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Temperate and semi-arid regions of Argentina are undergoing rapid habitat conversion as a result of several human activities (i.e. grazing, logging, agriculture, etc.). These arid ecosystems contain many endemic species and have played an important role in the evolution of South American biota. The Man and Biosphere Reserve of Nacunan (12,800 ha) is located in the central region of the lowland Monte Desert. The reserve is a stand within a highly disturbed matrix characterized by deforestation (i.e. mesquite, Prosopis)and overgrazing. Major vegetational and animal communities recovered after the reserve was fenced in 1972, and Nacunan thus provides critical data describing the recovery of biotic and abiotic components of the Monte Desert when anthropogenic assaults are minimized. Indeed, the Reserve of Nacunan protects many distinctive habitats of the Monte Desert, including mesquite forest, or algarrobal, and several representative animals of the South American biota (i.e. tinamous, rhea, marsupials, edentates and caviomorph rodents). Several research projects on community ecology, herbivory, disturbances, ecology and ecophysiology have been or are being developed in the reserve. Although the town of Nacunan lies within the reserve, the link between the research community and the local people has not been strong, persistent or effective. The reserve is the most important site in Argentina for monitoring the ecological health of the Monte Desert and for developing indicators of desertification. Its potential is great for long-term ecological research and for strengthening the infrastructure of science. Sustainable development in the next millennium requires integrating the activities of the research, local people, ranch landowners and governmental sectors so as to infuse science-based proposals into management and conservation initiatives. (C)1998 Academic Press Limited.