Stratigraphic evidence of two historical tsunamis on the semi-arid coast of north-central Chile

The extension of the Quaternary glaciations has been studied in the semi-arid Andes of north-central Chile, where the glacial modelling is striking. In the Elqui valley (lat. 30°S.), two glacial advances were identified reaching down to 3 100 m (Laguna glaciation) and 2 500 m (Tapado glaciation). In the Aconcagua valley (lat. 33°S.), moraines from three major glacial advances were found, at 2 800 m (Portillo glaciation), 1 600 m (Guardia Vieja glaciation) and 1 300 m (Salto del Soldado glaciation).The Quaternary glaciations were linked with a decrease of temperature, but more significantly with a marked increase of precipitation probably related to an equatorward shift of 5–6 degrees of the austral polar front. The results obtained in the semi-arid Chilean Andes are correlated with those recently reported from other sectors of the southern Andes.

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Hydro-meteorological trends in semi-arid north-central Chile (29–32°S): water resources implications for a fragile Andean region

Hydrological Sciences Journal ◽

10.1080/02626667.2012.665607 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 57 (3) ◽

pp. 479-495 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Maxime Souvignet ◽

Ricardo Oyarzún ◽

Koen M.J. Verbist ◽

Hartmut Gaese ◽

Jürgen Heinrich

Keyword(s):

Water Resources ◽

Andean Region ◽

North Central ◽

Central Chile ◽

Semi Arid

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Quaternary Glaciations in the Andes of North-Central Chile

Journal of Glaciology ◽

10.1017/s0022143000013472 ◽

1975 ◽

Vol 14 (70) ◽

pp. 155-170 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Cesar N. Caviedes ◽

Roland Paskoff

Keyword(s):

Polar Front ◽

Southern Andes ◽

North Central ◽

Central Chile ◽

The Andes ◽

Semi Arid ◽

Quaternary Glaciations ◽

Chilean Andes

The extension of the Quaternary glaciations has been studied in the semi-arid Andes of north-central Chile, where the glacial modelling is striking. In the Elqui valley (lat. 30°S.), two glacial advances were identified reaching down to 3 100 m (Laguna glaciation) and 2500 m (Tapado glaciation). In the Aconcagua valley (lat. 33°S.), moraines from three major glacial advances were found, at 2800 m (Portillo glaciation), 1600 m (Guardia Vieja glaciation) and 1300 m (Salto del Soldado glaciation). The Quaternary glaciations were linked with a decrease of temperature, but more significantly with a marked increase of precipitation probably related to an equatorward shift of 5–6 degrees of the austral polar front. The results obtained in the semi-arid Chilean Andes are correlated with those recently reported from other sectors of the southern Andes.

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Mayten Tree Seed Oil: Nutritional Value Evaluation According to Antioxidant Capacity and Bioactive Properties

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods10040729 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 729

Author(s):

Rosanna Ginocchio ◽

Eduardo Muñoz-Carvajal ◽

Patricia Velásquez ◽

Ady Giordano ◽

Gloria Montenegro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antioxidant Capacity ◽

Seed Oil ◽

Quality Parameters ◽

Antioxidant Compounds ◽

Native Plant ◽

Potential Health ◽

North Central ◽

Central Chile ◽

Value Evaluation ◽

Tree Seed

The Mayten tree (Maytenus boaria Mol.), a native plant of Chile that grows under environmentally limiting conditions, was historically harvested to extract an edible oil, and may represent an opportunity to expand current vegetable oil production. Seeds were collected from Mayten trees in north-central Chile, and seed oil was extracted by solvent extraction. The seed oil showed a reddish coloration, with quality parameters similar to those of other vegetable oils. The fatty acid composition revealed high levels of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Oleic and linoleic acids, which are relevant to the human diet, were well represented in the extracted Mayten tree seed oil. The oil displayed an antioxidant capacity due to the high contents of antioxidant compounds (polyphenols and carotenoids) and may have potential health benefits for diseases associated with oxidative stress.

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Climatic Zone and Soil Properties Determine the Biodiversity of the Soil Bacterial Communities Associated to Native Plants from Desert Areas of North-Central Algeria

Microorganisms ◽

10.3390/microorganisms9071359 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. 1359

Author(s):

Elisa Bona ◽

Nadia Massa ◽

Omrane Toumatia ◽

Giorgia Novello ◽

Patrizia Cesaro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Bacterial Communities ◽

Arid Environment ◽

Climatic Zone ◽

Indigenous Plants ◽

North Central ◽

The North ◽

Desert Areas ◽

Plant Microbiota ◽

Semi Arid

Algeria is the largest country in Africa characterized by semi-arid and arid sites, located in the North, and hypersaline zones in the center and South of the country. Several autochthonous plants are well known as medicinal plants, having in common tolerance to aridity, drought and salinity. In their natural environment, they live with a great amount of microbial species that altogether are indicated as plant microbiota, while the plants are now viewed as a “holobiont”. In this work, the microbiota of the soil associated to the roots of fourteen economically relevant autochthonous plants from Algeria have been characterized by an innovative metagenomic approach with a dual purpose: (i) to deepen the knowledge of the arid and semi-arid environment and (ii) to characterize the composition of bacterial communities associated with indigenous plants with a strong economic/commercial interest, in order to make possible the improvement of their cultivation. The results presented in this work highlighted specific signatures which are mainly determined by climatic zone and soil properties more than by the plant species.

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