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growing population, construction of new roads, and mining activities are all acting as hindrances to the conservation of the ecosystem. Luckily, awareness is being raised about the problem, and steps are being taken to help improve its preservation. Currently range management programs are being introduced in many of the neighboring universities to research new ideas that implement little technology and can help restore the ecosystem. With the right management, the puna grasslands can rebound and support the growing populations of the surrounding areas. Ultimately however, it is up to the local individuals of the area to coordinate other ways they can receive income in ways that does not harm the land.
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alpine herbs with dwarf shrubs. Within the dry puna are salt flats, high plateaus, snow-covered peaks and volcanoes. Dry puna is distinguished from the other types of puna by its diminished annual rainfall. The dry puna has an 8-month long dry season and receives less than 400 mm of rainfall each year. The region lies at an elevation of 3500–5000 m above sea level. The dry puna is oligothermic as well. The average temperatures in this ecoregion range from 8 to 11 degrees
Celsius and are lowest in the south. As a result of the elevation, varied temperatures and lack of rainfall, the
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29:
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ecosystem. Fire often accompanies grazing as a management tool and is one of the main threats to the grasslands. The drier areas are being threatened with progression to desertification. Despite the fact that the puna grasslands experience heavy grazing, as an ecosystem it is highly resilient. In these areas of high grazing, successional species of grass and forbs grow back thick, thereby preserving the soil which means its potential to rebound is higher.
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5000 m) causes the area to have large temperature differences between night and day. The average annual temperature is low, ranging from 5 to 7 °C; with night frost periods from March to
October. Temperatures shift from characteristic summer highs in the day and drop to winter lows at night. This extreme temperature shift has caused selective adaptation to occur and many endemic plants such as the
577:, and llamas for wool and transport. Human habitation in the puna is widespread and tends to increase to the east, toward the moister areas. Native tubers and grains are cultivated over large areas of the central puna. The inhabitants of this region cultivate native tubers (potatoes and maca) along with non-native grains such as barley and native pseudocereals such as
242:, which is the highest navigable lake in the world, at an elevation of 3800 m (above sea level). The Suches and Tiwanacu rivers in Bolivia are the lakes tributaries. The areas in the north surrounding Lake Titicaca have eight wet months, and the areas in the south have one to two wet months. The average precipitation in this region ranges from 400 to 2000 mm.
44:
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dramatically shape the ecosystem through the conversion of much of the land to farming grounds and grazing areas. Due to the high demand for cooking and heating fuel among the residents of the area, much of the land is degraded. For example, trees of the polylepis genus used to be easily found throughout the ecosystem and now are scarce.
335:(Yareta) has been heavily harvested for fuel and medicinal use. The vegetation with the puna grassland displays complex patterns of spatial variation, despite the low cover and overall density. The puna belt which ranges from wet puna in the north of the Andes to dry puna to the southwestern Andes is composed mostly by
581:. Alpacas, vicuñas, llamas, and guanacos are raised for wool and, as a result, most of the entirety of the puna is under the effect of animal grazing. Cattle, horses, and donkeys are localized in the wet/humid puna while llama, sheep and alpaca can be raised in both the wet and drier areas of the puna.
