Preliminary study of the terrestrial plant biodiversity of the Estero Walker (Region of Aysen, Chile): Using baselines of investment projects

Abstract

Using plant sociological data from the baseline of an aquaculture project the flora and terrestrial vegetation in five sectors of the banks of the Estero Walker, located in the western Chilean Patagonia is studied. According to a preliminary catalog the flora consisting of 68 native species, which dominate Dicotyledons, Monocotyledons and Ferns, latter indicate high atmosferical humidity. The absence of annual and biennial plants confirms the presence of a cold and wet weather, the absence of weed indicate the little human intervention. The low floristic similarity between the sectors studied is conditioned by exposure and a wide range of habitats. The presence, coverage and importance of plant species were analyzed in orderly vegetation table, the most important were woody. The orderly vegetation table shows 4 groups which were confirmed by multivariate statistical analysis, three communities: coihue forest of Chiloé (Luzuriago marginatae- Nothofagetum nitidae), scrub and taique tepú (Desfontainio fulgense-Tepualietum estipulariae) and pulvinate bog (Schoeno andini-Lepidothamnietum fonkii), first was described in 2004 and the last two are proposed as new associations. A final group represented in one vegetation sample correspond to a swamp which could also represent a new community which a provisionally name Libertio chilensis-Leptocarpetum chilensis is proposed. For the plant association Desfontainio fulgense- Tepualietum stipulariae one subassociation Desfontainio fulgense-Tepualietum stipulariae Campsidietosum valdivianae is proposed. We discuss the syntaxonomy of these plant communities and confirm the usefulness of the baselines to know the flora and vegetation of remote locations.