province (Argentina) based on cranio-dental remains

Dinomyidae is a clade of caviomorph rodents that include medium to gigantic forms. They are represented by a single living species, Dinomys branickii, distributed from Venezuela to Bolivia in forested regions. However, in the past, they were very diverse. The oldest confident fossil records come from the early and middle Miocene, and during the late Miocene they reached their greatest diversity, reducing since then. In this contribution, the diversity of late Miocene-early Pliocene dinomyids from the Cerro Azul Formation in La Pampa Province (Argentina) is studied. New craniodental remains of at least three species are reported: Tetrastylus laevigatus, T. intermedius, and Diaphoromys gamayensis. Tetrastylus laevigatus is reported for this region based on abundant material, including a portion of the skull associated with the mandible. The presence of juvenile and adult individuals permitted us to analyze the ontogenetic variability of some traits. The specimens assigned to T. intermedius and D. gamayensis consist of mandibular and lower cheek teeth remains. Based on these new remains, we propose that D. gamayensis and D. fiegi are synonymous, with the priority being D. gamayensis. Considering the findings in each faunal association from the Cerro Azul Formation, representatives of T. laevigatus were registered in Salinas Grandes de Hidalgo, Algarrobo del Águila, Victorica, Bajo Giuliani, Laguna Chillhué, and Telén; T. intermedius was recorded in Caleufú. One new specimen of D. gamayensis from Guatraché (species originally described from Gamay) add information about its distribution. Finally these records are added to that of T. araucanus, previously described for Toay. This association suggests the existence of biogeographic connections with regions from northwestern Argentina during the late Miocene.

“Every time, they took more from us”: Privatization and Telecommunications Workers in Rural Argentina, 1969–2000

AbstractThis article analyzes the lasting effects of privatization on public-sector telecommunications workers in Argentina's rural interior. I draw on over fifty hours of oral histories carried out from 2015 to 2017 with former ENTel and Telefónica workers in General Pico, in the interior province of La Pampa, Argentina. This unique source base reveals how the material objects themselves acquired symbolic weight in the minds of workers, and how the introduction of new technologies and labor regimes after privatization in 1990 eroded workers' feelings of loyalty toward and ownership over the previously state-run company. This article specifically explores notions of trauma as related to the destruction of the physical materials of work, and the association between that destruction and the mass layoffs that followed. David Harvey's engagement with creative destruction in late capitalism has suggested that “continuous innovation”—whether technological or practical—has meant the devaluation and/or destruction of existing labor relations. I expand this concept to show how this logic of “creative destruction” maps onto spatialized ideas of modernity. The trauma that workers experienced in the 1990s is most productively understood vis-à-vis the unfulfilled promises of “progress” which claimed to bring efficiency, growth, and long-term stability but instead delivered job loss, atomization, and the breakdown of social relations of labor.

Avaliação de terras sob diferentes cenários climáticos na sub-região Pampa Arenosa, Argentina

