  We investigate the 2D excitation structure of the ISM in a sample of LIRGs
and Seyferts using near-IR IFS. This study extends to the near-IR the
well-known optical and mid-IR emission line diagnostics used to classify
activity in galaxies. Based on the spatially resolved spectroscopy of
prototypes, we identify in the [FeII]1.64/Br$\gamma$ - H_2 1-0S(1)/Br$\gamma$
plane regions dominated by the different heating sources, i.e. AGNs, young MS
massive stars, and evolved stars i.e. supernovae. The ISM in LIRGs occupy a
wide region in the near-IR diagnostic plane from -0.6 to +1.5 and from -1.2 to
+0.8 (in log units) for the [FeII]/Br$\gamma$ and H_2/Br$\gamma$ line ratios,
respectively. The corresponding median(mode) ratios are +0.18(0.16) and
+0.02(-0.04). Seyferts show on average larger values by factors ~2.5 and ~1.4
for the [FeII]/Br$\gamma$ and H_2/Br$\gamma$ ratios, respectively. New areas
and relations in the near-IR diagnostic plane are defined for the compact, high
surface brightness regions dominated by AGN, young ionizing stars, and SNe
explosions, respectively. In addition, the diffuse regions affected by the AGN
radiation field cover an area similar to that of Seyferts, but with high values
in [FeII]/Br$\gamma$ that are not as extreme. The extended, non-AGN diffuse
regions cover a wide area in the diagnostic diagram that overlaps that of
individual excitation mechanisms (i.e. AGN, young stars, and SNe), but with its
mode value to that of the young SF clumps. This indicates that the excitation
conditions of the diffuse ISM are likely due to a mixture of the different
ionization sources. The integrated line ratios in LIRGs show higher excitation
conditions i.e. towards AGNs, than those measured by the spatially resolved
spectroscopy. If this behaviour is representative, it would have clear
consequences when classifying high-z, SF galaxies based on their near-IR
integrated spectra.
