Depending on climatic and geological factors, the planet has different ecosystems with unique characteristics and biodiversity. The ecoregions are part of the planet and it is a geographical area that is characterized by the same conditions that refer to the type of soil, their bodies of water, to the climate, to the fauna and the flora, among other factors.
In this interesting ecology article you can discover What is the Puna, its characteristics, flora and fauna that inhabit it. Keep reading and learn about this ecoregion that unites several countries in America.
What is the Puna
The Puna is an highland ecoregionor can also be called high mountain puna or plateau. Where is the Puna? Because this is characteristic of the central zone of the Cordillera de los Andes from South America.
The countries that are seen within the limits of the Ecoregion La Puna They are Chile, Argentina, Bolivia and Peru. It is for these limits that there are different areas and we can talk about LA PUNA DE ARGENTINAand within this you can differentiate more areas such as the Puna Jujeรฑa (in the province of Jujuy) and the Puna Salta (in the province of Salta), we can also find THE PUNA DE ATACAMA In Chile and part of Argentina, as well as The Bolivian Puna And also PUNA DEL PERร. You can see a map of the Peruvian Puna here.
If you want to know more about this type of places worldwide, we recommend reading these other ecology articles about what an ecoregion and ecoregions of Peru and its characteristics are.
Puna characteristics
What is in the Puna? If you ask yourself, take note that these are the main characteristics of the echoregion the puna and meet his flora and fauna later.
- Its territory presents altitudes greater than 3,000 MY extends from the 10th northern latitude in Peru to 32 ยฐ southern latitude in Argentina.
- The climate of the Puna is mountain, with cold temperatures and with respect to precipitation presents a dry climate. In the ecoregion there may be variations since in the lowest areas a temperate climate can be given and in the highest an alpine climate.
- Winter temperatures can reach 13 ยฐ C falling at night at -11 ยฐ C, however, in summer the 20 ยฐ C are reached for the day and approximately -15 ยฐ C at night.
- The strong winds in the highland ecoregion are very common being present almost every day, reaching its greatest strength in the afternoon being able to reach approximately 97 km/h.
- Precipitation decreases from this to west and its potential evapotranspiration exceeds 600 mm makes it a constant water deficit. This relationship between these two factors makes us separate the Puna in three sectors: Desert puna, wet puna and dry puna.
- The solar incidence in the Puna is 2,200 kW/m2/year thus becoming the 6 place in the world with greater incident solar energy, making this ideal ecoregion for the development of technology based on solar energy without a strong impact on the environment.
- With respect to the hydrological characteristics in the Puna abound the endorheic basins that form salt and salt.
Next, we will talk in more detail of the flora and fauna of the echoregion of the Puna to learn more about the characteristics of this place.
Puna Flora
If you are interested in knowing What is the puna floratake note that in this area, where the shortage of water predominates and is divided into three sectors according to the weather, the vegetation changes depending on the sector to which reference is made.
- As for the Wet Puna Vegetationwe can talk that herbaceous and shrub species are the most representative, although some areas of the territory lack vegetation. Among the shrub species there is a Puna plant very representative, it is about The reeds of the lagoons. The growth and development of these shrubs in major proportions makes shelters originate for birds. Among the bushes it is very common to find the Ichu (Stipa Ichu) used for forage purposes, the colli (Buddleja Coriacea) and the Queรฑoa (Polylepis sp). Another dominant shrub species is the Satureja sp. And in the grass family dominates the Chillihua (Festuca Dolichophylla). On the edges of the streams you can see species of trees such as the willow, the Saรบco and the aliso or the Puya Raimondiibeing the latter an endemic species of the Puna that presents impressive characteristics.
- The arid puna flora (desert and dry) It differs from the flower of the wet puna mainly by the density of the vegetation, this being much lower in the arid puna. Its species have greater drought tolerance, so there is a wide variety of xerophilic plants, of succulent and cacti type. Some usual species are Parastrephia Lucida and Maritime trigochin.
Puna fauna
The most characteristic between Puna animals are:
- The auquรฉnidos, like The Guanaco and the Vicuรฑawhich are wild species, and The flame, alpaca and The Huarizothat domestic sounds. These are very common among the animals of the Peruvian Altiplano. We recommend this other curious post about the difference between flame and alpaca.
- Within the group of mammals we also find La Taruka, the gray deer, the Andean chirquincho, The mountain vizcachasthe highland chinchilla, the zorrhin or mockery and predators, such as the Andean cat, The Andean Puma and the Andean fox.
- Among the bird species can be seen The Andean flamencothe Huayata, the hummingbird, the cornuda foch, the รandรบ, the Puna Puna, the Condor, the Puno Jilguero, the Paolmita Aimarรก and others.
- Regarding fish is The Suche or Mauri The most representative, but there are also many species of the genus oesty.
- And finally, smaller animals are also present, such as snakes, toads and frogs, lizards and a large number of species of insects.
If you want to read more articles similar to Puna: What is, characteristics, flora and faunawe recommend that you enter our category of ecosystems.
- Argentine ecosystem ecosystem and complexes, Edition: First, Chapter: 2, Publisher: Graphic Orientation Editora SRL, Editors: J. Morello, SD Matteucci, A. Rodriguez, M. Silvia, pp. 87-127