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We assessed temporal variability in phytoplankton biomass, Chlorophyll a, nutrient availability, Gross Primary Production (GPP), community respiration (CR), and bacterial secondary production (BSP) over a year of monthly observations (October 2007 to October 2008) at a fixed station in the Puyuhuapi fjord, Chilean Patagonia (44°S, 73°W). A set of in situ observations gathered over two consecutive spring-summer seasons, and one autumn-winter season in the middle, has made it possible to connect the two-phase (i.e. productive season/non-productive season) pattern of Chlorophyll a (Chl a) variability shown by satellite data with a two-phase cycle in GPP, CR, and the composition of phytoplankton assemblages. Estimates of annual GPP and CR, integrated over the top 20 meters of the water column, were 533 and 537 g C m-2 yr-1, respectively. Low values of pCO2 were measured in mixed layer autotrophic waters (GPP/CR>1) while high pCO2 levels were measured in mixed layer heterotrophic waters (GPP/CR<1). Bacterial Secondary Production (BSP) was significantly and positively correlated with GPP (r = 0.6, p < 0.05, n = 24) and Chl a (r = 0.4, p < 0.05, n = 24) on an annual cycle basis. The winter drop in bacterioplankton (both bacteria and archea) activity (from 0.9±0.6 g C m-2 d-1 to 0.6±0.3 g C m-2 d-1) was not as pronounced as the winter drop in phytoplankton activity (from 1.1±1.12 g C m-2 d-1 to 0.1±0.09 g C m-2 d-1). It is hypothesized that dissolved organic matter (DOM) of terrestrial origin plays an important role (especially in winter) supporting bacterial activity in the Puyuhuapi fjord. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Boletín de la Sociedad Argentina de Botánica is the property of Sociedad Argentina de Botanica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Salado and Verde streams constitute the two main seasonally available freshwater courses that flow into the Atlantic coast of the Río Negro province (continental Patagonia, Argentina, 42° South). This would have favored their use in the past as corridors for human circulation between the coast and the interior. This paper presents the results of the technomorphological and geochemical analyses of the obsidian artifacts recovered in the area to constrain mobility. The results allow us to propose the existence of toolkit reconditioning or replacement activities, and the identification of different sources of provenance of the obsidians (Sacanana, Telsen, and Portada Covunco, distant up to 800 km from the study area), reinforcing the hypothesis of a coast–inland circulation, with the possible existence of circuits of exchange of this raw material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioarchaeological research of bone growth patterns provides information on the health status and disease of past populations. Recent studies have pointed out the potential of metric analysis of nonadult vertebrae as indicators of stress during different stages of ontogeny, highlighting that most vertebral measurements present low sexual dimorphism, a stable and known pattern of growth and give useful information even in incomplete spines. The aims of this paper are first, to construct a vertebral growth profile for nonadults of a skeletal series of Patagonian Late Holocene hunter‐gatherers from Salitroso Lake (SAC); second, to compare it to the ones obtained in other archaeological and modern populations with different stress experiences; and third, building on this, to assess whether individuals with evidence of stress experienced in early development demonstrate different patterns in vertebral growth than those without. Two spinal dimensions are used: vertebral body height (VBH) and transverse diameter of the neural canal (TDNC) in a sample of 23 nonadult skeletons with ages previously estimated from dental and bone indicators. The vertebral dimensions of 20 adults between 18 and 35 years of age were also measured as reference information. Results show that the growth of the VBH is steady over the years and reaches adulthood size by approximately 16 years of age whereas TDNC dimensions do not experience marked fluctuations in size throughout life and adult dimensions are reached at approximately 4 years of age as expected. The vertebral growth pattern observed in SAC is similar to that obtained in other archaeological samples from very different settings but experiencing relatively high nutritional or pathological stress in early stages of life. However, it is markedly different, and systematically smaller, to the 20th century sample pattern, probably responding to a secular trend in the modern population with a more stable access to resources and medical treatment. Finally, SAC individuals with systemic stress markers do not tend to exhibit smaller vertebral dimensions than those without them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ombrotrophic bogs in southern Patagonia have been examined with regard to paleoclimatic and geochemical research questions but knowledge about organic matter decomposition in these bogs is limited. Therefore, we examined peat humification with depth by Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) measurements of solid peat, C/N ratio, and δ13C and δ15N isotope measurements in three bog sites. Peat decomposition generally increased with depth but distinct small scale variation probably caused by environmental changes occurred. C/N ratios varied mostly between 40 and 120 and were significantly correlated (R² > 0.55, p < 0.01) with FTIR-derived humification indices. The degree of decomposition was lowest at the site with the least sea spray input, while the peat was most decomposed at the driest site with highest sea spray deposition. Decomposition of peat was also advanced near ash layers. Values of δ13C were 26.5 ± 2‰ in the peat and partly related to decomposition indices, while δ15N in the peat varied around zero and did not consistently relate to any decomposition index. Concentrations of DOM partly related to C/N ratios, partly to FTIR derived indices. DOM was enriched in 13C and in 15N relative to the solid phase probably due to multiple microbial modifications and recycling of N in these N-poor environments. In summary, paleoclimatic signals may have influenced decomposition according to depth profiles of C/N ratios, δ13C values, and FTIR spectra, but the study also suggests that decomposition was also influenced by ash layers, sea spray input and other site specific factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patagonian shrub and ecotonal communities were sensitive to past environmental changes and thus may also be affected by future ones. Therefore, their paleoecological study constitutes a valuable tool to understand the way in which these plant communities respond to the forcings responsible for environmental variability. The aim of this paper is to reconstruct the vegetation dynamics of the Pueyrredón Lake area (47°25′55′′ S; 72°0.7′7′′ W) for the last 3000 cal yr BP and to contextualize these changes in a regional paleoclimatic framework. The results indicate that at the beginning of the 2900 cal yr BP, the vegetation in the northwest of Santa Cruz, Argentinian Patagonia, was represented by a grass-shrub steppe associated with forest–shrub steppe ecotonal elements. This information correlates with the larger-scale environmental inferences described for the period, which indicate an increase in moisture availability due to the weakening of the westerly winds. A marked change to arid conditions is indicated in the last 1050 cal yr BP, with the establishment and development of different shrub steppe communities and the lack of ecotonal elements. Although vegetation was sensitive to changes in moisture conditions related to the variability of the westerly winds, there is evidence of differences in the composition of shrub vegetation regarding the sequences analyzed. Variations in pollen proportions of the shrub steppes in the Pueyrredón Lake area suggest that changes in vegetation are not only due to climate variability but also local factors in the areas where shrub communities grow. The integration of the information with other Patagonian sequences allowed to frame these changes in a regional context. The results obtained provide useful information to understand the way vegetation changed in the past and the manner in which it may respond to future changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, wildlife is one of the most important sources of zoonoses, and it is a major concern for public health. Nevertheless, little is known about the role of wildlife as a reservoir and source of infectious diseases in the past. South America presents a wide diversity of wildlife. In the south of the continent, Argentina shelters a large diversity of neotropical carnivores. Although the paleoparasitological studies on carnivores have been increasing in southern Argentina, most of the efforts have been focused in a handful of sites located in western Patagonia. In this paper, two coprolites of felid found in Cueva Galpón, an initial late Holocene mortuary site from northeast Patagonia (Argentina), were studied for paleoparasitological purposes. Samples were processed by rehydration and homogenization, filtered and processed by spontaneous sedimentation. The samples were assigned to Puma concolor (puma) or Panthera onca (jaguar). Microscopic observations revealed that both coprolites