A team composed of more than 50 experts from different regions of Argentina has carried out the most detailed study on the country’s ecosystems, providing a crucial tool for environmental protection, land-use planning, and sustainable management.
Comprehensive map of Argentinian ecosystems
For the first time, Argentina has a unified and standardized map of its ecosystems. This exhaustive study, conducted by researchers and technicians from 25 institutions and universities, has identified and described 133 ecosystems: 12 marine, 66 continental aquatic, and 55 terrestrial, marking a milestone in the understanding of the country’s biodiversity.
The project was promoted by the Biodiversity Directorate of the Undersecretariat of Environment and funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Its execution was achieved through an agreement between CONICET and the Argentine Association of Ecology (AsAE), with the participation of 15 execution units at the national level.
This work includes geographical, climatic, biological, and conservation data in uniform records, enriched by a geographic information system (GIS) that combines maps with information on environmental conditions, protected areas, and threats to each ecosystem.
Paulina Martinetto, a CONICET researcher, emphasizes that the map is a strategic tool for improving environmental management, planning land use, assessing impacts, and strengthening biodiversity conservation. It will also have educational applications, increasing the understanding of the ecological diversity of the Argentine territory.
Moreover, this initiative is an example of how inter-institutional collaboration can generate significant results for the conservation and management of the country’s natural resources.
