As part of the Salar de Pedernales Enhancement project, researchers from SMI-ICE-Chile published a study in Plant Environment Interactions on the factors that contribute to water deficit and salinity in the main species that make up the vegetation systems of this salt flat and its surrounding streams.
The Environmental Rehabilitation and Ecosystem Dynamics team at SMI-ICE-Chile recently published an article titled «Morpho-Physiological Traits and Dehydration Tolerance of High-Altitude Andean Wetland Vegetation in the Chilean Atacama Region» in the scientific journal Plant Environment Interactions.
This work studies the functional traits and mechanisms of resistance to water deficit and salinity of the main species that comprise the terrestrial hydrological azonal vegetation systems (SVAHT) of the Salar de Pedernales and its surrounding streams, in areas disturbed and undisturbed by mining and water extraction.
Its objective is to generate a baseline of soil and vegetation components, which can be used as input for designing future restoration strategies.
This study was conducted in collaboration with the Faculty of Natural and Oceanographic Sciences of the University of Concepción (Dr. Lohengrin Cavieres and Dr. Patricia Sáez) and the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences of the University of La Frontera (Dr. Leon Bravo and Dariel López).
This scientific publication is part of the Salar de Pedernales Enhancement Plan project, carried out by SMI-ICE-Chile in collaboration with CODELCO – Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile, Salvador Division. The objective of this publication was to establish an information base on environmental components and key stakeholders, along with a dissemination plan that would contribute to narrowing the gap in scientific knowledge of these ecosystems, thus generating a sustained flow of cultural, social and economic benefits for the communities surrounding the affected area.
