TITLE:
Phytogenic Mounds (Nebkhas): Effect of Tricomaria usillo on Sand Entrapment in Central-West of Argentina
AUTHORS:
Graciela Pastrán, Eduardo Martínez Carretero
KEYWORDS:
Sand Dunes, Nebkhas, Dynamics, Vegetation
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geographic Information System,
Vol.8 No.4,
July
26,
2016
ABSTRACT: Nebkhas, developed by the trapping of sand within the body of a plant, were
studied in the Médanos Grandes system, arid central Argentina, during the springs
of 2009-2010. The dynamics of nebkhas was studied in three draas (megadunes), and
considering both orientations: leeward and windward. The Drift Potential (DP) for
the study area was 42, evidencing the inactivity of the sand dunes or the scarce
activity only in crests. Dominant sand movement is in south-southeast direction,
with deflation processes at the southern side of the nebkhas. All nebkhas showed
uniformity in the morphometry. Tricomaria
usillo is the dominant plant species in the nebkha formation process; and results
showed a significant positive relationship between nebkha and canopy volumes.