Wetlands in Argentina

Before knowing the different wetland systems of Argentina we will detail some characteristics of the wetlands of the Plata Basin.

The Silver Basin is one of the most extensive globally and the main water basin of Argentina. It is constituted by three great importance systems: The Paraná River, the Uruguay River and the Paraguay Riverin addition to Rio de la Platathat house a large number of wetlands such as lagoons, estuaries, mother, swamps and bathed.

The wetlands of the Silver Basin provide a huge amount of Ecosystem services beneficial such as:

• Fresh water supply.
• Flood cushion.
• Biodiversity reservoir.
• Water purification.
• Climate regulation.
• Underground water sources recharge (the Silver Basin coincides largely with the Guaraní aquifer, one of the largest groundwater reservoirs).
• They constitute ecological corridors for humans, flora and fauna.
• They provide opportunities for tourism and recreational activities.
• They have great cultural value.

We recommend reading about ecosystem services: what are, types and examples.

The great flood planning of the Paraguay River and its continuation in the Paraná River make up the main valley of the Plata Basin. This system is considered The largest wetland corridor in South America and includes among others:

• Esteros del Iberá and Ñembucú.
• The extensive plain of the Middle Paraná.
• Yacyretá reservoir wetlands.
• Wetlands of the streams of the province of Misiones and Corrientes.
• The Delta del Río Paraná.
• The estuary of the Río de la Plata.

The Chaco is a plain characterized by the presence of dry and semi -arid dry and semi -arid forests that have a large number of wetlands. In this area, rainfall is seasonal, with Greater rains in the warm months. Exist Many wetlands identified in this region. Here we show you some of them:

• The star bathed.
• The Quirquincho bathed.
• Spills of the Itiyuro River.
• Submeritable low.
• Salinas Grande.
• Laguna Mar Chiquita.

The Pampas area is formed by extensive plain with Fresh water lagoons or little depth salobres. It is very common to find in the area a large number of bodies of temporary water that fulfill a fundamental role not only for local fauna, but for the recharge of napas and the distribution of nutrients. We must bear in mind that Pampa is one of the areas that has suffered the greatest anthropic transformation due to the advance of the agricultural-livestock border. Here are a list of The best known wetlands in this region:

• Laguna Melincué.
• The streams and bathed in Magdalena.
• Parent lagoon.
• Laguna Grande.
• Chassicó basin.
• West chain lagoons.
• Chascomús lagoon.
• Samborombón Bay.

We encourage you to discover more about the Pampas region: characteristics, flora and fauna.

Patagonia covers an arid zone of Patagonian steppe and very humid areas such as the Andean-Patagonic forests with high rainfall. Unlike detailed previous wetlands, in Patagonia the Lakes of glacier origin, rivers and streams generated by thaw waterEstepa lagoons, mallines, vegas and turbhers.

Many of these wetlands are used for recreational or tourism purposes and also to obtain hydroelectric energy.

In the large extensions of the so -called Patagonian coast they exist estuaries, swamps, sandy beaches and rolled song, marks and cliffs. Some of the wetlands that can be found are:

• Bahía Blanca and Bahía Alica.
• San Antonio Oeste.
• Valdés Peninsula.
• Carried out two bays and Bahía Bustamante.
• San Julián and Monte León Bahía.
• Peninsula Miter and Island of the States.
• Antarctica and South Atlantic Islands.

The Puna contains several endorheic basins that constitute Lakes and Salares that form small aquatic habitats in a desert matrix. Generally, These wetlands are fragile From the ecological point of view and present numerous endemic species of flora and fauna. Among the puna wetlands we find:

• Pozuelos and Guayatayoc lagoons.
• Vilama lagoons.
• Lagunas Grande, the Alumbrera and Purulla.

Here you can read about the Puna: what is, characteristics, flora and fauna.

The Ramsar agreement, also known as Convention on Wetlandsit’s a International Treaty approved in 1971 in the city Ramsar de Iran. This entered into force in 1975 and today More than 162 countries from the world they have adhered to it (contracting parties). In Argentina this convention was ratified in 1991 and currently exist 23 designated Ramsar sites which cover a total of 5,687,651 ha.

The convention aims to conservation and rational use of wetlands Through local, national actions and through international cooperation, increasing efforts for the conservation of such ecosystems.

Those countries attached to the Ramsar agreement must:

• Select and designate wetlands according to different criteria (zoos, botanical, hydrological, ecological, among others), adhere to the list of wetlands of international importance and ensure the conservation and maintenance of each of its characteristics.
• Promote the rational use of existing wetlands in the territory planning land use.
• Promote training in research, management and rational use of wetlands.
• Make consultations with other contracting parts about the application of the Convention, emphasizing those cross -border wetlands, water systems and shared species.

Did you know that every February 2, the World Wetlands Day raising awareness about the importance of wetlands for humanity and the planet? The date is in commemoration of the adoption of the Ramsar Convention.

Now that you have met wetlands in Argentina, we recommend you read these other ecology articles about wetlands: what are, types and characteristics and flora and fauna of the wetlands.

If you want to read more articles similar to Wetlands in Argentinawe recommend that you enter our category of ecosystems.