NEOTROPICAL
REGION: AMAZONIAN DOMAIN
Argentine Area
Map
of the Yunga Province. 15 k document.
Biogeography Provinces in Argentina.
57 k document It
encompasses the provinces of Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán
and Catamarca.
It spreads in the form of a north-south band on the eastern sides of the
Argentine north-eastern mountain ranges. It is bounded by the Chaco Province in
the east and by the Pre-Puna or Puna Provinces in the west.
Climate
Warm and
humid, with mainly summer rainfalls which may reach 2500 mm (98.42
inches) per year (as much as 3000 mm or 118.11 inches, in some regions).
It may snow in winter.
Landscape
Mountains
sides and piedmont undulating plains; soils with three typical, predominantly
acid horizons.
Vegetation
It generally
looks like a dense jungle.
Communities
From the
point of view of the flora, the Yunga Province has been divided into three large
districts:
Transition
Jungle District:
It covers the piedmont undulating plains and low slopes, between 350 m (1148
feet) and 500 m (1640 feet). In the northern region the prevailing species are
palo blanco, palo amarillo, guayabí, red cebil,
horco-cebil, white tipa, quina, cedar, urundel,
pink lapacho, etc. Southwards on (Salta - Tucumán), the prevailing
species are white tipa, pacará or timbó and
red cebil.
The region has been deeply altered by human activities, and the crops have almost
completely replaced the jungle.
Mountain Jungle
District:
It covers the slopes between the 500 m (1640 feet) and 1,200 m (3937 feet).
It is a region with a very dense shady and humid vegetation. In the upper arborous
stratum (over 30 m or 98 feet) there are laurel, horco molle,
various types of cedars, walnut tree, mato, horco-mato,
etc. The middle stratum (up to 20 m or 66 feet) includes chalchal, palo
luz, cochucho, oak and hackberry tree. Moreover, there
is a shrubby stratum, a herbaceous stratum, a group of plants growing above
ground and a great diversity of lianas and epiphytes.
Several types of wood are logged in the region: cedar, oak and walnut tree,
among others, and in some others areas the pine crops are replacing the jungle.
Mountain Forest
District:
It encompasses the higher mountain sides, between 1000 and 2300 m (3280 and
7546 feet). There are three types of forests, including the cerro pine,
with an irregular distribution between 1100 and 1700 m (3609 and 5577 feet),
the alder forest, between 1100 and 2400 m (3609 and 7874 feet) and the
queñoa forest, between 1900 and 2300 m (6233 and 2300 feet), which
can reach the 3000 m (9842 feet).
Fauna
The Yunga
fauna shares some species with the Chaco Province, which bounds it in the east
and shows similarities with the Paraná fauna, although more impoverished.
The mammals, birds and amphibians are specially remarkable whereas there are
less fish and reptiles.
Mammals:
Tapir, corzuela, taruca, ant bear, little anteater,
yaguareté, caí monkey, big ferret, mayuato,
coendou, tapití, red squirrel, agutí,
numerous types of bats, some armadillos, certain marsupials,
etc.
Birds:
Pava del monte, burgo, surucuá, pama eagle,
red head chululú, partridge-pigeon, pijuí,
big batará, various parrots, various toucans, boyeros,
woodpeckers, humming birds, etc.
Reptiles:
Culebras (small non-poisonous snakes) and lizards, even though
present in the region, are comparatively little numerous in relation to the
number found in the case of neiboring provinces.
Amphibians:
Some endemic species are among the most important ones, such as the three Argentine
species of marsupial frogs, the red belly toad and the frogs
with direct development.
Fish:
Various types of mojarras, virolo, eel catfish, madrecita,
tararira, vieja de agua, dientudo, big catfish,
limpiavidrios, yusca, etc.
Human Activities
Extensive livestock
raising, wood development, agriculture (sugar cane single
crop farming in the piedmont plains), horticulture.
Flora
and Fauna
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