The Argentine Monte (NT0802), or Low Monte, is an

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of ...

of dry thorn scrub and grasslands in Argentina. It is one of the driest regions in the country. Human settlements are mainly near water supplies such as rivers or oases. Deforestation and over-grazing around these settlements have caused desertification.

Location

The Argentine Monte is in north-central Argentina, and has an area of . It is to the east of the Andes and extends from Salta Province in the north to

Chubut Province Chubut ( es, Provincia del Chubut, ; cy, Talaith Chubut) is a province in southern Argentina, situated between the 42nd parallel south (the border with Río Negro Province), the 46th parallel south (bordering Santa Cruz Province), the Andes rang ...

in the south. It extends from the eastern foothills of the

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

to the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

. The ecoregion merges into the

Patagonian steppe The Patagonian Desert, also known as the Patagonian Steppe, is the largest desert in Argentina and is the 8th largest desert in the world by area, occupying 673,000 square kilometers (260,000 mi2). It is located primarily in Argentina and ...

in the south and southwest. The Dry Chaco lies to the northeast, and the Espinal is to the east. In the northwest it borders the

High Monte The High Monte is a montane grasslands and shrublands ecoregion in Argentina. Geography The High Monte is located on the eastern slopes of the Andes, extending from the vicinity of Salta (24º S) south to Mendoza (32º S). It is a landscape of m ...

. Some consider the High Monte a separate ecoregion, while others consider it a part of the Argentine Monte.

Physical

Elevations range from sea level on the Atlantic coast to . The region contains parts of the watersheds of the Rio Negro and Rio Colorado. The Lagunas de Guanacache, Desaguadero y del Bebedero in

Mendoza Province Mendoza, officially Province of Mendoza, is a province of Argentina, in the western central part of the country in the Cuyo region. It borders San Juan to the north, La Pampa and Neuquén to the south, San Luis to the east, and the republic o ...

form the most important wetland in the ecoregion, designated a Ramsar site. This is a long chain of lagoons and marshes covering fed by the Mendoza and San Juan rivers, which drains into the Desaguadero River. The lakes and streams are mostly seasonal or intermittent. The ecoregion is by far the driest part of Argentina. The

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

is "BSk": arid, steppe, cold arid. Annual precipitation is . In the north and central regions there is more rain in summer. In the colder south the monthly rainfall is more evenly distributed. At a sample location at coordinates the mean temperature ranges from in July to in January. The yearly average mean temperature is . Annual precipitation is about . Monthly precipitation ranges from in July to in October.

Ecology

The Argentine Monte is in the

Neotropical realm The Neotropical realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms constituting Earth's land surface. Physically, it includes the tropical terrestrial ecoregions of the Americas and the entire South American temperate zone. Definition In biogeo ...

, in the

temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands is a terrestrial biome defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. The predominant vegetation in this biome consists of grass and/or shrubs. The climate is temperate and ranges from semi-arid to sem ...

biome.

Flora

Flora are typically thorn scrub and dry grassland, with relatively low plant diversity. There are thin gallery forests along the rivers. There are areas of

cactus A cactus (, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae, a family comprising about 127 genera with some 1750 known species of the order Caryophyllales. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, from the Ancient Gree ...

scrub,

xerophilous A xerophile () is an extremophilic organism that can grow and reproduce in conditions with a low availability of water, also known as water activity. Water activity (aw) is measured as the humidity above a substance relative to the humidity above p ...

open woodland, and vegetation adapted to rocky, sandy and salty conditions. In some areas the scrub is very open. The steppe contains resinous evergreen bushes, mainly from the family

Zygophyllaceae Zygophyllaceae is a family of flowering plants that contains the bean-caper and caltrop. The family includes around 285 species in 22 genera. Plants in the family Zygophyllaceae may be trees, shrubs, or herbs. They are often found in dry habit ...

and the genera ''

Larrea ''Larrea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae. It contains five species of evergreen shrubs that are native to the Americas. The generic name honours Bishop Juan Antonio Hernández Pérez de Larrea, a patron of ...

'', ''

Bulnesia ''Bulnesia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae. The wood of some – particularly '' B. arborea'' and '' B. sarmientoi'' – is traded as verawood (colloquially "vera") or ''" lignum vitae"''. They are ...

'' and '' Plectocarpa''. Other species are ''

Montea aphyla ''Moutya'' or Moutia, is a traditional African dance similar to the Sega, but with often more pronounced suggestive movements. Female and male dancers move in rhythm to the beat of the often single drum made of dried goatskin and lightly heated ...

