Revista Ciencias Naturales

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2026-02-23T20:20:27+00:00

History of Volcanology in Argentina

2026-02-23T21:21:37+00:00

A brief chronicle on the origins of worlwide and Latin American volcanology is presented, its
development through time, and a description of this process in Argentina. The impact of different
volcanic eruptions that have affected the Argentine territory over the past 100 years and the response
of the population to these phenomena are reported. The role of various Argentine volcanologists in
national and international institutions is also highlighted.

Who Conserves the Forest?

2026-02-24T16:56:43+00:00

biodiversity loss, soil degradation, land concentration, and socio-environmental conflicts. These issues
have altered social relations and trigged competition for land use and control. The objective of this study
is to compare the degree of forest conservation and land-use patterns among large-scale land acquisitions
(LSLAs), indigenous communities, and small creole producers. To this end, a Forest Conservation Index
was developed that integrates native forest loss, land cover, and changes in the Normalized Difference
Vegetation Index (NDVI), allowing conservation to be assessed and compared across stakeholders. The
results indicate that the LSLAs show greater deforestation, stable NDVI, and the lowest conservation index.
Creoles show an increase in NDVI and a higher index value, while indigenous communities show an
intermediate increase in NDVI and also in the conservation index value. The index proposed has limitations,
such as the lack of differentiation between natural and productive vegetation in the NDVI, the absence of
socioeconomic indicators, and the homogeneous consideration of stakeholder groups. These results help
guide territorial planning, the formulation of differentiated policies by stakeholder type, and the visibility
of land-use practices conducive to conservation and the sustainable management of native forests in the
Salta Chaco region.

Catalogue of Type Specimens in the MCNS Herbarium, Universidad Nacional de Salta (Argentina)

2026-02-24T17:33:50+00:00

This article presents a catalogue of the collection of holotypes and isotypes held at the MCNS
herbarium of the Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Argentina. The
collection includes 17 holotypes and 12 isotypes, corresponding to four families of ferns (Cyatheaceae,
Dryopteridaceae, Polypodiaceae, and Pteridaceae) and 15 families of angiosperms (Amaryllidaceae,
Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Bignoniaceae, Brassicaceae, Bromeliaceae, Crassulaceae, Fabaceae,
Francoaceae, Juncaceae, Malvaceae, Meliaceae, Rubiaceae, Salicaceae, and Solanaceae). For each specimen, the collection number of the herbarium, collection data and bibliographic reference in
which it was cited as nomenclatural type are provided; four digitized images of type specimens are
also included.

Efficiency of the Water Treatment Plants in Northern Salta (Argentina)

2026-02-24T18:12:21+00:00

The General San Martín Department, in northern Salta (Argentina), has a population of over 178,000
inhabitants. Its main water sources are two reservoirs, groundwater wells, and extraction points along
the Tartagal and Bermejo rivers. This study evaluated the condition and treatment efficiency of physical,
chemical, and biological parameters in the Itiyuro, Embarcación, and Tartagal water treatment plants
between June 2018 and January 2020, through monthly sampling at plant inlets and outlets. Physical
and chemical parameters were analyzed according to American Public Health Association (APHA),
standards, and phytoplankton counts were performed using the Utermöhl technique. Treatment
efficiency was calculated based on turbidity, color, and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Turbidity and color exceeded the limits established by the Argentine Food Code in outlet samples. Although turbidity removal occasionally exceeded 90%, it was still insufficient. COD reduction only reached a maximum of 48% at Itiyuro and was lower at the other WTPs. Biological treatment efficiency was low: none of the plants reduced total phytoplankton by more than 50%. These results suggest that the current treatment processes do not ensure the production of safe drinking water. The persistence of turbidity, wich is associated with potential biological contaminants, as well as the presence of cyanobacteria that can produce cyanotoxins, pose a significant health risk in the medium and long term.

Complete magazine

2026-02-24T19:04:04+00:00