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The grasslands are also influenced more locally by agriculture, mining, and waste disposal depending on the concentration of the population. There are two predominant forms of management of the puna grazing lands. The first is communal. In this form of management, the community controls the land and
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Bird populations in the puna ecosystem are surprisingly diverse for such a harsh and extreme environment. For example, the Lauca
National Park includes 148 species of birds, which represents about one third of the entire Chilean bird population. Many of these species are rare and attract visitors to
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There are several main rock unit formations in the Puna with distinct soil conditions that can be used to identify the main flora of each area. Up to 3000 m above the desert, the arid vegetation of the mountainous steppe is characterized by columnar cacti, arid shrubs and herbs. Vegetation located
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Puna soils are composed of an organic rich layer and a stony layer. The average soil profile is 33 cm deep. The puna ecosystem has a low diversity of bacteria in its soils. The rhizosphere of the grasses are dominated by the
Bacillas species, these organisms are composed of dormant cells that
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This ecoregion is a very dry, high elevation montane grassland of the southern high Andes. It extends into northern Chile and northwest
Argentina and east into western Bolivia occurring above 3500 m between the tree and permanent snow lines. The vegetation of the dry puna consists of tropical
962:
Ferrero, M.A., Menoyo, E., Lugo, M.A., Negritto, M.A., FarĂas, M.E., Anton, A.M., Siñeriz, F. “Molecular characterization and in situ detection of bacterial communities associated with rhizosphere soil of high altitude native
Poaceae from the Andean Puna region.” Journal of Arid Environments 74
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The most widespread influence on the grasslands is extensive grazing combined with the effects of fire. Grazing dries out the land, making it more susceptible to fire. Once a land has been exposed to fire, it makes it more likely to burn again, creating a feedback loop that leads to damage of the
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is a unique ecoregion with highly adapted flora and fauna. The southern region of the dry puna encompasses an even drier puna known as the desert puna. In the desert puna the average rainfall ranges from only 51–406 mm. The desert puna is dominated by the huge salt lakes and is known for the
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and degradation of the land. The second style of management is cooperative. This type of management originated from a movement that took land from large landholders and turned it over to council composed of workers. Agronomists and animal scientists see over the land and make sure the grazing is
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to northern
Bolivia. The wet puna shares its border on the west with the Sechura desert and the east with the wet Peruvian Yungas. The characteristically mountainous landscape contains high lakes, mountain valleys, snow-covered mountains, and plateaux. The high elevation of the wet puna (4200 to
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Though there are a significant number of problems in puna grasslands, mostly being attributed to overgrazing, there are measures being taken to improve the current situation. These impact measures are minimal however, since the ratio of protected areas to the rest of the ecosystem is minute. A
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Puna grasslands are being rapidly depleted by human activity, and as a result need much attention in the conservation realm. Numerous factors can lead to the cause of this destruction, but the preservation of it depends almost entirely on to what degree humans are populating the area. Humans
764:
Pulgar Vidal, Javier: GeografĂa del PerĂş; Las Ocho
Regiones Naturales del PerĂş. Edit. Universo S.A., Lima 1979. First Edition (his dissertation of 1940): Las ocho regiones naturales del PerĂş, BoletĂn del Museo de historia natural „Javier Prado“, n° especial, Lima, 1941, 17, pp.
925:; Fisher, Joshua B.; Meir, Patrick; Zimmermann, Michael; Dargie, Greta C.; Farfan, William R.; Garcia, Karina C. (2010). "Ecosystem Carbon Storage Across the Grassland–Forest Transition in the High Andes of Manu National Park, Peru".
987:
Kuentz, A., Gala´n de Mera, A., Ledru, M.P., and
Thouret, J.C. "Phytogeographical data and modern pollen rain of the puna belt in southern Peru (Nevado Coropuna, Western Cordillera)." Journal of Biogeography 34 (2007):
529:), which is similar to the ostrich found in the Old World, reaching up to one meter in height and 20 kg in weight. The puna also includes a great variety of aquatic species particularly at
488:, are found in the vast expanses of puna grasslands; however, many more birds are associated with the highland lakes and marshes that are found in the puna. The most common examples are the
271:(Bolivia, Peru) – With about 1000 mm of precipitation each year, it tends to be covered by grasses mixed with herbs, lichens, mosses, and ferns. Wet areas have sedges and rushes. The
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center their diversity in the wet puna. The ecoregion contains snow-capped peaks, glacial lakes, and several rivers that originate in the
Cordilleras. The biggest lake in the ecoregion is
975:
LAMBRINOS, J.G., KLEIER, C.C., and RUNDEL, P.W. "Plant community variation across a puna landscape in the Chilean Andes." Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 79(2006): 233-244
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enable them to survive in the extreme climatic conditions in the puna ecosystem. The dormant bacterial community of puna grasses is similar to those found in desert soils.
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The Puna: High Elevation Grassland of the Andes Brad Wilcox Rangelands, Vol. 6, No. 3 (Jun., 1984), pp. 99-101 Published by: Allen Press and Society for Range Management
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forests of 10,000 years ago were likely cleared by fire for agriculture and grazing. Many areas are farmed. It extends from north-central Peru, adjacent to the
299:(Northwest Argentina, Bolivia, Chile) – Mostly in the southern part of the Central Andes along the western cordillera of Bolivia. There is little agriculture.