'', '' Bougainvillea spinosa'' and ''

Prosopis ''Prosopis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. It contains around 45 species of spiny trees and shrubs found in subtropical and tropical regions of the Americas, Africa, Western Asia, and South Asia. They often thrive in ari ...

'' species. In the north cacti of the genera ''

Echinopsis ''Echinopsis'' is a large genus of cacti native to South America, sometimes known as hedgehog cactus, sea-urchin cactus or Easter lily cactus. One small species, ''E. chamaecereus'', is known as the peanut cactus. The 128 species range from l ...

'' and '' Cereus'' and

bromeliads The Bromeliaceae (the bromeliads) are a family of monocot flowering plants of about 80 genera and 3700 known species, native mainly to the tropical Americas, with several species found in the American subtropics and one in tropical west Africa, ...

of the genera '' Dyckia'', '' Deuterocohnia'' and ''

Tillandsia ''Tillandsia'' is a genus of around 650 species of evergreen, perennial flowering plants in the family Bromeliaceae, native to the forests, mountains and deserts of northern Mexico and south-eastern United States, Mesoamerica and the Caribbean to ...

'' are more common. Herbaceous plants appear after rain showers, including ''

Portulaca grandiflora ''Portulaca grandiflora'' is a succulent flowering plant in the family Portulacaceae, native to southern Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay and often cultivated in gardens.Huxley, A., ed. (1992). ''New RHS Dictionary of Gardening''. Macmillan . It h ...

'', irises, lilies and grasses. On the river edges or where there is underground water there are gallery forests of ''

'' species. '' Larrea cuneifolia'' is found in hot and dry areas, '' Larrea divaricata'' along the streams and '' Larrea nitida'' in cooler areas and mountain slopes. Other plants found in different conditions include ''

Baccharis salicifolia ''Baccharis salicifolia'' is a blooming shrub native to the sage scrub community and desert southwest of the United States and northern Mexico, as well as parts of South America. Its usual common name is mule fat;Mojave Desert Wildflowers, Pam M ...

'', '' Tessaria dodonaefolia'', '' Suaeda divaricata'' and '' Allenrolfea vaginata''. Several endemic species have evolved in isolation since the Oligocene such as '' Romorinoa girolae'' and '' Gomprhena colosacana'', found in the Sierra de las Quijadas National Park, and '' Halophytum ameghinoi'', a fleshy grass that grows in bogs.

Fauna

Common mammals include

screaming hairy armadillo The screaming hairy armadillo (''Chaetophractus vellerosus'') is a species of armadillo also known as the small screaming armadillo, crying armadillo or the small hairy armadillo. It is a burrowing armadillo found in the central and southern part ...

(''Chaetophractus vellerosus''), pink fairy armadillo (''Chlamyphorus truncatus''), cougar (''Puma concolor''),

South American gray fox The South American gray fox (''Lycalopex griseus''), also known as the Patagonian fox, the chilla or the gray zorro, is a species of ''Lycalopex'', the "false" foxes. It is endemic to the southern part of South America. Description The South A ...

(''Lycalopex griseus''), Patagonian weasel (''Lyncodon patagonicus''),

guanaco The guanaco (; ''Lama guanicoe'') is a camelid native to South America, closely related to the llama. Guanacos are one of two wild South American camelids, the other being the vicuña, which lives at higher elevations. Etymology The guanaco ...

(''Lama guanicoe''), and

southern mountain cavy The southern mountain cavy (''Microcavia australis'') is a species of South American rodent in the family Caviidae. Description Southern mountain cavies are tailless rodents with short, speckled, greyish-yellow fur, fading to pale grey on the un ...

(''Microcavia australis''). Vulnerable or endangered mammals include plains viscacha rat (''Tympanoctomys barrerae''), pink fairy armadillo (''Chlamyphorus truncatus''), strong tuco-tuco (''Ctenomys validus''), viscacha rat (''Octomys mimax''), Roig's pericote (''Andalgalomys roigi''),

delicate salt flat mouse The delicate salt flat mouse, ''Salinomys delicatus'', (in Spanish, el ratón delicado de los salares) is a sigmodontine rodent species in the family Cricetidae from South America. It is the only species in the genus ''Salinomys''. Its habitat ...

(''Salinomys delicatus'') and

Patagonian mara The Patagonian mara (''Dolichotis patagonum'') is a relatively large rodent in the mara genus ''Dolichotis''. It is also known as the Patagonian cavy, Patagonian hare, or dillaby. This herbivorous, somewhat rabbit-like animal is found in open and ...

(''Dolichotis patagonum''). Endangered mammals include southern river otter (''Lontra provocax''). Birds include

elegant crested tinamou The elegant crested tinamou or martineta tinamou (''Eudromia elegans'') is a medium-sized tinamou that can be found in southern Chile and Argentina in Shrubland. The bird has an omnivorous diet. This species is terrestrial due to their poor fly ...