were positive for parasite remains. High parasite richness was observed. Six nematodes, one cestode, and one coccidian morphotypes were reported. This is the first time that Gnathostoma sp. and Spirocerca sp. were recovered from holocenic times from Patagonia. This finding implies that some diseases such as taeniasis, spirocercosis, gnathostomosis, ascariasis, and coccidiosis could be present in holocenic wildlife from Patagonia prior to the Spanish colonization and domestic animal introduction. The overall results suggest that felids could have played a role as reservoirs and source of some parasitic species, some of which are zoonotic. Therefore, this animal could have entailed a risk agent for human health in the site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adult late-LL learners are the main source of participants for research on utterance fluency. Although there are ample opportunities to study these learners, bilinguals who come from a more diverse background are under-researched. This paper investigates the effects of long-term bilingualism on the second-language fluency patterns of a community of LL-Afrikaans/LL-Spanish bilinguals residing in Patagonia, Argentina. These third-generation bilinguals are dominant in their LL and are undergoing LL attrition. The acoustic analysis draws from a corpus of Spanish sociolinguistic interviews obtained from the bilinguals, who were compared to Spanish monolinguals on speed, breakdown, and repair fluency. For some measures (mean-syllable duration and phonation-time ratio), the bilinguals performed similarly to the Spanish monolinguals, whereas for other measures the results were mixed: the bilinguals produced less filled pauses, but used longer silent pauses and more reformulations, than the monolinguals. These outcomes are theorized within current models of LL-speech production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faced with a society that demands the reduction of negative environmental impacts of agriculture while producing high-value, healthy food for local and export markets, Argentina is currently in a debate on the alternative paths toward sustainability in agricultural production. Argentina is ranked second in the world in terms of land under organic certification. Extensive sheep production in Patagonia natural grasslands accounts for most of this area and harvested organic area remains a very small fraction of total harvested land (0.6%). This paper aims to contribute to the discussion of opportunities and limitations in organic farming as an ecological intensification alternative for Argentina's Pampas. A case study was conducted on Pampa Orgánica Norte. This is a group of nine organic farmers that manages field crops and livestock-certified organic production. Farmers interviewed in this study considered different criteria including economic and environmental attributes when choosing to produce organically. However, the main drivers for conversion to organic production are related to environmental factors, in particular ecosystem protection. The main limitations in organic production are related to crop management practices, primarily weed control. To achieve the goal of increasing organic production a more active role of the public sector in technology generation and transfer was demanded by farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sphagnum peatlands are important ecosystems in the methane cycle. Methanotrophs living in and on the Sphagnum mosses are able to act as a methane filter and thereby reduce methane emissions. We investigated in situ methane concentrations and the corresponding activity and diversity of methanotrophs in different Sphagnum dominated bog microhabitats. In contrast to the Northern Hemisphere peat ecosystems the temperate South American peat bogs are dominated by one moss species; Sphagnum magellanicum. This permitted a species-independent comparison of the different bog microhabitats. Potential methane oxidizing activity was found in all Sphagnum mosses sampled and a positive correlation was found between activity and in situ methane concentrations. Substantial methane oxidation activity (23 µmol CH4 gDW-1 day-1) was found in pool mosses and could be correlated with higher in situ methane concentrations (>35µmol CH4 l-1 pore water). Little methanotrophic activity (<0.5µmol CH4g DW-1 day-1) was observed in living Sphagnum mosses from lawns and hummocks. Methane oxidation activity was relatively high (>4 µmol CH4 gDW-1 day-1) in Sphagnum litter situated at depths around the water levels and rich in methane. The total bacterial community was studied using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and the methanotrophic communities were studied using a pmoA microarray and a complementary pmoA clone library. The methanotrophic diversity was similar in the different habitats of this study and surprisingly comparable to the methanotrophic diversity found in peat mosses from the Northern Hemisphere. The pmoA microarray data indicated that both alpha- and gammaproteobacterial methanotrophs were present in all Sphagnum mosses, even in those mosses with a low initial methane oxidation activity. Prolonged incubation of Sphagnum mosses from lawn and hummock with methane revealed that the methanotrophic community present was viable and showed an increased activity within 15 days. The high abundance of methanotrophic Methylocystis species in the most active mosses suggests that these might be responsible for the bulk of methane oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our knowledge about the diversity of land planarians (Platyhelminthes: Geoplanidae) from the Andean‐Patagonian Forests is scarce compared with other forested biomes. These cold‐temperate forests are located in southern Chile and western Patagonia in Argentina, at the southern end of South America. Many species of land planarians from this region are known from descriptions based on a single or only a few specimens. Therefore, the finding of new material can reveal cryptic species, as well as anatomical or histological differences among specimens due to different maturation stages, physiological states, or intraspecific variation. In this paper, we focus on two geoplaninid species, Geoplana valdiviana and Amaga ruca, with the main goal of offering detailed re‐descriptions of both species (previously known from Chilean Patagonia) from new material recently found in Argentinean Patagonia. In this contribution, we added new information on histological and anatomical features of these species. After assessing taxonomically relevant anatomical characters together with DNA sequence data (mitochondrial COI gene and nuclear 18S rRNA gene), we took three taxonomic decisions: (a) G. valdiviana was removed from Geoplana and re‐allocated in the new genus Inakayalia; (b) Geoplana chanca and Geoplana tirua were also included in this new genus; and (c) A. ruca was split off from the genus Amaga and placed in the new monotypic genus Wallmapuplana. In addition, the known distribution of these planarian species was expanded to include the Argentinean portion of the Andean‐Patagonian Forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a petrified trunk collected from a conglomerate bed of the Springhill Formation (Berriasian-Valanginian) in the Estancia El Álamo locality, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. The fossil trunk is classified within the ubiquitous genus Agathoxylon and the wood anatomy shows a close affinity to that of Araucariaceae. This Patagonian wood has a distinct combination of anatomical characteristics unique among all known species from the Jurassic and Cretaceous of Western Gondwana allowing to diagnose a new fossil taxon Agathoxylon mendezii sp. nov. Sedimentological and megafloristic proxies of the Springhill Formation suggest that Agathoxylon mendezii sp. nov. grew under a warm and wet climate, which indicates a subtropical to temperate palaeoenvironment. However, the large number of frost rings in the earlywood of this araucarian tree suggests that the palaeoenvironment at Estancia El Álamo was subjected to recurrent disturbances, most likely caused by regional continuous volcanic activity originating from volcanoes located far away to the west. This activity would have produced periodic stratospheric veils that promoted rapid decreases in surface air temperature; the wood response to such stressful conditions would have been the formation of numerous (at least five) frost rings. Although recurrent eruptions in Patagonia during the Early Cretaceous are well recorded, this study is the first to register eruptions recorded in a coniferous wood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Patagonian coast has been occupied at least since the Middle Holocene but the way in which humans have interacted with spaces and resources in different areas of the coast has varied. As such, it is important to study the specifics of each occupation. In this paper, the activities that would have taken place at Cabeza de León 1 archaeological site, Monte León National Park, Santa Cruz province, Argentina, are addressed from the study of the recovered lithic assemblages. Results show the use of local raw material, the development of all manufacture stages in situ and the implementation of mainly expedient strategies. It can also be inferred that activities were mostly related to the capture and processing of resources. La costa patagónica ha sido ocupada desde