This study investigates how familiarity and initial contact with species can be explained by social-demographic variables in an arid environment of Argentina. Our main objectives were to investigate which species children are familiar with, and analyse the effect of place of residence, sex and age on students' knowledge and initial contact with species. In total, 1746 students between 7 and 18 years old participated in the study, from 25 urban and 19 rural schools. Students were asked to write down ten animals and ten plants, and to indicate where they had seen them for the first time. Children were able to name an important number of species but they were mostly acquainted with exotic ones. Familiarity with species and the use of different sources of information can be explained by interactions between the studied factors, while place of residence was not as significant as we expected. Sex was an important explanatory variable, likely influenced by differences in roles and children activities' preferences. It is necessary to improve the knowledge on native species, particularly those with conservation problems by using information sources close to nature, without neglecting the knowledge of the exotic species that children showed more familiarity from everyday life. Nates, J; Lindemann-Matthies, P (2012). Students' familiarity and initial contact with species in the Monte desert (Mendoza, Argentina). Journal of Arid Environments, 82:98-105. ABSTRACT This study investigates how familiarity and initial contact with species can be explained by social-demographic variables in an arid environment of Argentina. Our main objectives were to investigate which species children are familiar with, and analyse the effect of place of residence, sex and age on students' knowledge and initial contact with species. In total, 1746 students between 7 and 18 years old participated in the study, from 25 urban and 19 rural schools. Students were asked to write down ten animals and ten plants, and to indicate where they had seen them for the first time. Children were able to name an important number of species but they were mostly acquainted with exotic ones. Familiarity with species and the use of different sources of information can be explained by interactions between the studied factors, while place of residence was not as significant as we expected. Sex was an important explanatory variable, likely influenced by differences in roles and children activities' preferences. It is necessary to improve the knowledge on native species, particularly those with conservation problems by using information sources close to nature, without neglecting the knowledge of the exotic species that children showed more familiarity from everyday life.

Exotic species seriously affect local biodiversity in Argentina. This article investigates how students in San Juan province perceive native and exotic species. With the help of a written questionnaire, 865 students (9-17 years old) were asked to name the plant and animal they liked most, disliked most, and perceived as most useful, and to name local species and describe their uses in the region. Students' preferences and perceptions were strongly directed toward exotic domestic species. Consequently, workshops were developed in which students were introduced by local ecologists to the diversity of native wild species and their importance for the ecosystem.

RESUMEN.Los ecosistemas áridos y semiáridos de las provincias de Mendoza y San Juan en la actualidad sufren una degradación fuerte, con pérdida de biodiversidad. En este escenario, la difusión y la educación acerca de la biodiversidad nativa y su valor resultan indispensables a los fines de conservación. El presente trabajo revisa tres estudios llevados a cabo en las provincias de Mendoza y San Juan. Estos estudios fueron los primeros que, por un lado, intentaron reflejar las percepciones, conocimientos y apreciaciones de los estudiantes urbanos y rurales acerca de la biodiversidad y, por el otro, presentaron los resultados de la evaluación de una intervención educativa orientada a mejorar conocimientos y actitudes hacia la biodiversidad. Los trabajos muestran que si bien la procedencia, el género y la edad de los estudiantes afectan la percepción y el conocimiento acerca de la biodiversidad, en general, los niños aprecian y conocen más a las especies exóticas que a las nativas y, como en el resto del mundo, están familiarizados con las mascotas, las plantas ornamentales y los mamíferos carismáticos. Los estudiantes aprenden sobre biodiversidad utilizando diferentes fuentes; el contacto inicial de los más jóvenes con las especies ocurre a través de los medios masivos de comunicación y los libros. Los niños están poco familiarizados con las especies nativas locales con problemas de conservación y conocen poco acerca de sus adaptaciones evolutivas a las zonas áridas. Luego de una corta intervención educativa se observan cambios en percepciones y conocimientos en el corto plazo, pero a largo plazo se pierden. Es importante aumentar el esfuerzo en las escuelas, la familia, las organizaciones no gubernamentales y otros para mejorar el conocimiento y la apreciación de las biodiversidad nativa a través de actividades que se mantengan en el tiempo e impliquen el contacto directo con la naturaleza.

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