Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 79 (1): 75-87, 2006
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Structure and conservative condition of the Prosopis flexuosa D.C. (Fabaceae,
subfamily: Mimosoideae) woodlands in northeast Mendoza (Argentina)
The recommendation of management rules that regulate the use of forest resources
must be based on the knowledge of the structure and dynamics of forests. This work allowed to find out about the population structure
of the Prosopis flexuosa woodlands of the northeast of Mendoza, as well as their sanitary conditions and the management
potential. A total of 1,471 Prosopis individuals were sampled in the four most representative woodlands units. The total
Prosopis density was as follows: P. flexuosa semi-closed woodland with Atriplex lampa and
Lycium tenuispinosum in valleys in-between dunes (Woodland 1): 181 trees ha<sup>-1</sub>; P. flexuosa
open woodland with Trichomaria usillo and Suaeda divaricata in the undulations (Woodland 2): 155
trees ha<sup>-1</sub>; P. flexuosa open woodland with T. usillo (Woodland 3): 233 trees
ha<sup>-1</sub>, and P. flexuosa open woodland with A. lampa in soft undulations (Woodland 4):
215 trees ha<sup>-1</sub>. The principal components analysis on the diametric structure grouped the sites surveyed in the
different woodland units as per the proportion of individuals with larger basal diameter. The sites from Woodland 1 (larger proportion of
big trees), were separated from the sites with a higher proportion of small trees (Woodland 2 and 4). Due to the Prosopis
growth habit, the quantity of wood products from these forests is low. Besides P. flexuosa presents in the area a high
percentage of individuals with more than two stems, the tree shape is generally decumbent and the bole height is less than a meter.
Therefore, the possible use should be done at local scale, taking into account the inclusion of other complementary
activities.
Key words:
Monte desert,
woodland structure, Prosopis flexuosa, Telteca Reserve, wood products
