The Magellanic moorland or Magellanic tundra () is an ecoregion on the Patagonian archipelagos south of latitude 48° S. It is characterized by high rainfall with a vegetation of scrubs, bogs and patches of forest in more protected areas. Cushion plants, grass-like plants and bryophytes are common.
At present there are outliers of Magellanic moorland as far north as in the highlands of Cordillera del Piuchén (latitude 42° 22' S) in Chiloé Island. During the Llanquihue glaciation Magellanic moorland extended to the non-glaciated lowlands of Chiloé Island and further north to the lowlands of Chilean lake district (latitude 41° S).
The classification of Magellanic moorland has proven problematic as substrate, low temperatures and exposure to the ocean influences the development of the Magallanic moorland. It thus may qualify either as polar tundra or heathland.
Flora and plant communities
Edmundo Pisano identifies the following plant communities for the Magellanic moorland: BogsPisano (1977), p. 219 Sphagnum bogs Magellanic sphagnum tundra Juncus bogsPisano (1977), p. 223 Non-sphagniferous bryophytic tundraPisano (1977), p. 225 Non-sphagnum moss bogPisano (1977), p. 226 Hepatica bogs Pluvinar miresPisano (1977), p. 229 Hygrophytic mire tundra Montane pulvinar tundraPisano (1977), p. 230 Bryophyte and dwarf shrub tundraPisano (1977), p. 231 Gramineous miresPisano (1977), p. 232 Tufty sedge tundraPisano (1977), p. 233 Subantarctic gramineous mire Woody synusia tundrasPisano (1977), p. 236 Tundras with Pilgerodendron uviferaPisano (1977), p. 237 Association Pilgerodendretum uviferae Sub-association Pilgerodendro-Nothofagetum betuloidisPisano (1977), p. 239 Sub-association Nano-Pilgerodendretum uviferaePisano (1977), p. 240 Interior nanophanerophytic tundrasPisano (1977), p. 242 Interior heath of low to medium elevation Montane nanophaneritic tundraPisano (1977), p. 244
Where forests occur they are made up of the following trees Nothofagus betuloides (coigüe de Magallanes), Drimys winteri (canelo), Pseudopanax laetevirens (sauco del diablo), Embothrium coccineum (notro), Maytenus magellanica (maitén), Pilgerodendron uviferum (ciprés de las Guaitecas) and Tepualia stipularis (tepú).
Soils and climate Soils are usually rich in turf and organic matter and poor in bases. Often they are also water-saturated.Pisano (1977), p. 128 Granitoids, schists and ancient volcanic rocks make up the basement on which soils develop.Pisano (1977), p. 129 Any previously existing regolith has been eroded by the Quaternary glaciations. It is not rare for bare rock surfaces to be exposed in the interior of islands.Pisano (1977), p. 145
The climate where Magellanic moorland grows can be defined as oceanic, snowy and isothermal with cool and windy summers. In the Köppen climate classification it has a tundra climate ET.Pisano (1977), p. 144
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