Chilean Ecosystems: Flora, Fauna, and Soil Composition
The accumulation of organic material in the A horizon can incorporate agricultural activity, especially fruit farming.
Shrubland Ecosystem
Flora: Shrubland, with xerophytic species such as goat’s horn and Brad.
Fauna: Rodents, such as opossums and chinchillas, and birds such as swallows and seven-colored tanagers.
Steppe Region: Arctic Spring (Blooming Desert)
Located in the central depression between Inca de Oro and Vallenar (approximately 27° to 29° South Latitude).
Vegetation: Developed with winter rainfall (100 mm), creating a rich and varied herbaceous tapestry.
Temperate Mediterranean Environment
Located between Aconcagua and Imperial rivers. The predominant climate is mild Mediterranean with no prolonged dry season and irregular rainfall. Landscapes include both irrigated and rainfed areas. Relief includes watersheds in granitic and dioritic formations. Increased flows occur from North to South. There is no significant cryonival and Cordilleran retention. Potential for hydroelectricity exists. Settlements are predominantly in granitic and dioritic areas, and population concentrations are present.
Coastal Mediterranean Region
Located between the coastline and the windward-leeward watershed of the Coast Range. Features include dune accumulations with low vegetation such as sage, miner’s rush, Russian thistle, and docks. Inland dunes are semi-stabilized with shrubs, herbs, annuals, perennials, and rhizomatous plants. Fixed dunes contain boldo and litre trees.
Fauna: Insects and arachnids, beetles, ants, small reptiles, and rodents.
Stresses: CONAF interventions control dune succession, with lupine and retamilla added later, followed by pine, cypress, or eucalyptus after the early years. A representative example is Frederick Albert Park in Chanco, Cauquenes.
Soils: Coastal prairie soils with an upper layer rich in humus, becoming reddish-brown with increasing humidity, fine sandy texture, granular, and neutral.
Basin Region and Central Plains
Formed tectonically (from the south of the Chacabuco mountain range). Filled with fluvial-glacial-volcanic deposits. Temperature decreases from North to South. Precipitation modifies from North to South and West to East. Basins include San Felipe-Los Andes, Santiago, and Rancagua. The height of the Coastal Cordillera decreases in the North-South direction, except for Nahuelbuta. The northern sector presents gentle slopes and steppe of Acacia caven, associated with annual grasses and shrubs such as huañil, trevo, chilca, musk, and blackberry. From the 38th parallel South, precipitation enables increased development of rainforests (adapted to high humidity), laurifolia forests (adapted to cold winters), and mixed and rain forests further south (adapted to high rainfall).
Soils: Brown calcium soils or inceptisols (precipitation decreases, increasing alkalinity, turning neutral). The most fertile soils are installed on the central plain alluvium with good drainage and light texture. In carrying river basins, the amount of fine material is less permeable in layers near the surface, producing mediocre soils. At the junction of rivers to the granitic and dioritic formations, with glacial deposits and/or volcanic ash with pumice, thin soils containing little nutrients are produced. South of Pelequén, the narrowness of the volcanic deposits penetrate into the valley, causing the tosca.
Fauna: Puma, otter, nutria, birds such as tench, Chercos, whir, finches, goldfinches, and loica.