Desde a década de 70, a sub-região Pampa Arenosa experimentou um aumento do seu regime hídrico, permitindo uma maior área para a agricultura de sequeiro. Diante da intensificação da agricultura, a avaliação das terras com base nas variações pluviométricas é uma ferramenta estratégica fundamental para o planejamento. O objetivo deste trabalho é destacar a importância de diferentes cenários climáticos na determinação do Índice de Produtividade na Sub-região Pampa Arenosa, Argentina. A área de estudo estava localizada no noroeste de Buenos Aires e no leste da província de La Pampa. Foram utilizados dados mensais de precipitação para o período 1921-2020. Cenários climáticos foram determinados de acordo com as mudanças nos valores de precipitação média utilizando o teste de segmentação temporal hidrometeorológica de Hubert. As informações edáficas foram obtidas a partir de cartas de solo fornecidas pelo INTA 1:50000 e do Inventário de Recursos Naturais de La Pampa 1:500000. Recorrendo ao teste de Hubert, foram propostos vários cenários com diferentes pontos de partida para as condições macroclimáticas (H) de Produtividade Índice. Mudanças nos valores médios anuais de precipitação foram detectadas nas regiões do Pampa Arenosa. As terras foram classificadas pelo Índice de Produtividade, que aumentou à medida que as chuvas se tornaram maiores, atingindo sua máxima expressão climática durante o período úmido após uma mudança positiva abrupta. Os resultados da segmentação das séries anuais de chuvas para a Sub-região Pampa Arenosa, utilizando o método de Hubert, permitiram definir subperíodos secos e úmidos, para estimativa de IP. fenômenos têm importantes impactos sociais e econômicos.Palavras-chave: agroclimatologia, índice de produtividade agrícola, segmentação temporal hidrometeorológica. Assessment of lands under different climate scenarios in Pampa Arenosa Subregion, Argentina A B S T R A C TSince the 70´s, Pampa Arenosa Subregion has experienced a rise in its water regime, allowing a greater area for dryland farming. Given farming intensification, assessing lands on the basis of rainfall variations is a fundamental strategic tool for planning. The objective of this work is to highlight the importance of different climate scenarios when determining Productivity Index in the Pampa Arenosa Subregion, Argentina. The study area was located in the Northwest of Buenos Aires and the East of La Pampa Province. Monthly precipitation data for the period 1921-2020 was used. Climate scenarios were determined according to changes in the values of mean rainfall using Hubert´s Hydrometeorological temporal segmentation test. Edaphic information was obtained from soil charts provided by INTA 1:50000 and the Natural Resource Inventory of La Pampa 1:500000. Resorting to Hubert´s test, several scenarios were proposed with different starting point for the macro climate conditions (H) of Productivity Index. Changes in annual rainfall mean values were detected in regions of Pampa Arenosa. The lands were classified by Productivity Index, which increased as rainfall became higher, reaching its maximum climate expression during the wet period after a positive abrupt change. Segmentation results of rainfall annual series for Pampa Arenosa Sub region, using Hubert´s method, allowed defining dry and wet subperiods, for IP estimation. In the Pampa region, climate variability is represented by the succession of dry and wet periods, and their extreme phenomena have important social and economic impacts. Keywords: agroclimatology, crop productivity index, hydrometeorological temporal segmentation.

Primer registro de Athetis rionegrensis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) atacando soja y nuevo reporte geográfico en Argentina

The genus Athetis Hübner (Lepidoptera. Noctuidae. Amphipyrinae) comprises numerous species worldwide, two of them recently reported as pests of maize in China. This work presents the first record of an Athetis species feeding on soybean in the eastern region of the province of Córdoba, Argentina. The specimens were identified as Athetis rionegrensis status rev. based on external morphology and genitalia characters for both sexes. Furthermore, additional specimens were collected in the province of La Pampa, Argentina, on October, 2021.This species was only known to be in Alto Valle, province of Río Negro, Argentina, therefore these specimens represent the first record of the species outside that province. The correct assignment of this species to the Athetis genus is confirmed. Finally, the implications of this new record are discussed.

Greening Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction for Sorghum Flour Multielemental Determination by Microwave-Induced Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry.

Sorghum is the fourth most important cereal produced in Argentina and the fifth worldwide. It has good agronomic characteristics and could be developed in arid areas, allowing a wide geographic distribution. Its starch content, higher than 70%, makes it possible to obtain a good yield of flours. Nutritionally, it should be noted that the grain does not have the protein fraction called prolamins, which makes it suitable for consumption by people with celiac disease. The multielemental composition constitutes an important indicator of the nutritional profile of the grains and allows, together with other parameters, to select the most suitable varieties for human consumption. In its determination, the preanalytical stage is decisive to obtain a reliable result. Organic samples are a challenge for sample introduction systems that use plasma-based techniques. As an alternative to conventional pretreatment with a microwave-assisted digestion (MWAD), a greener, quick, and simple treatment is proposed, using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) in diluted acid media. The UAE method accelerates analysis times, improves performance and productivity, and was applied to sorghum samples cultivated in the province of La Pampa (Argentina). Microwave-induced plasma optical emission spectrometry (MIP OES) was employed for the determination of Cu, K, Mg, Mn, P, and Zn. The detection limits found ranged from 0.6 (Cu) to 89 (P) mg kg−1, and the precision expressed by the relative standard deviation (RSD) was ≤7.7% (Zn). For validation, a maize reference material (NCS ZC 73010) was evaluated. The principal component analysis revealed three different groupings related to the sorghum varieties' mineral profile.