mínimamente el Holoceno medio, pero el modo en que los humanos interactuaron con el espacio y los recursos a lo largo del tiempo en los distintos sectores fue diferente, lo que hace necesario estudiar las particularidades de cada ocupación. Aquí se abordan las actividades tecnológicas que se habrían desarrollado en el sitio Cabeza de León 1, sito en el Parque Nacional Monte León (Santa Cruz, Argentina), a partir del estudio de los materiales líticos allí recuperados. Estos muestran el empleo mayoritario de materias primas locales, la realización de todas las etapas de manufactura in situ, la implementación de estrategias tecnológicas principalmente expeditivas, y también permiten inferir actividades mayoritariamente vinculadas a la captura y procesamiento de recursos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chubut Province, in Patagonia, Argentina, is home to a group of Afrikaans-speaking Boers, descendants of those who–starting in 1902–came to Argentina from the region of present-day South Africa. Although little Afrikaans is spoken among fourth- and fifth-generation community members, many in the third generation (60 years and older) still maintain the language. According to Joshua Fishman's model of generational language shift, the Boers' Afrikaans should have been largely diluted by the third generation; older community members today should have little functional knowledge of the language, and their children and grandchildren none. The goal of this paper is to explore the persistence of bilingualism in the Argentine Boer community and explain why the changes normally associated with the third generation of immigrants are only now being seen in the fourth and fifth generations. On the basis of bilingual interviews with living community members, we argue that the community's attitude toward Afrikaans as a language of group identity, as well as the relative isolation of the community in rural Patagonia in the first half of the 20th century, were both decisive factors in delaying the process of linguistic assimilation. Only in the middle of the 20th century, when the community came into greater contact with Argentine society as a result of modernization and schooling in the region, did the process of linguistic integration begin in a measurable way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Distinct diseases prevent endangered huemul deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus) recovery. Fundamental etiological factors include nutriments, a mayor component of habitat quality. Undernutrition affects growth, skeletal development, osteopathology, reproduction and immunocompetence: this paper amplifies data corroborating micro-nutrient deficiencies among huemul. Results: In Argentina, 57% huemul cadavers exhibited osteopathology, with new cases reported here. Recently, 86% live huemul had osteopathology: cranial lesions involved antemortem tooth loss, reducing feeding efficiency and body condition, with starvation deaths. This population had tissues well deficient compared to other cervids, averaging 0.28 ppm selenium, 4.98 ppm copper, whereas for manganese 55% were deficient (2.52 ppm) and 45% adequate (42.79 ppm). Recently, lesions in one Chilean huemul were interpreted to stem from parapoxvirus. That population also has cases with cranial osteopathologies, high disease susceptibility (parapoxvirus, parasitism, foot lesions), crippled antlers, and low density, indicative of marginal habitat and primary etiological factors like undernutrition and immunosuppression. The reported atypical symptoms attributed to parapoxvirus may relate to probable diagnostic limitations, but does support presence of nutritional deficiencies. Patagonia has selenium deficient plants and livestock, including severe muscular dystrophy, and soil levels in extant huemul areas considered very deficient. Moreover, 73% of Chilean huemul were selenium deficient and 64% severely deficient with concomitant cranial osteopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drylines have been identified as relevant synoptic-scale phenomena that frequently occur in several regions around the world. Despite previous works and the experience of local forecasters that recognizes the occurrence of drylines in Argentina and suggests its possible association with convection initiation, knowledge about the mechanisms leading to the genesis of these features is poor. This paper presents the first synoptic climatology of these drylines as well as a first approach to the understanding of the processes leading to their formation. The climatology is based on an automated algorithm for dryline identification applied to reanalysis data. We found that drylines are more frequent between the northern Patagonia plateau and the central Argentinean plains. A composite analysis is performed to analyze the processes leading to the formation of synoptic-scale drylines within this region. It was found that these drylines form in the confluence between a warm and moist air mass driven by a northwesterly flow and drier air flowing east over the northern Patagonia plateau. The dry air originates on top of the Pacific maritime boundary layer and experiences lee subsidence after crossing the Andes range creating an area of dry and warm air that is advected to the east by the westerly synoptic-scale flow, and transported downward during the day due to strong boundary layer turbulence. At the same time, surface heating over the plateau leads to substantial warming of the originally colder dry air behind the dryline, thus reversing the horizontal temperature gradient across the dryline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a seminal paper regarding the mechanisms of carbonate stromatolite formation, Ginsburg (1991, Controversies in Modern Geology, pp. 25–36) emphasized the need to question the relative role of microbes versus environment in their formation. The Maquinchao Basin is a continental lacustrine system in southern Argentina. It provides an ideal site to study carbonate buildups, the role of microbes and environmental stressors in their development and their implications in palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. Presently, the basin encompasses two lakes (Carri Laufquen Grande and Carri Laufquen Chica) joined by the ephemeral Maquinchao River. Fossil microbialites are found south and southwest of the largest lake. Preferential areas of development for fossil microbialites have been mapped using a high‐resolution differential Global Positioning System. Outcrops are located between 820 and 830 m elevation, higher than actual lake levels and the Maquinchao River where living microbialites have been observed. Field data along with microscopical observations and X‐ray diffraction analyses have revealed a heterogeneity in both distribution and macro‐morphotypes since carbonate buildups display different morphologies such as crust, columns, open flower‐like, rounded and ellipsoids. Conversely, on the meso and micro‐scale they show more homogeneous morphologies including laminations and shrubs. These microbial buildups are associated with basaltic substrates of variable size from pebbles to boulder. The homogeneity in meso and micro‐structures argue in favour of stable intrinsic parameters (i.e. microbial communities) whereas the variable macro‐morphotypes indicate changing extrinsic constraints such as steepness, energy and turbidity. The occurrence of distinctive morphotypes in buildups separated by outcrop and topography suggest that the Maquinchao microbialites are indicative of a former larger lake. Thus, the Maquinchao microbial buildups are a valuable proxy for water‐level evolution and therefore palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. They can be further used to interpret the apparently random distribution of morphological types and extension of microbialites in the geological past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to understand the paleogeographic evolution of Viedma Lake (252 masl) sedimentary sequences with glaciolacustrine and lacustrine strata between 307 masl and 266 masl and bathymetric fluctuations between 27 ka. and 2.4 ka. were identified. The paleoenvironmental interpretation of the stratigraphic profiles was carried out based on the analysis of facies and their associations. The oldest age was recorded at 301 masl (27 ka) and the youngest corresponds to 266 masl (2.4 ka). The record of 27 ka was compared with another dated record of the Tar-San Martin Lakes basin showing that Viedma – Tar-San Martín Lakes were formed at similar ages. Taking into account that the deposits of Bahía Túnel are located at 266 masl and that the level of the lake would be above this height, it is proposed that this lake level would have restricted the movement of hunter-gatherer populations along the coast and to the west. From 2.4 ka on a new space started to be available for these populations broadening the wintering grounds (≤400 masl). The chronology of the archaeological record found in this new space fits the proposed paleogeographic evolution. This paper complements the research on the evolution of lacustrine systems in the Patagonian Mountain range and broadens the discussion of human mobility in the Viedma Lake basin during the Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recovery of early records of maximum, minimum, and mean temperatures; pressure; and relative humidity measurements in Puerto Madryn for the period 1902–1915 