LONG TERM PROJECTS
Red Subtropical de Parcelas Permanentes (RedSPP)
The RedSPP is a system of permanent forest monitoring plots that studies long-term dynamics of the subtropical mountain forests of northwestern Argentina (i.e. Jujuy, Salta and Tucumán) in a context of global change. These forests are also known as Yungas.
FUNDING: FONCYT, CONICET, UNT, National Science Foundation (NSF), ReForLan (European Community), COSUDE (Swiss Agency), CONDESAN (Consorcio para el Desarrollo Sostenible de los Andes).
STARTING DATE: 2003
RESPONSIBLE RESEARCHERS:
Ricardo Grau, Agustina Malizia, Cecilia Blundo
Instituto de Ecología Regional. IER, UNT - CONICET
Lucio Malizia
Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Jujuy (UNJu)
ABSTRACT:
The Network of Permanent Subtropical Plots (Red Subtropical de Parcelas Permanentes, RedSPP) is an initiative managed by the Instituto de Ecología Regional (IER), Universidad Nacional de Jujuy (UNJu) and Fundación ProYungas (NGO dedicated to the sustainable development and conservation of the Yungas). RedSPP is a network of permanent forest monitoring plots that studies the long term dynamics of the subtropical mountain forests (Yungas) of northwestern Argentina in a context of global change. It consists of 87 permanent plots (82.4 ha), distributed between 22 and 27.5°S and between 396 and 2304 m. a.s.l. in the provinces of Salta, Jujuy and Tucumán. Within each plot all trees with a diameter greater than or equal to 10 cm are mapped, marked with a numbered aluminum tag, measured and identified to species level. Most plots have been re-measured at least once, ideally every 5 years, although the measurement period varies in some cases depending on available funds and logistics. The oldest plots were established in 1991-1992, with the average installation date being 2003.
So far, the RedSPP has generated information on more than 45000 trees belonging to 172 species. It is a useful tool for understanding the underlying factors, processes and mechanisms that shape the structure, composition, demography, and diversity of the Yungas. In addition, it provides valuable data to understand the responses of these forests to global environmental changes, including climate change, land use change, and invasion by exotic species. Finally, it may contribute to the development of strategies of conservation and sustainable management.
SITES:
Tucumán: There are a total of 35 permanent plots (30.4 ha) established in the Yungas of the province which cover two altitudinal forest levels present in the region: Upper and Lower Montane forests. Twenty-six (26) plots, varying in surface area between 0.2 and 1 ha, are located within Parque Sierra de San Javier (PSSJ), which belongs to UNT, along an altitudinal gradient ranging from 700 to1860 m. a.s.l. They represent forests with different successional ages and composition (i.e. some plots are dominated by exotic species such as Ligustrum lucidum and Gleditsia triacanthos). The remaining seven (7) plots are located within other provincial reserves, such as Los Sosa, La Florida, Santa Ana and Parque Percy Hill.
Salta-Jujuy: There are 52 permanent plots of 1 ha in size (52 ha), established in the Yungas of Salta and Jujuy, covering the three altitudinal levels present in the region: Premontane forests, and Upper and Lower Montane forests, along an altitudinal gradient between 320 and 2300 m. a.s.l. Seventy percent of these plots are located on private property, while the remaining 30% are located in state protected areas.
