This book presents the most relevant basaltic plateau exposures in the provinces of Neuquén (northern Patagonia) and Santa Cruz (southern Patagonia), and analyzes their geomorphological and morphometric characteristics. The existence of wetland ecosystems near the volcanic plateaus is quantified, thus providing indexes that describe the quantitative relationships between these landscape features. These indexes also make it possible to estimate the development of these wetlands in non-surveyed areas, opening the door for studying remote, isolated areas by means of remote sensing images. In turn, the book proposes a numerical classification system for this type of landscape that summarizes the main geomorphological and hydrological characteristics.

Autorentext

Elizabeth Mazzoni has obtained her PhD in Geography at the Universidad Nacional del Sur. Since 1990, she teaches and researches at the Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral (UNPA), Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina, in the areas of Physical Geography and Remote Sensing. It works on topics related to geomorphology of Patagonia, wetlands, landscapes, scenic resources (geotourism) and desertification.

Prof. Jorge O. Rabassa has obtained his PhD in Geology at the Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Since 1986, he has teached at the Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia-San Juan Bosco and, since 2012, at the Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego. He has been the Director of CADIC, the southernmost, multidisciplinary research center of the world, at Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, that belongs to the CONICET, the National Research Council of Argentina. He is a published author (journals, books and book chapters) and was the founder and head editor of the journal "Quaternary of South America & Antarctic Peninsula" from 1982 to 1999. He has a longstanding scientific activity in Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego and the Antarctic Peninsula. He has been the President of the Universidad Nacional del Comahue, in northern Patagonia and he is a member of the Argentine National Academy of Sciences.

Inhalt

Introduction: Patagonia basalt tablelands (escoriales) and their significance in the genesis of wetlands.- Patagonian cenozoic magmatic activity.- Geomorphology of the patagonian volcanic landscapes: provinces of neuquén (Northern Patagonia) and santa cruz (Southern Patagonia).- Wetlands associated to the basaltic plateaus: range of influence of the escoriales and wet meadows indexes.- The environmental value of volcanic landscapes and wetlands of lowland patagonia and their state of conservation.