is presented. A careful evaluation of the quality of the data was performed using internal coherence, tolerance, and temporal consistency tests. The monthly mean series of all the variables, constructed from daily raw data, were subject to several homogeneity tests, and only discontinuities in pressure and relative humidity were found. The homogenized monthly mean series were compared with the Twentieth Century Reanalysis series in annual and seasonal time steps. In addition, the trends of each variable were assessed using the Mann–Kendall procedure, and correlations between relative humidity and the other variables were examined. The results show a remarkably good agreement between the temperature measurements and reanalysis values with a Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.94. The raw data for minimum and maximum temperatures represent a very good upper and lower bound for the mean temperature values of both observational and reanalysis data. Agreement was found to be lower for relative humidity and pressure with the correlation coefficients being close to 0.6 in both cases. No trends were found for the variables. The correlation analysis of the humidity measurements with the other variables shows an inverse dependence of the temperatures and no relatedness with the pressure values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A climate analysis of the monthly mean temperatures of Southern Patagonia during the late-XIXth and early-XXth centuries was carried out as part of the international data rescue Atmospheric Circulation Reconstructions over the Earth (ACRE) program partnership in Argentina, together with other data sources with regional and global records. The data from these diverse sources were combined to carry out a study in the coastal region of Patagonia, including Tierra del Fuego, between 42° S and 55° S for 11 locations. Furthermore, HadSST monthly/seasonal fields during the period 1880–1920 were also used. Both mean monthly and seasonal temperature values and timeseries variability were considered. Their analysis shows consistent behavior within the study region and compared to Southern Hemisphere mean results, which are characterized by a warm late-XIX century and a cooler early-XX century. This is also in agreement with SST variability along the coasts of Patagonia and hemispheric records. A comparison with present-day observations, where available, also yields consistent behavior. Low-frequency variability, i.e., in periods longer than 3 years, during the study period is consistent with present variability. Trend estimates at Trelew and Rio Gallegos for the period 1901–2020 yield significant trends, consistent with hemispheric warming at their latitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In complex supply chains, the benefits and costs of technological innovations do not always accrue equitably to all parties; thus, their adoption may critically depend on sourcing relationships and incentives. In a setting with uncertain and endogenous process yield, we study the potential of two features—contract design and sourcing channel—to create mutual benefit in decentralized value chains, where suppliers bear the costs of new technologies while benefits accrue primarily to buyers. Our focus is on agricultural value chains, where parties may transact through a channel that blends farmers' produce ("commodity-based channel") or that allows a one-on-one interaction between farmer and processor ("direct-sourcing channel"). Our study provides insights to companies seeking to incorporate responsible sourcing strategies while also creating economic value—a concept called "creating shared value." We identify that the technology's "cost elasticity" drives whether switching sourcing channel, changing contract structure, or adopting an integrated change is necessary to create shared value. This highlights that value chain innovations need to be properly designed—and sometimes combined—to achieve sustainable implementation. We also find that certain simple contracts with a linear or bonus structure are optimal, while other intuitive contracts could be detrimental. Using a data set of farms in Patagonia, Argentina, we estimate that the proposed mechanism could increase average supply chain profit by 6.9% while realizing positive environmental benefits. The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2017.0627. This paper has been accepted for the Manufacturing & Service Operations Management Special Issue on Value Chain Innovations in Developing Economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Magallanes-Austral Foreland Basin preserves an important record of orogenesis and landscape evolution in the Patagonian Andes of Chile and Argentina. This paper evaluates the comparison between the thick Paleogene sequences in the Chilean Peninsula Brunswick (Chorrillo Chico and Agua Fresca formations) and the reduced Paleogene sequence (La Barca Formation) in the Punta Ainol locality, Argentina, by taking account of palynological and geochemical analyses. Warm and humid subtropical conditions (Subtropical Gondwanic Paleoflora) are inferred for the late Paleocene-Eocene interval studied. A new record of Lactoridaceae in the La Barca Formation expanded the known fossil range of this family in Patagonia. During the late Paleocene the Chorrillo Chico and La Barca formations would have been deposited mainly from hyperpycnal flows and this accumulation process continued until the Lutenian in the La Barca Formation. A relative rise in the sea level in the early Eocene would be recognized in both sections. In the middle Eocene a relative fall in the sea level would have occurred with increased terrigenous influx. The rate of sedimentation was similar in both sections during the Thanetian and Ypresian intervals according to the ages assigned by biostratigraphy, suggesting that the sedimentation rate would have been controlled mainly by relative changes in sea level during the Paleocene-Eocene transition. Paleoenvironmental changes during the Paleocene-Eocene transition were characterized at the La Barca Formation of the Punta Ainol section, considering the new geochemical and palynological data provided in this contribution. • A new register of early Paleogene flora of Patagonia. • Paleogeographic changes based on palynological and geochemical data. • New geochemical inferences of the Paleocene-Eocene transition in South America. • A new Paleocene-Eocene record from Southern Hemisphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Botanical Review is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Lake Caviahue (37° 50 ‘S and 71° 06’ W; Patagonia, Argentina) is an extreme case of a glacial, naturally acidic, aquatic environment (pH  ~  3). Knowledge of the bacterial communities in the water column of this lake, is incipient, with a basal quantification of the bacterioplankton abundance distribution in the North and South Basins of Lake Caviahue, and the described the presence of sulfur and iron oxidizing bacteria in the lake sediments. The role that bacterioplankton plays in nutrient utilization and recycling in this environment, especially in the phosphorus cycle, has not been studied. In this work, we explore this aspect in further depth by assessing the diversity of pelagic, littoral and sediment bacteria, using state of the art molecular methods and identifying the differences and commonalties in the composition of the cognate communities. Also, we investigate the interactions between the sediments of Lake Caviahue and the microbial communities present in both sediments, pore water and the water column, to comprehend the ecological relationships driving nutrient structure and fluxes, with a special focus on carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Two major environmental patterns were observed: (a) one distinguishing the surface water samples due to temperature, Fe2+, and electrical conductivity, and (b) another distinguishing winter and summer samples due to the high pH and increasing concentrations of N-NH4+, DOC and SO42−, from autumn and spring samples with high soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and iron concentrations. The largest bacterial abundance was found in autumn, alongside higher levels of dissolved phosphorus, iron forms, and increased conductivity. The highest values of bacterial biomass were found in the bottom strata of the lake, which is also where the greatest diversity in microbial communities was found. The experiments using continuous flow column microcosms showed that microbial growth over time, in both the test and control columns, was accompanied by a decrease in the concentration of dissolved nutrients (SRP and N-NH4+), providing proof that sediment microorganisms are active and contribute significantly to nutrient utilization/mobilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the northern Patagonian region of Argentina, some of the largest bentonite deposits exist. Four bentonite samples (B1, B2, B3, and B4) from two deposits were thoroughly characterised and evaluated as potential adsorbents of anthocyanins extracted from red cabbage. Anthocyanins (ACys) are natural colourants obtained from fruits and plants and have shown excellent antioxidant properties that have promising applications in health. The adsorption of ACys onto bentonites enhances their stability relative to that observed in aqueous solutions. Material characterisation showed that three of