Pastoralism in Paramo Environments: Practices, Forage, and Impact on Vegetation in the Cordillera of Merida, Venezuela

Molinillo, Marcelo; Monasterio, Maximina

doi:10.2307/3673848

Cited by 31 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…In contrast, the exotic forb R. acetosella and the cushion A. pulvinata showed consistently higher cover outside the shrub. Interestingly, both species have been reported as indicators of páramo degradation by grazing (Molinillo and Monasterio 1997). Rumex acetosella has also been reported as a dominant ruderal species (sensu Grime 1977) in early successional fields after agricultural disturbance in the páramo (Sarmiento et al 2003).…”

Section: Plant Scalementioning

confidence: 99%

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Shrubs as foundation species in a high tropical alpine ecosystem: a multi-scale analysis of plant spatial interactions

Cáceres

Llambí

Rada

2014

Plant Ecology & Diversity

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Background: Studies on plant-plant interactions in alpine ecosystems show a strong bias for temperate vs. tropical latitudes and pay limited attention to the implications of biophysical heterogeneity beyond the local plant scale. Aims: To evaluate the effects of a dominant shrub (Hypericum laricifolium) on community organisation, integrating multiple scales of analysis, in a high Andean páramo in Venezuela. Methods: We compared plant cover, species richness and Shannon diversity between plots placed under the shrub and outside (plant scale); quantified the spatial relations of Hypericum with its conspecifics, heterospecifics and rocks at different radial distances, using covariance functions (patch scale); analysed the effects of Hypericum shrubs on total species richness in the community (site scale); and evaluated the consistency of our results among four sites within the same region (between-site scale). Results: Average species richness, Shannon diversity, and the abundance of common forbs and conspecific shrubs were consistently higher inside the Hypericum shrub, while the exotic Rumex acetosella was more abundant in open areas. However, the aggregated spatial distribution of conspecifics and other species extended beyond the local plant scale and there were no clear effects of Hypericum shrubs on community-level species richness. Conclusions: Shrubs can function as foundation species in tropical alpine environments, modifying local community structure and alpha diversity, but not necessarily the species richness of the overall community. Our results stress the need of analysing multiple spatial scales to interpret the role of plant-plant interactions (facilitation/competition) in heterogeneous alpine ecosystems.

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Section: Plant Scalementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Arenaria musciformis Wall.). Human disturbance in the area is mainly associated with very extensive cattle and horse grazing (Molinillo and Monasterio 1997). Fires are not a common practice in the Venezuelan páramos (Sarmiento and Llambí 2011) and are not a source of disturbance in these high páramos.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Shrubs as foundation species in a high tropical alpine ecosystem: a multi-scale analysis of plant spatial interactions

Cáceres

Llambí

Rada

2014

Plant Ecology & Diversity

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“…Though there are recent studies conducted in the Andes that use remote sensing to understand vegetation dynamics (Bradley and Millington 2006;Bustamante Becerra 2006;Millington and Jehangir 2000) and pastoralist societies (Alzérreca et al 2006;Molinillo and Monasterio 1997;, there are fewer studies examining LULCC of mountain pastoralism. Methodological problems related to the topography of mountainous landscapes, to the mobility of the pastoralists (i.e., transhumance or nomadism; BurnSilver et al 2003), or to the marginal importance of mountains within urban-oriented policies Sarmiento 2000) may partially explain the lack of research.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Change and Continuity in a Pastoralist Community in the High Peruvian Andes

2008

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“…A pesar de las difíciles condiciones ambientales, como son las bajas temperaturas y la alta humedad, la presencia humana en la alta montaña tropical andina se remonta a cientos de años atrás (Ellenberg 1979, Molinillo & Monasterio 1997, Sarmiento 2000, y desde entonces se ha dado una constante transformación en los ecosistemas. Uno de los principales usos de la tierra y causa de destrucción de los ecosistemas de alta montaña, como son los páramos, han sido las actividades agrícolas y la creación de pastizales para la crianza de ganado (Molinillo & Monasterio 1997, 2002, Vargas et al 2002.…”

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“…Uno de los principales usos de la tierra y causa de destrucción de los ecosistemas de alta montaña, como son los páramos, han sido las actividades agrícolas y la creación de pastizales para la crianza de ganado (Molinillo & Monasterio 1997, 2002, Vargas et al 2002. Estas actividades productivas, se acompañan de prácticas como la quema de la vegetación antes de la siembra o de la introducción del ganado, lo que ha generado un régimen de disturbios responsables de la transformación de la vegetación a parches con diferentes grados de alteración.…”

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Reubicación de plantas de <i>Espeletia grandiflora</i> (Asteraceae) como estrategia para el enriquecimiento de áreas de páramo alteradas (PNN Chingaza, Colombia)

Rojas-Zamora

Insuasty-Torres

Cárdenas

et al. 2013

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Reubicación de plantas deAbstract: Relocation of Espeletia grandiflora (Asteraceae) plants as a strategy for enrichment of disturbed paramo areas (PNN Chingaza, Colombia). Ecological restoration of the Andean paramos faces several ecological barriers mainly at the phase of dispersal and establishment of native species. With the aim to contribute to the enrichment of degraded areas, different strategies have to be developed to overcome those barriers. In this work we studied the response of individuals of Espeletia grandiflora (Asteraceae) to the relocation as a strategy for ecological restoration programs. We also evaluated the effect of size of relocated individuals on their survival and development. The work was carried out in an experimental plot at 3 424m altitude in the sector "Lagunas de Siecha" of Chingaza National Park, Colombia. We relocated 200 plants that belonged to three different size classes: 5, 10 and 15cm of initial height. The following variables were registered: survival, plant height, number of living leaves and stem diameter of each individual. We also evaluated the differences between individuals in survival and development. In terms of survival the most efficient size classes corresponded to 15cm high; the survival was 85% after two years. The relative growth rates for height and stem diameter decreases with the increase in size, but the absolute increase in height did not show significant differences between the three sizes tested. Since the stem diameter was found the strongest survival predictor after two years of relocation activities, we suggest its use as a criterion for selection of relocation individuals. The relocation of individuals of E. grandiflora had a positive side effect, carrying other species that may contribute to the enrichment and restoration of degraded areas. Among these, we found species of the genus Hypericum, as well as Arcytophyllum nitidum and Calamagrostis effusa, which should be evaluated in terms of survival and development for the subsequent implementation of the relocation strategy. In this study we verified the successful relocation of individuals of E. grandiflora as a strategy for enrichment of paramos, and provided values of survival and growth, which should be useful for planning and predicting with greater certainty the success of restoration programs in the paramo.

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Pastoralism in Paramo Environments: Practices, Forage, and Impact on Vegetation in the Cordillera of Merida, Venezuela

Cited by 31 publications

References 27 publications

Shrubs as foundation species in a high tropical alpine ecosystem: a multi-scale analysis of plant spatial interactions

Shrubs as foundation species in a high tropical alpine ecosystem: a multi-scale analysis of plant spatial interactions

Change and Continuity in a Pastoralist Community in the High Peruvian Andes

Reubicación de plantas de <i>Espeletia grandiflora</i> (Asteraceae) como estrategia para el enriquecimiento de áreas de páramo alteradas (PNN Chingaza, Colombia)

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