IUCN Management Category II and IX (Provincial Reserve and Biosphere Reserve)

Biogeographical Province 8.37.12/8.25.07 (Southern Andean and Monte)

Geographical Location Located in the northern part of western Argentina in the Andes mountains in San Juan province. On the Cordillera de San Guillermo. 29°10'S, 69°20'W.

Date and History of Establishment Province of San Juan decree 2,164 of 22 June 1972, decree 1,302 of 13 April 1973 and decree 3,376 of 1976. Accepted as a Biosphere Reserve in November 1980.

Area 981,460ha

Land Tenure Private and State property. Private land is currently being expropriated to become property of San Juan Province.

Altitude 2,100-5,800m

Physical Features Mountainous region, part of the Andes, formed at the end of the Tertiary and early Quanternary eras with rocks consisting of volcanic strata dating from this period. Carboniferous and coarse grained metamorphic rocks from the Premian era. Geomorphologically, the relief is immature, with intense downcutting by rivers. There are no permanent surface watercourses. Climate is temperate in the foothills to the east with mean annual temperature of 5°C and mean annual rainfall 100-200mm. In the higher western areas the mean annual temperature is -5°C and mean annual rainfall 400-500mm with snow.

Climate No information

Vegetation Vegetation varies with aspect and altitude: sub-desertic open matorral, open shrub matorral, low grassland with or without shrubs and lichen tundra. Typical vegetation is open canopy of low-growing cushion shrubs including Adesmia nanoliguea, Calceolaria pinifolia and Tephrocactus spp., leaving much exposed ground with coarse grasses. Other shrub species include Patrastrephia spp., Fabiana spp., Azorella spp. and Ephedra spp.. Herbaceous species include Astragalus spp., Tropoelum spp., Glandularia spp., Phacelia spp., Stipa spp., Festuca spp. and Deyeuxia spp.. Grassy steppes occur in the best conditions of soil and humidity especially above 3,500m.

Fauna Protection of the vicuna Vicugna vicugna (V) is the main reason for the creation of this reserve with the presence of many herds due to the isolation and shortage of water which has limited hunting. The vicuna population is probably a sub-species found nowhere else in South America. Guanaco Lama guanicoe is also present in sizeable herds. Other mammals include fox, rodents such as mountain viscachas Lagidium viscacia and chinchilla Chinchilla brevicaudata and mountain lion Felis concolor. Birds include Andean Condor Vultur gryphus, lesser rhea Pteroicnemia pennata, wild geese and ducks (Anatidae).

Cultural Heritage No information

Local Human Population No information

Visitors and Visitor Facilities No information

Scientific Research and Facilities Global survey with map scale of 1:250,000. Ecological survey of a pilot area at scale of 1:50,000. Main research has been on camelid and rhea populations and guanaco behaviour. Seven research staff. Buildings for accommodation and research are being constructed.

Conservation Value No information

Conservation Management Total

No information

Core zone of 42,000ha with strict protection has been implemented in the most representative area which is relatively inaccessible and undisturbed by human activities. The remaining 939,000ha constitutes the buffer zone.

Management Constraints The area was grazed by cattle, sheep and horses until 30 years ago. Mining activities are reduced to one mine at present. There is some poaching and wood cutting for fuel. There are no permanent residents in or around the reserve.

Staff Total of 18 staff including one administrator, two technicians, eight rangers and one driver.

Budget No information

Local Addresses

Subsecretaria de Agricultura y Ganaderia de San Juan, Ignacio de La Rosa y Aberastain, Edificio 9 de Julio 3erpiso, 5400 San Juan, Republica Argentina.

References

Cajal, J.L. (1979). Estructura social y area de accion del guanaco Lama guanicoe en la Reserva de San Guillermo, provincia de San Juan. III Cong. Int. sobre Camélidos Sudamericanos. VIEDMA, Rio Negro 11 al 16 de noviembre.

Cajal, J.L., Reca, A.R. and Pujalte, J.C. (1980). Las asociaciones ambientales de la Reserva Provincial de San Guillermo, provincia de San Juan. VIII Reun. Nac. Ecol. Sante Fe 11 al 17 mayo.

Cajal, J.L. and Sanchez, E. (1979). Marcha de los censos en vicuna Vicugna vicugna, guanaco Lama guanicoe y nandu cordillerano Pterocnemia pennata en la Reserva de San Guillermo, prov. de San Juan. III Congr. Int. sobre Camélidos Sudamericanos. VIEDMA, Rio Negro, 11 al 16 de noviembre.

Merino de Cuezzo, S.E. (1985). Areas Naturales Protegidas de la Argentina. Secretaria dé Agricultura y Ganaderia, Direccion Nacional de Fauna Silvestre. (Unpublished)

Date 1983, revised July 1986