the samples are soFdium bentonites (Na-bentonites: B2, B3, and B4), while the fourth exhibits a large quantity of magnesium and calcium in its interlayer, classifying it as a Mg-Ca-Na-bentonite (B1). Na-bentonites demonstrated higher ACy adsorption capacities, occurring through cation exchange, while Mg-Ca-Na-bentonite adsorption occurs by another type of interaction and a cooperative adsorption mechanism, resulting in the lowest ACy adsorption. The highest adsorption capacity was noted for B3, characterised by the highest smectite content, cation exchange capacity, and proportion of monovalent cations in its interlayer. Under the conditions studied, sodium smectites proved to be capable of retaining red cabbage ACys, thereby introducing a novel avenue for potential applications of regional materials with potential implications for health-related uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work's intent is to establish which was the most giant titanosaurid sauropod from Argentina. The evidence is scarce; however, we have tried to select the largest bones of the nine most giant titanosaurids. Argentinosaurus has been proposed as the largest titanosaurid, but recently a new king has been erected: the Patagotitan. In this review, we will see that there are some inconsistences and difficulties to define which is the largest. In other words, giant titanosaurids were a group of sauropods with a variable morphology and probably the overall shape was different. Among the largest titanosaurids, we have included Argyrosaurus superbus, Antarctosaurus giganteus, Argentinosaurus huinculensis, Puertasaurus reuili, Futalognkosaurus dukei, Traukutitan eocaudata, Dreadnoughtus schrani, Notocolossus gonzalezparejasi, and Patagotitan mayorum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For thousands of years, hunter-gatherer societies from southern and central Patagonia inhabited a Subantarctic landscape. In this paper, we argue against the traditional assumption that these were simple societies. We examine population diversity from ecological, archaeological, and ethno-historical data sources, emphasizing the economic and social variability while considering social change through time. We end by analyzing processes of the development of social complexity and hierarchy in recent times, when the industrial world violently disarticulated those societies. All this evidence suggests levels of social variability and complexity archaeologists have not expected. The paper critically reviews traditional archaeological approaches and suggests new research lines that allow for a better understanding of social dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Argentina, the Monte ecoregion extends for more than 2,000 km from NW Argentina to boreal Patagonia, and includes many salt-pans and barren flatlands colonized by the monophyletic Liolaemus anomalus group that includes seven species. Some of their external morphological characteristics and behaviors are very unusual for the genus, and this has led to a complex taxonomic history. The group is very poorly known except for a recent paper with descriptions of three species and morphological-based phylogenetic hypotheses. Of the four recognized species, two are threatened and one is vulnerable, and while the conservation status of the three recently described species is unknown, they are suspected to also be under some degree of threat. We reviewed all georeferenced localities known to produce a distribution map, and sequenced two mitochondrial and four nuclear genes, for representatives of all species. We inferred a time-calibrated species tree showing that the evolutionary history of this clade occurred entirely during the Pleistocene, with most of the divergences very recent. The climatic and geomorphological changes driving this divergence started during the Great Patagonian Glaciation, initially separating the two northwestern-most distributed species (L. pipanaco + L. pseudoanomalus) from the rest. Given the very recent evolutionary history of the group and their unique and conserved morphology, incongruent topologies among datasets are expected; a detailed genome-wide dataset will be needed to fully assess and resolve their speciation history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well-preserved and diverse Early Cretaceous palynological assemblages were studied from an outcrop section of the Springhill Formation at the Río Correntoso locality (PRC), close to Ghío Lake, in Santa Cruz Province, Patagonia, Argentina. The studied log corresponds to the northernmost outcrops known for the Springhill Formation in the Austral Basin. Most of the palynomorphs algae (Botryococcus, Sphaeroplea, Lecaniella, Zygnema, Pseudoschizaea, Schizosporis, Ovoidites), and some angiosperm pollen grains (Proxapertites , Longapertites, Arecipites) are distinctive and characterize the palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate of PRC, which was dominated by estuarine coastal margin sedimentites deposited under warm and humid conditions. These angiosperm pollen grains correspond to the earliest record of these group in Patagonia, represented by diverse monosulcates and one rare tricolpate type. This new record of angiosperm pollen in the Springhill Formation provides further evidence that one of the earliest diversifications of angiosperms started at least during the early Cretaceous in Patagonia. Sergio Archangelsky provided an invaluable expertise in the field of paleobotany in multiple ways. His knowledge transcended not only through his papers but also through his exceptional oratory skills. His talks were always enriching in every aspect, combining an engaging historical account with a vision towards the future. "...La paleobotánica un placer, debe ser algo agradable, es decir uno cuando trabaja en paleobotánica le gusta lo que hace, y cuando uno está describiendo, uno se va, y es lo mismo que componer una pieza musical, te perdés, te perdés en todo y lo hacés con gusto, con pasión..." "...The paleobotany is a pleasure, it should be something enjoyable, meaning that when you work in paleobotany, you love what you do. And when you're describing, you get lost, just like composing a musical piece. You lose yourself, in everything, and you do it with pleasure, with passion...". The file with the voice of Sergio Archangelsky is in Supplementary file under Sergio_Archangelsky.mp3. • The palynoflora of the Springhill Formation includes algae and land plants. • Pollen records show features of early members of some taxa (monocots and eudicots). • Angiosperm pollen grains provides evidence for early radiation of some basal taxa in Patagonia. • Palynoflora studied indicates freshwater palaeoenvironment, warm and humid climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insect faunas from the latest Cretaceous are poorly known worldwide. Particularly, in the Southern Hemisphere, there is a gap regarding insect assemblages in the Campanian-Maastrichtian interval. Here we present an insect assemblage from the Maastrichtian Chorrillo Formation, southern Argentina, represented by well-preserved and non-deformed, chitinous microscopic remains including head capsules, wings and scales. Identified clades include Chironomidae dipterans, Coelolepida lepidopterans, and Ephemeroptera. The assemblage taxonomically resembles those of Cenozoic age, rather than other Mesozoic assemblages, in being composed by diverse chironomids and lepidopterans. To the best of our knowledge, present discovery constitutes the first insect body fossils for the Maastrichtian in the Southern Hemisphere, thus filling the gap between well-known Early Cretaceous entomofaunas and those of Paleogene age. The presented evidence shows that modern clades of chironomids were already dominant and diversified by the end of the Cretaceous, in concert with the parallel radiation of aquatic angiosperms which became dominant in freshwater habitats. This exceptional finding encourages the active search of microscopic remains of fossil arthropods in other geological units, which could provide a unique way of enhancing our knowledge on the past diversity of the clade. An insect assemblage gathered from the Chorrillo Formation in Argentina constitutes an important set of insect body fossils for the Maastrichtian interval in the Southern Hemisphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aucasaurus garridoi is an abelisaurid theropod from the Anacleto Formation (lower Campanian, Upper Cretaceous) of Patagonia, Argentina. The holotype of Aucasaurus garridoi includes cranial material, axial elements, and almost complete fore- and hind limbs. Here we present a detailed description of the axial skeleton of this taxon, along with some paleobiological and phylogenetic inferences. The presacral elements are somewhat fragmentary, although these show features shared with other abelisaurids. The caudal series, to date the most complete among brachyrostran abelisaurids, shows several autapomorphic features including the presence of pneumatic recesses on the dorsal surface of the anterior caudal neural arches, a tubercle lateral to the prezygapophysis of mid caudal vertebrae, a marked protuberance on the lateral rim of the transverse process of the caudal vertebrae, and the presence of a small ligamentous scar near the anterior edge of the dorsal surface in the anteriormost caudal transverse process. The detailed study of the axial skeleton of Aucasaurus garridoi has also allowed