Year of Award

2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Name

Geography (Cartography and GIS Option)

Department or School/College

Franke College of Forestry and Conservation

Committee Chair

Sarah J. Halvorson

Commitee Members

Anna Klene, Fernando Sanchez-Trigueros

Keywords

wetland, argentina, lake, mndwi, ndvi, savi

Subject Categories

Natural Resources and Conservation

Abstract

In Argentina, freshwater wetlands are threatened by land use changes, unsustainable irrigation practices, and climate change. Twenty-three wetlands cover 5,176,578 ha of the Argentinian territory and have been designated as wetlands of international importance by the Convention of Wetlands (Kandus et al., 2008; Ramsar Sites Information Service, 2022). These figures are significant given Argentina’s unique geographic location on a central migratory bird flyway and the profound biological diversity found in these wetlands (Jahn et al., 2013; Red Aves Internacionales, 2015). The Government of Argentina has recently moved to implement wetland protection and conservation policies. Nevertheless, policy and governance efforts to curb the demise of these wetlands have been slow due to intense pressures from the conventional farming sector, water demands, and unsustainable development interests. There has been relatively little geospatial and environmental social science research on these wetlands. It is necessary to quantify and qualify the factors and processes driving their decline and the related social and ecological impacts of the loss of these wetlands.

This thesis attempts to fill a gap in understanding the status and viability of wetland systems in Argentina. Specifically, this study examines changes over time in the Laguna Melincué Wetland and the role of socio-ecological factors and processes contributing to wetland degradation. The objectives are: (1) to assess spatial and temporal changes in surface water extent within the Laguna Melincué Wetland during 2017-2023 and compare the accuracy between methods employed. ; (2) to explore the socio-cultural dimensions, values and connections to the Laguna Melincué Wetland and the human perceptions of the wetland changes and the causal mechanisms of change; and (3) to create a framework for understanding the governance of the Laguna Melincué Wetland, along with its context and challenges. This research aims to contribute to the national conversation on wetland conservation and provide insights for integrated water resource management in the region.

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