The moor is a very special type of mountain ecosystem. Mainly it can be found in some areas of South America and has characteristics that allow it to provide great ecosystem benefits to the regions in which it is located. These are very wide mountainous areas, full of vegetation and fauna. In addition, they are an environment in which the natural management of water is very beneficial for the whole environment and, in addition, allows people from close places to benefit when there is drought in their region, among many more positive aspects, which make it so important to keep keeping the moors.
Next, in this Ecology Verde article, we will know in more detail the Characteristics of the Páramo, its flora and faunaas well as its great importance.
Páramo: Characteristics
Among the Main characteristics of the moor We can highlight:
- Páramo is a unique ecosystem on the planet due to its environmental conditions, it is classified as a Interopical mountainous ecosystem.
- It has such an important function as that of retain water and maintain its balance between contributions and losses within the ecosystem. This characteristic is due to its altitude and climate, thanks to it in times of drought, water can be taken to lower areas and supply them with water, thus guaranteeing drinking water supply for humans of nearby populations, irrigation and hydroelectricity.
- The best known is the Andean Páramo from South America, which extends from Colombia to northern Peru. 80% of the moors of the world are in the countries of Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Costa Rica and Colombia, and only in Colombia are more than 60% of the existing moors. Learn more about these ecosystems and others with this other post about what are the ecosystems of Colombia.
- It is located from altitudes of approximately 2,700 meters above sea level to 4,000 m – 5,000 m above sea level.
- According to their biogeographic characteristics, ecosystem functions and vegetation are classified as Under Páramo, Middle Páramo and Super Páramo.
- This mountainous ecosystem has a geology with an irregular, rugged and rough relief. Your soils are from volcanic origin and are of a dark color due to this origin and the large amount of organic matter that is buried.
- Regarding hydrogeology, they have Great valleys in the form of “U” product of the transit of ice that gives it depth or also formed valleys in the form of “V” by the passage of water currents. It is its great earrings that make the descent of the waters easier. In them we can find lakes and tributaries that are beneficial for the hydrological cycle.
- As already mentioned, the parámo has a Extraordinary biological wealthits species have adapted to be able to live in the extreme conditions of this ecosystem: the intense daily fluctuation of the temperature and a marked seasonality due to precipitation, moments of high radiation or others of cloudiness, desiccant winds and freezing and daily defrosting of the soil. In addition, there is also little oxygen availability and soils are poorly developed and sometimes they have nutrient deficiency.
- Some adaptations that have developed both the flora and fauna that inhabit it have been mechanisms to retain water, protect against the wind and maintain an optimal and stable temperature.
Páramo flora
The Páramo vegetation It is able to prevent floods when water is abundant and droughts when it is scarce, as well as decrease the erosive impact of the soil. They are believed that in the moors there are more than 4,000 species of plants, with 60% endemism. The flora we find has evolved to the extreme conditions present in the ecosystem. The most representative species are as follows:
- Friagon.
- Cardón
- Macolla
- Chusques.
- Bamboo
- Dwarf trees and bushes.
Páramo fauna
Fauna represents great vulnerability to this ecosystem, not only because of extreme conditions, but for threats such as habitat destruction and uncontrolled hunt. Entity Animals that inhabit the Páramo We find around:
- 70 species of mammals: such as the puma, the jaguar, the tigrillo, the fox, the danta, the bus and the glasses of glasses.
- 15 species of reptiles: specifically 11 species of lizards and 4 snakes.
- 90 species of amphibians: there are 3 species of salamander and 87 species of frogs and toads.
- 154 species of birds: the condor, the mirlo, hummingbirds or ducks are some of the most representative.
- In this ecosystem there are 131 species of butterflies.
- It is also possible to mention the aquatic fauna, although this is not very diverse, which includes the pregnancies.
Importance of the moor and its conservation
The moors are unique ecosystems which offer important ecosystem services in their environment, with their great variety of flora and fauna, they also contribute to the reduction and adaptation of climate change thanks to the great capacity of CO2 fixation They have their soils.
It is important to know that they are fundamental ecosystems for life for the great diversity of living beings that inhabit it, for being a great Hydrological regulator and mitigate the impact of CO2. Its conservation is necessary since it is currently a Very vulnerable ecosystem Due to anthropogenic activity, with practices such as agriculture, livestock, hunting activities (hunting), mineral farms or burning for pracerization.
Now that you know the benefits that an ecosystem such as the Páramo contributes to living beings, you will see that it is necessary to help their conservation through education, sustainable tourism and the awareness of the population. We have thousands of hectares occupied by this biological relic on our planet and not conserve it would be irresponsibility.
If you want to read more articles similar to Páramo: characteristics, flora and faunawe recommend that you enter our category of ecosystems.