(''Eudromia elegans''), cinnamon warbling finch (''Poospiza ornata''), Darwin's nothura (''Nothura darwinii'') and burrowing parrot (''Cyanoliseus patagonus''). Threatened birds are peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus'') and

Chaco eagle The Chaco eagle (''Buteogallus coronatus'') or crowned solitary eagle, is an endangered bird of prey from eastern and central South America. Typically it is known simply as the crowned eagle which leads to potential confusion with the African '' ...

(''Buteogallus coronatus''). Endangered birds include yellow cardinal (''Gubernatrix cristata'') and

Eskimo curlew The Eskimo curlew (''Numenius borealis''), also known as northern curlew, is a species of curlew in the family Scolopacidae. It was one of the most numerous shorebirds in the tundra of western Arctic Canada and Alaska. Thousands of birds were th ...

(Numenius borealis). The Guanacache, Desaguadero y Bebedero system has rich biodiversity and supports more than 50 species of waterbirds. These include

maguari stork The maguari stork (''Ciconia maguari'') is a large species of stork that inhabits seasonal wetlands over much of South America, and is very similar in appearance to the white stork; albeit slightly larger.King CE. 1988. An ethological comparison ...

(''Ciconia maguari''),

southern screamer The southern screamer (''Chauna torquata'') is a species of bird in family Anhimidae of the waterfowl order Anseriformes. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. ...

(''Chauna torquata''), white-faced ibis (''Plegadis chihi''),

Chilean flamingo The Chilean flamingo (''Phoenicopterus chilensis'') is a species of large flamingo at closely related to the American flamingo and the greater flamingo, with which it was sometimes considered conspecific. The species is listed as near threatened ...

(''Phoenicopterus chilensis'') and dabbling ducks of the genus ''

Anas ''Anas'' is a genus of dabbling ducks. It includes the pintails, most teals, and the mallard and its close relatives. It formerly included additional species but following the publication of a molecular phylogenetic study in 2009 the genus was s ...

''. It is also used by migratory birds such as

plover Plovers ( , ) are a widely distributed group of wading birds belonging to the subfamily Charadriinae. Description There are about 66 species in the subfamily, most of them called "plover" or "dotterel". The closely related lapwing subf ...

s and

sandpiper Sandpipers are a large family, Scolopacidae, of waders. They include many species called sandpipers, as well as those called by names such as curlew and snipe. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil ...

s. Reptiles include Argentine red tegu ('' Tupinambis rufescens''), false tomodon snake ('' Pseudotomodon trigonatus''), Patagonian lancehead (''

Bothrops ammodytoides :''Common names: Patagonian lancehead,Campbell JA, Lamar WW. 2004. ''The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere''. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca and London. 870 pp. 1500 plates. . yarará ñata,Boa constrictor The boa constrictor (scientific name also ''Boa constrictor''), also called the red-tailed boa, is a species of large, non-venomous, heavy-bodied snake that is frequently kept and bred in captivity. The boa constrictor is a member of the family B ...

''), ringed hognose snake ('' Lystrophis semicinctus'') and Chaco tortoise (''Chelonoidis chilensis''). Amphibians include Mendoza four-eyed frog ('' Pleurodema nebulosum''). Endangered amphibians include La Rioja water frog ('' Telmatobius schreiteri'' and Andalgala water frog ('' Telmatobius scrocchii''). In the northern region about 10% of insect genera and 35% of insect species are endemic.

Status

The

World Wildlife Fund The World Wide Fund for Nature Inc. (WWF) is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named the Wo ...

gives the ecoregion the status of "Vulnerable". The region has mostly been settled by people only in oases or areas near rivers where irrigation-based agriculture is possible. This process began in the late 19th century and continues today. The habitat in the settled areas has been greatly changed, with trees cleared for use as fuel and lumber and to make way for agriculture and mineral exploitation. of the ecoregion has been affected by erosion caused by deforestation and excessive grazing by sheep, goats and cattle. There is marked increase in desert areas, affecting the habitats of many native species. Many species are affected by fragmentation of their habitats. The Guanacache, Desaguadero y Bebedero system has been affected by various natural and man-made changes that have caused the area of lagoons and marshes to shrink significantly. Some efforts are being made to rehabilitate them.

Conservation

5.37% of the ecoregion is in protected areas. Protected areas in the Low Monte include: Protected areas in the High Monte include:"High Monte". DOPA Explorer. Accessed 7 April 2022

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Notes

Sources

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Argentine Monte Neotropical ecoregions Ecoregions of Argentina Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands