Mallín is a type of

meadow A meadow ( ) is an open habitat, or field, vegetated by grasses, herbs, and other non- woody plants. Trees or shrubs may sparsely populate meadows, as long as these areas maintain an open character. Meadows may be naturally occurring or arti ...

and

wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The p ...

found in southern Chile and Argentina. Mallines are distinguished from other wetlands in that the groundwater level reaches the surface at them, yet the mallín is still an area of net infiltration.Humedales de Chile
/ref> Soils in mallines are rich in organic matter. In Argentina mallins have been important grazing lands for cattle, sheep and horses.Comportamiento de la vegetación de un humedal (mallín) entre períodos húmedos y secos mediante análisis meteorológicos y espectral
/ref> In eastern

Patagonia Patagonia () refers to a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and g ...

the base of

basaltic Basalt (; ) is an aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the surface of a rocky planet or moon. More than 90% of a ...

plateau In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides ...

s are associated with mallines.

References

{{reflist Landforms Soil in Chile Wetlands of Argentina Wetlands of Chile Limnology

See also

References