The Danian Sea: Dinoflagellate cysts assemblages from Neuquén Basin, Roca Formation (Argentina) and its comparison with other southern South America localities

The study section at the Casa de Piedra locality (Neuquén Basin) is located near the Colorado River, southwestern sector of La Pampa province, Argentina. The section is assigned to the Roca Formation, which records a shallow marine environment linked with Atlantic transgressions. It includes a new record of dinoflagellate cysts of the Danian Sea, in northern Patagonia. Most of the recognized taxa have a Late Cretaceous – Danian stratigraphic range in the Southern Hemisphere. The great similarity with the dinoflagellate cysts recorded in the uppermost Pedro Luro Formation, Colorado Basin allowed inferring a Late Danian age for the Roca Formation in the Casa de Piedra section. This age is also supported by the presence of Vozzhennikovia apertura (FAD: 65.10 Ma) and Cerodinium diebelli (LAD: 61.05 Ma) and by other micofossils data including foraminifers and nannofosils. The sedimentary facies and the dinoflagellate cysts identified suggest a neritic environment ranging from marginal-marine with scarce fluvial influence to outer neritic conditions. Taking into account the sporomorphs content, the paleoenvironment conditions would be similar to those of the North-west and Colorado Basins for the Danian, with a forest of Ulmaceae (Verrustephanoporites simplex) and montane forest (Podocarpaceae, Rutaceae). The sporomorph assemblages indicate warm paleotemperatures (subtropical-tropical). The high similarity of dinoflagellate cyst records between Roca and Pedro Luro Formations would suggest a probable link between Neuquén and Colorado basins during Danian times. This connection has been postulated by several authors and could be related to the Neuquén embayment through the Huincul fault.

Key factors affecting the technical efficiency of bee farms in the province of La Pampa (Argentina): A two-stage DEA approach

This paper analyzes how decision-making, management capacity and technology adoption by beekeepers, affect the technical efficiency (TE) of Argentinean beekeeping through the case study of the province of La Pampa (Argentina). The assessment of TE is currently receiving ever-growing attention as an indicator of sustainability and usage of sufficient natural resources in beekeeping activities. This study aimed to identify the key factors affecting the technical efficiency of bee farms in the province of La Pampa. The study included a sample of 40 bee farms and estimated their TE score through an input-oriented Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model. In a second stage, Tobit regression was determined to evaluate the technical inefficiency determinants. This paper found that most beekeeping production units have low TE levels. Only 25 % of bee farms produce either at or close to the frontier. The Tobit model revealed that variables such as marital status, educational level, primary family income, source information usage, planning and health area, affect positively on pure technical efficiency. These results are considered to be of great interest for structured beekeeping systems on small-scale and family farms, as well as for political decision-makers, regarding a public program in apiculture. Highlights: Argentina is the leading country in America, exporting honey worldwide. DEA approach and Tobit model based on a two-stage analysis is a useful tool when evaluating livestock production systems. Bee farmers in La Pampa (Argentina) are operating below the production frontier, which indicates there is still scope for improvement. Variables such as marital status, educational level, primary family income, source information usage, planning and health area, affect positively on technical efficiency. Beekeepers should be encouraged by the government to improve their efficiency through training programs to ease decision-making and management, therefore enhancing productivity.

Primer registro de Tityus trivittatus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) en la provincia de La Pampa, Argentina

The sanitary important scorpion species Tityus trivittatus Kraepelin (Scorpiones: Buthidae) is reported for the first time from General Pico, La Pampa province. Specimens examined in this work were obtained in domiciliary environments. This represents a considerable expansion to the South of the distributional range of the species and the genus.

Improved estimate of groundwater recharge in the central part of Valle Argentino, province of La Pampa, Argentina

The processes that control the recharge have difficulties for their quantification due to hydroclimatic variability and different particularities of the aquifer system. Sometimes, the different methods for recharge assessment provide results with a high degree of uncertainty. The purpose of this paper is to estimate groundwater recharge in the central part of Valle Argentino, whose hydrogeological potential comes from a sand dune system that plays an important role as recharge area. It was considered interesting to update the previous estimates with new data from the General Acha and Padre Buodo sites. The recharge was obtained from a daily water balance (Visual Balan code) and the water-table fluctuation (WTF) method. The mean yearly values of recharge obtained range from 35 to 53 mm, with maximums between 76 and 112 mm and minimums between 0 and 21 mm. The greater values caused water table rises from 0.60 to just over 1 m, while a low or null recharge is linked to a drop in water levels of between 0.4 and 0.8 m, caused by the predominance of the groundwater outflow. This fluctuation of water table has a severe impact in the water storage in the aquifer, which represents the main source of groundwater for human and livestock consumption in this area. The integration of results in a conceptual model that explain the hydrodynamic behaviour of the system constitutes a relevant contribution to groundwater resource management.