Keynote Sessions
Description
Grasslands exist all over the world under a wide range of climates, soil types, topography conditions and seasonality. The South America grasslands cover a wide range of ecosystems and vegetaion types, going from desert areas to steppes, subhumid temperate, subtropical and tropical savannas embodying also portions of the tropical rain forest environment, and represent one of the Earth’s largest expanses of natural rangelands (Oesterheld et al., 1992). They represent developed ecosystems requiring acquaintance to accept sound agronomic and ecological activities. The diversity of vegetation determined by the latitudes 6oN, down to the southern most tip of the continent at 55o 58’ S originated a spectrum of users and uses without knowledge of its potential, imposing pressures upon the natural resources, seeking more profit, and jeopardizing its sustainability, since it encompasses a wide range of contrasting situations and conflicts in resource use (Deregibus, 2000).
Included in
Production Potential of South America Grasslands
Grasslands exist all over the world under a wide range of climates, soil types, topography conditions and seasonality. The South America grasslands cover a wide range of ecosystems and vegetaion types, going from desert areas to steppes, subhumid temperate, subtropical and tropical savannas embodying also portions of the tropical rain forest environment, and represent one of the Earth’s largest expanses of natural rangelands (Oesterheld et al., 1992). They represent developed ecosystems requiring acquaintance to accept sound agronomic and ecological activities. The diversity of vegetation determined by the latitudes 6oN, down to the southern most tip of the continent at 55o 58’ S originated a spectrum of users and uses without knowledge of its potential, imposing pressures upon the natural resources, seeking more profit, and jeopardizing its sustainability, since it encompasses a wide range of contrasting situations and conflicts in resource use (Deregibus, 2000).
