117
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
M. J. Pastorino, P. Marchelli (eds.), Low Intensity Breeding of Native Forest
Trees in Argentina, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56462-9_5
Chapter 5
Nothofagus pumilio and N. antarctica:
The Most Widely Distributed and ColdTolerant Southern Beeches in Patagonia
Carolina Soliani, Paula Marchelli, Víctor A. Mondino,
Mario J. Pastorino, M. Gabriela Mattera, Leonardo A. Gallo,
Alejandro G. Aparicio, Ana D. Torres, Luis E. Tejera,
and Teresa Schinelli Casares
5.1 Main Characteristics, Ecological Features,
and Distributional Ranges
Nothofagus pumilio (Poepp. & Endl.) Krasser, known as lenga, and Nothofagus
antarctica (G. Forster) Oerster, commonly called ñire, are tree species of the temperate forests of southern South America, occurring in temperate-rainy forest districts, in the subalpine transition area, and in poorly drained sites (Veblen et al.
1996). Their natural distributions in Chile and Argentina mainly correspond to the
Cordillera de los Andes, from 36° S to the south of Tierra del Fuego archipelago
(55° S). In Chile, N. pumilio also inhabits the Coastal Range (Cordillera de
Nahuelbuta) where it grows associated with Araucaria araucana forests above
1400 m asl. In turn, N. antarctica is distributed in the Central Depression of Chile,
from Valdivia toward austral latitudes. Throughout their entire distribution in
Argentina, lenga and ñire forests co-occur and overlap to a greater or lesser extent.
This shared geographical distribution covers approximately 18° of latitude (2200 km
of extension) and is the widest among the South American Nothofagus. Recently,
the national forest inventory of Argentina (CIEFAP and MAyDS 2016) revealed a
total of 1,595,661 ha and 864,148 ha of lenga and ñire forests, respectively. The
National Park Administration of Argentina protects a portion of all this forest surface (34% and 15%, respectively), belonging the rest to provincial jurisdictions.
C. Soliani (*) · P. Marchelli · M. J. Pastorino · M. G. Mattera · L. A. Gallo
A. G. Aparicio · A. D. Torres
Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche (IFAB) INTA-CONICET,
Bariloche, Argentina
e-mail: soliani.carolina@inta.gob.ar
V. A. Mondino · L. E. Tejera · T. Schinelli Casares
Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) EEA Esquel, Esquel, Argentina
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
M. J. Pastorino, P. Marchelli (eds.), Low Intensity Breeding of Native Forest
Trees in Argentina, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56462-9_5
Chapter 5
Nothofagus pumilio and N. antarctica:
The Most Widely Distributed and ColdTolerant Southern Beeches in Patagonia
Carolina Soliani, Paula Marchelli, Víctor A. Mondino,
Mario J. Pastorino, M. Gabriela Mattera, Leonardo A. Gallo,
Alejandro G. Aparicio, Ana D. Torres, Luis E. Tejera,
and Teresa Schinelli Casares
5.1 Main Characteristics, Ecological Features,
and Distributional Ranges
Nothofagus pumilio (Poepp. & Endl.) Krasser, known as lenga, and Nothofagus
antarctica (G. Forster) Oerster, commonly called ñire, are tree species of the temperate forests of southern South America, occurring in temperate-rainy forest districts, in the subalpine transition area, and in poorly drained sites (Veblen et al.
1996). Their natural distributions in Chile and Argentina mainly correspond to the
Cordillera de los Andes, from 36° S to the south of Tierra del Fuego archipelago
(55° S). In Chile, N. pumilio also inhabits the Coastal Range (Cordillera de
Nahuelbuta) where it grows associated with Araucaria araucana forests above
1400 m asl. In turn, N. antarctica is distributed in the Central Depression of Chile,
from Valdivia toward austral latitudes. Throughout their entire distribution in
Argentina, lenga and ñire forests co-occur and overlap to a greater or lesser extent.
This shared geographical distribution covers approximately 18° of latitude (2200 km
of extension) and is the widest among the South American Nothofagus. Recently,
the national forest inventory of Argentina (CIEFAP and MAyDS 2016) revealed a
total of 1,595,661 ha and 864,148 ha of lenga and ñire forests, respectively. The
National Park Administration of Argentina protects a portion of all this forest surface (34% and 15%, respectively), belonging the rest to provincial jurisdictions.
C. Soliani (*) · P. Marchelli · M. J. Pastorino · M. G. Mattera · L. A. Gallo
A. G. Aparicio · A. D. Torres
Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche (IFAB) INTA-CONICET,
Bariloche, Argentina
e-mail: soliani.carolina@inta.gob.ar
V. A. Mondino · L. E. Tejera · T. Schinelli Casares
Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) EEA Esquel, Esquel, Argentina