MEMBERS:
Julieta Carilla, Ezequiel Araoz, Sergio Javier Ceballos, Yohana Jimenez, Oriana Osinaga Acosta
CONTACT:
Cecilia Blundo: ccblundo@gmail.com
Agustina Malizia: agustinamalizia@yahoo.com
LINKS:
https://redbosques.condesan.org/
DATA SHEET
MAP
RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS:
Ceballos SJ, Malizia A, Carilla J, Grau HR, Osinaga Acosta O, Blundo C. (2024). Combining chronosequences and multi-census approaches to understand patterns of succession in subtropical montane forests of NW Argentina. Journal of Vegetation Science (35):e 13281.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.13281
Ceballos SJ, Blundo C, Malizia A, Osinaga Acosta O, Carilla J, Grau HR, (+ 42 autores). (2023). Red Argentina de Parcelas Permanentes de Bosques Nativos para promover colaboraciones científicas en estudios de largo plazo. Ecología Austral (32): 361-377. https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.22.32.2.0.1849
Jimenez YG, Grau HR, Fernandez RD, Ceballos SJ, Blundo C, Malizia A, Carilla J, Osinaga Acosta O, Aráoz E. (2023). The role of species composition in montane reforested areas to offset carbon emissions. Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment (32) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsase.2023.101024
Ceballos SJ, Blundo C, Malizia A, Osinaga Acosta O, Carilla J (+ autores). (2022). Red Argentina de Parcelas Permanentes de Bosques Nativos para promover colaboraciones científicas en estudios de largo plazo. Ecología Austral 32: 361-377
https://doi.org/10.25260/EA.22.32.2.0.1849
Ceballos SJ, Blundo C, Malizia A, Osinaga Acosta O, Carilla J. (2021). Dynamics of tree mortality in subtropical montane forests of Northwestern Argentina. Forest Ecology and Management 497:119528.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119528
Duque A, Peña MA, Cuesta F, González-Caro S, Kennedy P, Phillips OL, Calderón-Loor M, Blundo C, Carilla J, Cayola L, Farfán-Ríos W, Fuentes A, Grau R, Homeier J, Loza-Rivera MI, Malhi Y, Malizia A, Malizia L, Martínez-Villa JA, Myers JA, Osinaga Acosta O, Peralvo M, Pinto E, S Saatchi, Silman M, Tello JS, Terán-Valdez A, Feeley KJ. (2021). Mature Andean forests as globally important carbon sinks and future carbon refuges. Nature Communications 12: 2138.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-22459-8
Malizia A, Blundo C. Carilla J, Osinaga Acosta O, Cuesta F, Duque A, et al. (2020). Elevation and latitude drives structure and tree species composition in Andean forests: Results from a large-scale plot network. PLoSONE 15: e0231553. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231553
Ceballos SJ, Malizia A, Chacoff N. (2020). Alternative pathways of liana communities in the forests of northwestern Argentina. Biotropica 52:533-540. https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.12765
Fadrique B, Báez S, Duque A, Malizia A, Blundo C, Carilla J, Osinaga Acosta O, et al. (2018). Widespread but heterogeneous responses of Andean forests to climate change. Nature 564: 207-212.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-018-0715-9
Malizia A, Osinaga Acosta O, Powell PA, Aragón R. (2017). Invasion of Ligustrum lucidum (Oleaceae) in subtropical secondary forests of NW Argentina: Declining growth rates of abundant native tree species. Journal of Vegetation Science 28:1240-1249. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12572
Stephenson NL, Das AD, Condit R, Russo SE, Baker P, Beckman NG, Coomes DA, Lines E, Morris W, Rüger N, Álvarez E, Blundo C, Bunyavejchewin S, Chuyong G, Davies SJ, Duque Á, Ewango CEN, Flores O, Franklin JF, Grau HR, Hao Z, Harmon ME, Hubbell SP, Kenfack D, Lin Y, Makana JR, Malizia A, Malizia LR, Pabst RJ, Pongpattananurak N, Su SH, Sun IF, Tan S, Thomas D, van Mantgem PJ, Wang X, Wiser SK. (2014). Rate of tree carbon accumulation increases continuously with tree size. Nature 507: 90-93. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature12914
Blundo C, Malizia LR, Blake JG, Brown AD. (2012). Tree species distribution in Andean forests: influence of regional and local factors. Journal of Tropical Ecology 28:83 - 95. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4141183
Carilla J, Grau HR. (2011). Successional patterns of subtropical montane forest from northwestern Argentina. Bosque, 32:97-111.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0717-92002011000200001
Grau HR, Arturi, MF, Brown AD, Aceñolaza, PG. (1997). Floristic and structural patterns along a chronosequence of secondary forest succession in Argentinean subtropical montane forests. Forest Ecology and Management 95:161-171. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-1127(97)00010-8