Azorella compacta: survival champions in extreme, high‐elevation environments

Abstract

Cushion plants are life forms with a hemispherical or mat‐like, prostrate canopy well adapted to the extreme conditions of cold regions that have appealed to scientists for their ability to cope with extreme environments in most mountains, arctic, and subantarctic regions of the world. They can buffer the effects of low temperature and drought and improve soil conditions, which makes them notable facilitator species. Living at the edge in the Atacama Desert is one such species, Azorella compacta (yareta or llareta), in the Apiaceae family that can reach much over 6 m (~20 ft) in diameter with a mat‐like shape that tends to hemispherical growth form. Azorella compacta can be found in the dry Puna system, which spreads from northern Chile and Argentina to southern Peru and western Bolivia, between 3800 and 5200 m elevation, making it one of the woody plant species occurring at highest elevations in the world. In this deserted edge of the Atacama, nutrient limitation adds to other stressors such as water scarcity and high UV radiation. A compact canopy and the fact that they are embedded in resin prevent beneficiary species from growing within the cushion and condition how senesced leaves decompose inside the canopy. They can reach 3000 yr old and have to deal with episodic disturbance and herbivory events. Plants in such environments may potentially act as microbial refuges, and it could be expected that bacterial endophytes and mycorrhizal fungi have a main role in the functioning of these survival champions.

Extraterrestrial nature reserves (ETNRs)

“…Surviving extreme high elevation (Atacama Desert), water scarcity, nutrient limitation, high UV flux, and reaching 3000 years old, compact cushion form allows decoupling of microclimate inside from surroundings (Pugnaire et al, 2020). Might be used on forest periphery.…”

The Subnival Vegetation of Moquegua, South Peru: Chasmophytes, Grasslands and Cushion Communities

“…The relevés were classified by means of TWINSPAN [57]. In Table 2 species constancies are given in percentage values.…”

Azorella compacta Organic Extracts Exacerbate Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet

“…Apiaceae ) is a native shrub that grows in the Andean region of the north part of Chile, south Peru, Bolivia and north Argentina at high altitudes (above 4000 mt above sea level) [ 1 ]. It is a cushion plant which presents green woody mounds, and it is able to survive in geographical conditions where very few other plants grow [ 2 ]. Known by the locals as “yareta”, Azorella compacta ( A. compacta ) is used in this part of the Andean Altiplano (highlands) as a medicinal plant for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, diabetes and renal and hepatic conditions, among others [ 3 ].…”