us to identify characters that could be useful for future studies attempting to resolve the internal phylogenetic relationships of Abelisauridae. Computed tomography scans of some caudal vertebrae show pneumatic traits in neural arches and centra, and thus the first reported case for an abelisaurid taxon. Moreover, some osteological correlates of soft tissues present in Aucasaurus and other abelisaurids, especially derived brachyrostrans, underscore a previously proposed increase in axial rigidity within Abelisauridae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new gigantic titanosaur Bustingorrytitan shiva gen. et sp. nov. is described. The four specimens upon which this species is erected come from Neuquén Province, Argentina, from levels of the Huincul Formation (Cenomanian). Bustingorrytitan shiva gen. et sp. nov. exhibits some autapomorphic characters such as posterior dorsal vertebrae with spinodiapophyseal laminae bifurcated in two, very well developed anterior and posterior spinodiapophyseal lamina rami, which limit a deep, vertical, socket-like fossa; posterior dorsal neural arches with forked centropostzygapophyseal laminae; hyposphene in anterior caudal vertebrae; humerus with deltopectoral crest strongly expanded distally; and femur with a low longitudinal crest on the lateromedial half of the anterior face, bifurcated in two minor crests, which are directed to their respective condyles. The phylogenetic analysis performed recovers B. shiva gen. et sp. nov. as a lithostrotian, the sister taxon of Saltasauridae. The estimated body mass is 67.297 metric tons (with a standard error of ±17.228), which makes B. shiva gen. et sp. nov. one of the largest sauropods ever recorded. The record of this new sauropod corroborates the idea that gigantism (evolution of forms over the 50 metric tons) would have evolved many times within Eutitanosauria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the analysis of a radiocarbon database of the North Coast of Santa Cruz (central Patagonia, Argentina), is presented. Dated archaeological samples were obtained from 56 different types of archaeological sites (open-air -residential sites and burials-, and also rock shelters). The objective of this paper is assessing the continuities and discontinuities in the chronological signal of the area and identifying tendencies along the Holocene. The database currently contains 75 radiocarbon dates falling between ca. 8000 and 300 BP. The radiocarbon data base provides information on the chronological, spatial and contextual variability of the archaeological record of North Coast of Santa Cruz. By means of different analysis of sum of probabilities, we present three different chronological moments of human use of the coast and intermediate zone can be identified. A first moment is represented by early evidence of settlement during Middle Holocene. A second moment corresponds to a hiatus between ca. 5800 and ca. 3900 BP without archaeological evidence. Finally, a third moment is where an increasing of chronological signal occurred, related to greater artifactual variability and an increase in the intensity of human settlement in the Patagonian region. The causes that could have influenced in the discontinuity of the chronological signal of the study area, and the characteristics of the different moments identified are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Factors affecting cetacean preservation and distribution in ancient sedimentary successions are not well understood. Actualistic studies have focused on coastal and deep marine examples, and little is known about taphonomic processes occurring within shelf environments. In this paper, we integrate sedimentological, taphonomic and palaeontological data for the cetacean-bearing lower Miocene Gaiman Formation from Patagonia, Argentina, to analyse which factors affected the distribution and preservation of cetaceans in several localities of the Southwestern Atlantic. Facies analysis shows that the formation represents a transgressive-regressive stratigraphic cycle, with palaeoenvironments including coastal, storm-dominated shoreface, inner shelf embayment and open inner shelf. Cetacean remains show preservation styles varying from isolated elements to articulated specimens, with nearly all remains restricted to both embayment and open marine inner shelf settings. Two fossil cetacean assemblages are recognized: Assemblage A comprises small-sized odontocetes dominated by Platanistoidea, preserved mostly in inner shelf embayment deposits; and Assemblage B comprises large-sized odontocetes and mysticetes, dominated by Physeteroidea and Balaenopteroidea, preserved mostly in open inner shelf deposits. Cetacean preservation style is controlled by a combination of palaeoenvironmental conditions, such as energy and sedimentation rate, and by biological factors, such as cetacean body plan and its impact on carcass buoyancy. Ecological factors may also explain the stratigraphic distribution of cetaceans between coastal and oceanic assemblages. This novel integrative and multidisciplinary analyses improves our knowledge of cetacean taphonomy in shelf environments. • Four coastal and shelf marine facies are identified for the lower Miocene Gaiman Formation of Argentina. • Cetaceans are mostly recorded in inner shelf deposits. • Cetacean preservation style is controlled by environmental and biological factors. • Cetaceans distribution is mostly controlled by palaeoecological factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work documents the stratigraphic distribution of dinoflagellate cysts from the upper part (60–585 m) of the YPF.Ch. PV. es-1 borehole, Península Valdés, Argentina. The assemblages exhibit a relatively moderate to low diversity. Most samples are characterized by frequent to abundant taxa of the order Gonyaulacales, such as Spiniferites/Achomosphaera spp., Reticulatosphaera actinocoronata, Operculodinium centrocarpum, and Melitasphaeridium choanophorum. Furthermore, a continuous succession of Early Miocene–Late Miocene diagnostic dinoflagellate cyst events was recorded for the first time from the Península Valdés region. Eight diagnostic events of highest occurrences (HOs) of dinoflagellate cyst taxa are identified. These bioevents allowed a subdivision of the sedimentary succession into two well-defined stratigraphic sections: Early to Middle Miocene (Burdigalian–Langhian/probably Serravalian, 430/425–330/325 m) based on the HOs of Emmetrocysta urnaformis, Cannosphaeropsis quattrocchiae, Cousteaudinium auybriae, and Cleistosphaeridium ancyreum, and Late Miocene (Tortonian–Messinian, between 175–170 and 80/85 m) based on the HOs of Labyrinthodinium truncatum subsp. truncatum, Operculodinium piaseckii, and Reticulatosphaera actinocoronata. The ranges of these taxa are compared with well-documented information on Neogene dinoflagellate cysts recorded from different sites across the North and South Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. In general, the dinoflagellate cyst assemblages, as well as the selected diagnostic taxa, exhibit a clear similarity to those of the Northern Hemisphere. The only exception is Hystrichokolpoma rigaudiae, which is asynchronous, possibly indicating local paleoenvironmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goeppertella has been postulated as a monophyletic group, whose precise position within the Gleichenoid families Dipteriaceae and Matoniaceae, remains poorly understood. Previously described Goeppertella specimens are based on frond fragments and its fertile morphology is represented by a few, poorly preserved specimens. We describe a new species based on the largest collection of fertile specimens known to date and discuss the evolutionary history of the genus based on the additional reproductive characters provided by the fossils described. Plant impressions were collected in Early Jurassic sediments of Patagonia, Argentina. The specimens were described, and silicone rubber casts were developed to examine in detail vegetative and reproductive features. The new species was compared with other Goeppertella species. Finally, a backbone analysis was performed in the context of a previously published combined matrix of Dipteridaceae, using the maximum parsimony criterion. The new species is described based on a combination of features that have not been previously reported. The vegetative morphology shows affinities with most fossil and extant Dipteriaceae, contrasting with the reproductive morphology which is more comparable with the scarce number of fossil dipteridaceous forms and it is more spread in the sister family, Matoniaceae. The backbone analysis indicates that the position of the new species vary among different positions among Dipteridaceae and Matoniaceae. Additional analyses, discriminating the signal of reproductive and vegetative character, are provided to discuss the base of this uncertainty. We consider Goeppertella as a member of the family Dipteridaceae since we interpret most shared features with Matoniaceae as plesiomorphic conditions for the family. In contrast, most shared features with Dipteridaceae represent apomorphies for the group. Thus, Goeppertella would represent an early diverging genus in Dipteridaceae, considering the venation characters as the most important in order to define the family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The settlement of Argentine Patagonia after the genocidal military campaign