The Chaco forest is the name used to refer to the wide wooded region that makes up a large area of land in the Gran Chaco. This is a huge plain located in the center of South America, specifically to the north of the Southern Cone, extending through the Argentine territory and also reaching Bolivia and Paraguay.
This region is practically uninhabited and is made up of savannas and, mainly, forests. It has an arid climate and is considered a subtropical region. Its territory does not have paved streets or train rails in almost any area of its total extension.
Given the shape of its geography, it is common to refer to the Gran Chaco as the Chaco plain, and its forests have a great diversity of species, both plants and animals. It only has two rivers that cross through its entire length, known as the Pilcomayo and the Bermejo.
characteristics
The Chaco forest occupies more than 70% of the Gran Chaco. This extends around 650,000 square kilometers. It is considered an alluvial plain (this means that it can be easily flooded if the sea were to rise).
It is a sedimentary plain divided into Argentine, Bolivian and Paraguayan territory, with some part of the forest invading Brazilian territory.
It is a region with historical characteristics that date back to the time of the Conquest. Prior to the Spanish invasion and its subsequent control of the Southern Cone, the original Argentine peoples who inhabited this region hid in its forests to resist the control of Spain. Originally, the Spanish gave the name of Chiquitos to this region.
The forest has been the victim of deforestation. That is why environmentalists have campaigned against it, protesting in helicopters against the companies in charge of cutting down trees.
Weather
The Gran Chaco presents different types of climate throughout its entire extension, but most of this area is considered subtropical.
The area has quite high temperatures for South America, reaching an average of 27 ° C as a maximum temperature, but it can reach 47 ° C in special circumstances.
During the winter the Chaco forest can reach average temperatures of 14 ° C, but it can also reach freezing temperatures in the coldest times of winter.
During the hot summer the Gran Chaco is affected by abundant amounts of rain. If this falls in another less warm time, the region would be ideal for agriculture. The summer heat makes the water evaporate very quickly, except in the swampy areas and in the part of the forest that is in Paraguay.
The time of year with the strongest winds is in spring, while the climate goes from hot to arid. During this period of the year, severe dust storms are generated in the region as a result of the strong dry winds.
Relief
The Chaco forest and the entire Gran Chaco region are located in a geosyncline basin. This is an extensive region of land that forms a basin based on the subsoil part, at the continental level.
It was formed by the geological movements of the Andean mountain range and the high lands in southern Brazil. Thanks to its alluvial composition, the Gran Chaco is almost totally devoid of visible rock on the ground.
It is made up mostly of little consolidated sand sediments, which can reach 3 kilometers deep in some parts of the region.
The only places in the forest where large sections of stone can be found on the surface are in Paraguay, around the river of the same name, and on the plateaus in southern Bolivia.
Location
To the west of the Gran Chaco are the Andean mountain ranges and to the east are the Paraguay and Paraná rivers. Their limits to the north and south are not as clear as their counterparts; its reach to the north is said to reach the Izozog swamps of Bolivia, and to the south it borders the Salado River of Argentina.
According to these parameters, the Gran Chaco stretches 730 kilometers from east to west and 1,100 kilometers from north to south. It is located mainly in Argentina, where it has more than half of its extension. The Paraguayan territory that it occupies means approximately a third of its forests and the rest belongs to Bolivia.
The limits vary and are not precise due to the irregularities of the terrain and the border areas of the three countries.
Flora
The vegetation in this area is closely linked to the mineral composition of the soil. The eastern part of the forest resembles a park of trees in groups interspersed with herbaceous savannas. To the west of the forest you can find dry vegetation and small thorny bushes.
The vegetation in this area is very complex, as it is adapted to survive in arid conditions; this is a peculiar characteristic for such an extensive forest.
Quebrachales
The Chaco forest has a type of vegetation called quebrachales, which are dense hardwood forests with species of quebracho tree.
The trunks of these trees provide loggers with ample amounts of quality wood, as well as tannin.
Fauna
The Chaco forests have a huge variety of wildlife. The size of the animals varies, but jaguars, pumas, tapirs, giant armadillos, foxes, mountain cats, anteaters, cougars, wolves, and deer can be found among their largest species.
The forest is home to an important population of birds and the river currents have more than 400 species of fish; among the most recurrent are piranha and golden salmon. Similarly, the forest has a variety of insects and small animals.
Home of the rhea
This forest is one of the few natural areas on the planet where the ñandú, a bird similar to the ostrich but native to the Latin American continent, still lives freely.
The Chaco forest is considered a natural refuge for this species, also known as the American ostrich.
References
- Gran Chaco, (nd). Taken from nature.org
- Gran Chaco, Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, (nd). Taken from Britannica.com
- The Gran Chaco, (nd). Taken from panda.org
- World Wild Life Places: Gran Chaco, (nd). Taken from worldwildlife.org
- Gran Chaco, (nd), February 23, 2018. Taken from Wikipedia.org