The pre-Hispanic landscape of the Cerro de Montevideo (Uruguay) in the sixteenth century: first eco-historical study based on biogeography of vegetation and arachnids,historiography and other evidence

The Cerro de Montevideo is a symbolic reference of Uruguay that currently presents an artificialised landscape with environmental deterioration. We used combined techniques including documentary analysis, cartography, remote sensing, biogeographical relict biota, digital recreation and estimated valuation of visual fragility to characterise its pre-Hispanic ecological landscape: a grassy matrix with large patches and corridors of grasslands and woody vegetation, with an estimated intermediate-level visual fragility. The physiognomic changes would have initiated since ca. 1520, much earlier than was formerly proposed (1851), due to supply of firewood from native forests to vessels and livestock introduction by Europeans. Landscape artificialisation by urbanisation and industrialisation was intensified since 1870. Environmental degradation has increased since 1930. For the first time, cryptozoic arachnofauna, visual fragility and digital satellite photographic recreations were included in an historical landscape study. In addition, Dorstenia brasiliensis was found to be the first known identified plant for the Uruguayan flora.