of 1878–1885 occurred through discursive, legal, and institutional innovations. This article focuses on the emergence and consolidating of formal property by analyzing how access mechanisms are institutionalized through the constitution of law and public authority. Contests around access to land and resources became embedded in institutional structures in a context of legacies that continue to shape land distribution and dispossession. We argue that propertization, this transition from access to property, with its racial grammar, relies on invisibilization of people, reclassification of land, and the threat of violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quaternary sea level fluctuations have led to the development of beach ridges on many South Atlantic coasts. The objective of this paper was to asses from lithological, hydrochemical, isotopic, and geophysical studies the salinization processes affecting groundwater stored in Pleistocene and Holocene beach ridges of the northern Patagonian coast. A hydrogeomorphological characterization of the area was performed using digital elevation models, the interpretation of satellite images, and field studies. Vertical electrical soundings were performed on transects running perpendicular to beach ridges in order to define variations in the freshwater-saltwater interface position. The salinity, chemistry, and stable isotopes of the groundwater were analyzed. The results demonstrated that the groundwater salinization of Pleistocene ridges responds to processes associated with the geological-geomorphological evolution of the area. The cementation of these surface sediments limits rainwater infiltration, which consequently prevents the development of freshwater lenses. This suggests that saline water is the result of ancient marine ingressions. Freshwater lenses develop in Holocene beach ridges; however, slight water salinization is detectable in the most populated areas as a result of intensive exploitation. The data provided are useful for freshwater resource prospection along the arid coast of Patagonia, where beach ridge deposits abound and populations experience serious drinking water supply problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper compares two zooarchaeological sub-samples, each of which comes from a different area (North chamber and South chamber) of Maripe Cave Site (Santa Cruz, Argentina). In previous papers, each chamber was interpreted as a particular microenvironment based on their specific environmental and geoarchaeological features. In both areas, hunting–gatherer society occupations were recorded since the Pleistocene–Holocene transition to late Holocene. This paper investigated and discussed the different agents and processes involved in the formation of each assemblage, with the aim of assessing the taphonomic variability between the two areas and discussing their integrity. Bone specimens of Lama guanicoe (guanaco), the most common species on the site, were analyzed. The bone surfaces of specimens were studied by naked eye observations and binocular magnifying to 10×, which allowed recognition of different patterns of modification. The representation of guanaco anatomical units was also discussed at each chamber according to economic utility and BMD values. The results indicate that while there was involvement of different natural agents and processes acted differently in each sector, the main accumulating agent in both sets was human. Differences between both chambers are observed in the representation of anatomical units, in processing marks, in the conservation of specimens, and in the number and intensity performed by each natural agents and process in each sector. Each chamber indicates a different taphonomic history: the North Chamber records greater conservation and archaeological integrity, while the South Chamber shows a more complex taphonomy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Glacial geologic studies in the Southern Hemisphere (SH) mid-latitudes (40-54°S) indicate renewed glacial activity in southern South America (Patagonia) and New Zealand's (NZ) South Island starting at ∼7 kyr, the so-called neoglaciation. Available data indicate that neoglacial advances in these regions occurred during a rising trend in atmospheric CO and CH concentrations, lower-than-present but increasing summer insolation and seasonality contrasts. In this paper we examine the climatological context in which neoglaciations occurred through analysis of the complete Paleoclimate Modelling Inter-comparison Project (PMIP2) database of simulations at 6 kyr for the SH. We observe that the amplitude of the annual insolation cycle in the SH did not change significantly at 6 kyr compared to the pre-industrial values, the largest difference occurring in autumn (MAM, negative anomalies) and spring (SON, positive anomalies). The simulated changes in temperatures over the SH respond to the insolation changes, with a 1-2 month delay over the oceans. This results in a reduced amplitude of the annual cycle of temperature and precipitation over most continental regions, except over Patagonia and NZ, that show a slight increase. In contrast, large-scale circulation features, such as the low and upper level winds and the subtropical anticyclones show an amplified annual cycle, as a direct response to the increased/decreased insolation during the transitional seasons SON/MAM. In the annual mean, there is a small but consistent equatorward shift of the latitude of maximum wind speed of 1-3° over the entire SH, which results in a small increase of wind speed over the South Pacific and Atlantic Oceans north of ∼50°S and a widespread decline south of 50°S. PMIP2 simulations for 6 kyr, indicate that in the annual mean, the SH mid-latitudes were colder, wetter and with stronger winds north of about 50°S. These conditions are consistent with the observed neoglacial advances in the region, as well as with terrestrial paleoclimate records from Patagonia that indicate cooling and a multi-millennial rising trend in Southern Westerly Wind intensity starting at ∼7.8 kyr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tephra fall from the August 1991 eruption of Volcán Hudson affected some 100,000 km of Patagonia and was almost immediately reworked by strong winds, creating billowing clouds of remobilised ash, or 'ash storms'. The immediate impacts on agriculture and rural communities were severe, but were then greatly exacerbated by continuing ash storms. This paper describes the findings of a 3-week study tour of the diverse environments of southern Patagonia affected by ash storms, with an emphasis on determining the impacts of repeated ash storms on agriculture and local practices that were developed in an attempt to mitigate these impacts. Ash storms produce similar effects to initial tephra eruptions, prolonged for considerable periods. These have included the burial of farmland under dune deposits, abrasion of vegetation and contamination of feed supplies with fine ash. These impacts can then cause problems for grazing animals such as starvation, severe tooth abrasion, gastrointestinal problems, corneal abrasion and blindness, and exhaustion if sheep fleeces become laden with ash. In addition, ash storms have led to exacerbated soil erosion, human health impacts, increased cleanup requirements, sedimentation in irrigation canals, and disruption of aviation and land transport. Ash deposits were naturally stabilised most rapidly in areas with high rainfall (>1,500 mm/year) through compaction and enhanced vegetation growth. Stabilisation was slowest in windy, semi-arid regions. Destruction of vegetation and suppression of regrowth by heavy tephra fall (>100 mm) hindered the stabilisation of deposits for years, and reduced the surface friction which increased wind erosivity. Stabilisation of tephra deposits was improved by intensive tillage, use of windbreaks and where there was dense and taller vegetative cover. Long-term drought and the impracticality of mixing ash deposits with soil by tillage on large farms was a barrier to stabilising deposits and, in turn, agricultural recovery. The continuing ash storms motivated the partial evacuation of small rural towns such as Chile Chico (Chile) and Los Antiguos (Argentina) in September-December 1991, after the primary tephra fall in August 1991. Greatly increased municipal cleanup efforts had to be sustained beyond the initial tephra fall to cope with the ongoing impacts of ash storms. Throughout the 1990s, ash storms contributed to continued population migration out of the affected area, leaving hundreds of farms abandoned on the Argentine steppe. The major lesson from our study is the importance of stabilisation of ash deposits as soon as possible after the initial eruption, particularly in windy, arid climates. Suggested mitigation measures include deep cultivation of the ash into the soil and erecting windbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the colonial expansion of modern society has been studied by various disciplines and from a range of theoretical perspectives. South American historical archaeologists in particular have highlighted the homogenizing nature of this global process in order to re-evaluate the particular nature of different contexts in time and space. This paper focuses on the articulation between the scales of the global and the local and explores the role of local processes in the constitution of colonial societies. Latin-American postcolonial theory - or decolonized thinking - adds to this debate through the critical assessment of modernity in order to acknowledge colonial legacies in the social sciences. This perspective is presented here in combination with a case study from the Spanish colonization of the Patagonian coast in the late eighteenth century, in particular the settlement of Nueva Poblacion y Colonia de Floridablanca (Bahia San Julian, province of Santa Cruz, Argentina). