The tropical high Andes experience greater daily temperature oscillations compared to seasonal ones as well as a high frequency of night frost occurrence year round. Survival of organisms, under such environmental conditions, has been determined by selective forces which have evolved into adaptations including avoidance or tolerance to freezing. These adaptations have been studied in diVerent species of trees, shrubs and perennial herbs in páramo ecosystems, while they have not been considered in grasses, an important family of the páramo. In order to understand survival of Poaceae, resistance mechanisms were determined. The study was performed along an altitudinal gradient (2,500-4,200 m a.s.l.) in the páramo. Supercooling capacity and frost injury temperature were determined in nine species in order to establish cold resistance mechanisms. Grasses registered a very low supercooling capacity along the altitudinal gradient, with ice formation between ¡6 and ¡3°C. On the other hand, frost injury temperature oscillated between ¡18 and ¡7°C. Our results suggest that grasses exhibit freezing tolerance as their main cold resistance mechanism. Since grasses grow at ground level, where greatest heat loss takes place, tolerance may be related to this life form as reported for other small life forms.

In Venezuelan paramos grasses, after Asteraceae, are the second family in numerical importance. We studied their distribution in an altitudinal gradient located in Venezuela, Sierra de La Culata, between 2,500 and 4,200 m of altitude. Twenty one 32 m parallel line transects every 50 m were placed along the gradient, perpendicular to the main slope. Each line was divided into contiguous 50 x 50 cm sampling units. Grass species occurrence inside each sample unit was considered to determine their frequency in each line or altitude. The peak and altitudinal amplitude was determined through the weighted averaging method. A total of 47 grass species were found along the gradient. Agrostis was the best-represented genus in the gradient. Considering the distribution ranges, we assume that there are different biotic and abiotic processes determining the distribution patterns. The species occurring at the highest altitudes were temperate elements, while those in the lowest areas were tropical and subtropical elements. Seven species in the gradient are endemic to the Venezuelan paramos. Grass distribution patterns in the paramo may be related to phytogeographical origin. In order to better understand the plant altitudinal distribution pattern is necessary to consider the plant responses to low temperatures, high incoming radiation, water stress and slope aspect.Key words: altitudinal patterns, phytogeography, Poaceae, South American Andes, tropical high mountain. RESUMENEn los páramos de Venezuela las gramíneas son la segunda familia numéricamente más importante, después de las Asteraceae. Nosotros estudiamos su distribución en un gradiente altitudinal ubicado en Venezuela, Sierra de La Culata, entre 2.500 y 4.200 m de altitud. Para esto colocamos 21 transectas de 32 m de longitud a lo largo del gradiente, ubicados de manera perpendicular a la pendiente, cada 50 m en altitud. Cada transecta estaba dividida en unidades de muestreo contiguas de 50 x 50 cm. Para estimar la frecuencia de las especies en cada transecta o altitud, consideramos la ocurrencia de las mismas dentro de cada una de las unidades de muestreo. Determinamos el óptimo y la amplitud altitudinal a través del método de los promedios ponderados. Encontramos un total de 47 especies de gramíneas distribuidas a lo largo del gradiente. Agrostis fue el género mejor representado. Teniendo en cuenta los intervalos de distribución, podemos asumir que hay diferentes procesos que determinan la distribución de las especies, pudiendo estos ser de origen biótico y abiótico. Las especies que ocurren a mayores altitudes correspondieron a elementos templados, mientras que aquellos que ocurren en áreas de menor altitud fueron elementos tropicales y subtropicales. Siete de las especies del gradiente son endémicas a los páramos de Venezuela. Los patrones de distribución de las gramíneas en el páramo, parecen estar relacionados con el origen fitogeográfico. Para entender mejor los determinantes de los patrones de distribución altitudinal es necesario considerar las relaci...