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the construction of the landscape in the Argentine film Caballos salvajes (Piñeyro 1995) and proposes that, by instilling the images of Patagonia with a sense of place, this film creates a "geography of belonging." The emphasis on the landscape as place attempts to anchor national identity in the national territory as a way to resist the cultural condition of globalization: deterritorialization. To do so, the film relies on the well-known geographic antinomy Buenos Aires versus the interior, with which it awakens the chain of meanings that it evokes in the national public. Even though the film uses the codes and conventions of Hollywood genres such as the road movie and the Western to attract international audiences, it firmly anchors the resistance to globalization in the images of the interior of Argentina, in the place where, according to the film, the roots of an authentic national culture are still found. To encourage the engagement of graduate students in scholarly production, the Rocky Mountain Review is recognizing excellence among our graduate student membership by publishing two papers, first presented at the RMMLA conference, that won the Davis Award. Both papers are presented in their original versions: not subjected to peer-review but simply edited for publication. We hope that this feature will inspire graduate students in the humanities to pursue their scholarly efforts and to submit their work at our annual conference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the anxiety of possession that underlies the anthropological inquisitiveness of the nineteenth-century Argentine explorer Francisco Pascasio Moreno. Moreno's Viaje a la Patagonia Austral (1879) exposes a series of complex representational configurations that respond to specific national imperatives. Although Moreno negates the native peoples' presence by depicting them as relics, his anthropological curiosity paradoxically makes evident that Patagonia was visibly populated by indigenous peoples. Significantly his portrayals of 'Indian' rituals make references to sex and violence, as well as allusions to female chastity. Since these elements are seldom overtly present in Europeans' narratives of travel and exploration on Patagonia, these representations constitute a break from the writing travel tradition that precedes Moreno's. But, more importantly, these references to uncontrolled passions and female virginity expose the ambiguities of a narrative that, while providing an account of a visibly inhabited Patagonia, also attempts to legitimize Argentina's colonizing project in the region.El presente trabajo centra su atención en las ansias de posesión que subyacen a la curiosidad antropológica del explorarador argentino decimonónico, Francisco Pascasio Moreno. El texto de Moreno, Viaje a la Patagonia Austral (1879), expone una serie de configuraciones representacionales complejas que responde a imperativos nacionales específicos. Si bien Moreno al representar a los pueblos originarios como reliquias niega la presencia de éstos, su curiosidad antropológica paradójicamente pone en evidencia que la Patagonia estaba poblada por indígenas. Es signficativo que sus descripciones de los rituales de los 'indios' hacen referencia al sexo y a la violencia así como también a la castidad femenina. Dado que estos elementos rara vez están tan explícitamente presentes en narrativas europeas de viaje y exploración a la Patagonia, estas representaciones constituyen un quiebre con la tradición que precede a Moreno. Pero, aún más importante, estas referencias a pasiones incontrolables y a la virginidad femenina exponen las ambigüedades de una narrativa que da cuenta de una Patagonia visiblemente habitada y que, al mismo tiempo, intenta legitimar el proyecto colonizador argentino en la región. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution is part of a more extensive assessment of the effects of air pollution in urban environments in Patagonia (Argentina) through its effects on the lichen flora. Different methodologies were applied. This paper presents calculations of the Index of Atmospheric Purity (IAP) for urban contaminated (Bariloche city) and periurban uncontaminated environments, calculated at sites for which data were available on the elemental composition of contaminating elements. The IAP results obtained were correlated with the elemental composition of lichen thalli. Principal Component Analysis and Cluster Analysis were performed to determine data partitioning using Ward's method. The results yielded four clusters: three of them correspond to thalli and IAP values from urban areas, where the most important factors affecting the lichen flora have been identified as their proximity to medium to high traffic density or petrol stations. Thalli from periurban uncontaminated environments form an independent cluster, characterized by lower concentrations of contaminating elements and higher IAP values. The results obtained allow IAP to be related to atmospheric conditions in these human settlements and evaluation of the ecological effects of these settlements on the natural environment by comparison with unaltered surrounding environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego include contrasting environments and populations. Both were settled more than 10,000 years ago, although the coastal resources were not intensively exploited until four millennia later. The littoral resource exploitation had very different characteristics on the Atlantic compared to the Magellan-Fuegian coasts. Generalized strategies were maintained in the former, while in the latter the inhabitants developed a specialization—they became intensively dependent on the littoral and marine resources and designed special technological means for their procurement and processing, including navigation capability. This process began some 6,400 radiocarbon years ago and these sea-nomads colonized the southern- most archipelago from the Beagle Channel down to Cape Horn. After synthesizing the settling of Patagonia, this paper focuses on the process of colonization and cultural endurance of the seanomads until the time of European contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lowering of global sea level during the Pleistocene by more than 100 m and subsequent inundation of coastal areas constitutes a problem in terms of general research on early maritime-oriented societies. However, post-glacial isostatic rise in glaciated regions has produced raised shorelines of Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene age, e.g., in Scandinavia, Patagonia, and North America. As these regions contain the oldest preserved coastal areas, they are imperative for the understanding of the development of maritime hunter-gatherers. The extensive Norwegian coastline appears to have been colonized in the course of the few hundred years around 9500 cal B.C. An overwhelming majority of Early Holocene sites are found in the fiord/skerry coastal landscape, indicating that marine resources were vital in the subsistence pattern of people occupying the region. The lithic tradition is clearly linked to specialized megafauna hunters in the continental plains (the Ahrensburgian complex of northwestern Europe), but the facts about and dynamics of the development of the marine subsistence pattern are unclear. This paper focuses on this problem-with comparative perspectives towards the emergence of maritime foragers in Patagonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The south of Patagonia is characterized by its semi-arid weather and numerous small, temporary and permanent shallow ponds. The aquatic crustaceans of these water bodies are characterized by their endemism and species richness. The present study was done in the surroundings of Punta Arenas (53°S, Chile), and included six shallow ponds. Samples for conductivity, total dissolved solids, chlorophyll, and crustacean zooplankton as well as littoral species of crustacea were collected. Our study revealed that Branchinecta gaini Daday, 1910 occurred at low conductivity (0.55 mS/cm), and low total dissolved solids (0.28 g/l) and chlorophyll (2.70 μg/l) concentrations, such compared to sites without fairy shrimp populations, that had significantly high conductivity (3.58 mS/cm), and high total dissolved solids (1.80 mg/l) and chlorophyll (12.80 μg/l) concentrations. The results partially agree with the first descriptions of Patagonian water bodies that indicated the presence of fairy shrimps in low conductivity waters. The observations of the presence of B. gaini and other associated microcrustaceans are similar to descriptions of unpolluted water bodies in Antarctica, and those results would support the observations of the present paper. Other reports on fairy shrimp habitats mentioned a wide range of both salinity and trophic status. Other ecological and biogeographical topics on fairy shrimps are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]