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The puna flora is characterized by its unique assemblages of cushion and mat forming species. Many of these species, most notably the large
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between 3800 and 4000 m are sustained by brown andic soils on ash-fall deposits and includes many endemic plant species as
288:(Bolivia, Peru, Chile, Argentina) – Covering most of southern Peru, the region is dominated by shrublands and thickets of
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The puna is a diverse ecosystem that comprises varied ecoregions labeled wet/moist puna, dry puna and desert puna.
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located in northern Chile. The puna ecosystem has a great diversity of freshwater fish. Some of these include the
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This ecoregion is a high elevation, wet, montane grassland in the southern high Andes, occurring from northern
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Rundel, P. (2000). Preserving the Unique Puna Ecosystems of the Andean Altiplano. Bioone, 3, 262-271
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138:. The term puna encompasses diverse ecosystems of the high Central Andes above 3200–3400 m.
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scattered halophytes around and in the depressions. These salt lakes are home to the endemic
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above 4500–5000 m elevation. It extends from central Peru in the north, across the
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deer is shy and reserved. Also present are well-known rodent species, such as
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and alpine desert) of puna grassland (mountain tops and slopes, much colder).
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512:. The highland puna is a biome that encompasses relatively large reserves.
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Imperfect balance: landscape transformations in the Precolumbian Americas
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every member of that community grazes livestock. This generally leads to
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the area. One example of this rare avifauna is the giant flightless
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The World Wildlife fund defines three distinct puna sub-ecoregions:
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343:(daisy) family. Other representative grasses include species
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at 3200–3500 m elevation, and below the permanent
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Type of grassland in the central part of the high Andes
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383:. In the wettest area shrubby vegetation of families
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875:. New York: Columbia University Press. pp.
847:: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
573:. Alpacas, vicuñas, and guanacos are raised for
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395:dominate. The puna is generally drier than the
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549:(one of the rarest shorebirds in the world).
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837:. Archived from the original on 2006-10-07.
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399:montane grasslands of the northern Andes.
59:586,100 km (226,300 sq mi)
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217:Wet/moist puna (Central Andean wet puna)
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452:. Among carnivorous animals, there are
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420:Native mammals include (domesticated)
814:Temperate Grasslands of South America
472:. Relatively few birds, such as the
173:Other sources claim that it goes on
118:. It is considered one of the eight
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162:, and south along the spine of the
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246:Dry puna (Central Andean dry puna)
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1078:Montane grasslands and shrublands
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905:Terrestrial Ecoregions. One Earth
416:Grazing vicuñas in northern Chile
105:montane grasslands and shrublands
921:Gibbon, Adam; Silman, Miles R.;
561:People of this region cultivate
428:, and their wild relatives, the
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33:Puna grassland in the Chilean
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553:Human impact and conservation
321:Plateaus in the puna region,
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126:, but extends south, across
867:David L. Lentz, ed. (2000).
339:(Grasses) and shrubs of the
146:The puna is found above the
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158:plateau of Peru, Chile and
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779:"Central Andrean wet puna"
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110:, is found in the central
1055:"Central Andean dry puna"
1043:"Central Andean wet puna"
939:10.1007/s10021-010-9376-8
733:Climate zones by altitude
720:, scrubs and agriculture
607:Andean Continental Divide
547:diademed sandpiper-plover
510:diademed sandpiper-plover
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714:, scrubs and agriculture
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134:, and western northwest
1123:Grasslands of Argentina
1093:Ecoregions of Argentina
1083:Ecoregions of the Andes
834:Central Andean dry puna
374:Piplostephium tacorense
352:Calamagrostis vicunarum
297:Central Andean dry puna
269:Central Andean wet puna
253:Central Andean dry puna
1133:Neotropical ecoregions
1061:. World Wildlife Fund.
1059:Terrestrial Ecoregions
1049:. World Wildlife Fund.
1047:Terrestrial Ecoregions
1037:. World Wildlife Fund.
1035:Terrestrial Ecoregions
785:. World Wildlife Fund.
783:Terrestrial Ecoregions
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368:Hersodoma arequipensis
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1118:Grasslands of Bolivia
1103:Ecoregions of Bolivia
1031:"Central Andean puna"
901:"Central Andean Puna"
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358:Festuca dolichophylla
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103:, part of the Andean
738:Altitudinal zonation
1128:Grasslands of Chile
1098:Ecoregions of Chile
653:tropical rainforest
632:tropical rainforest
462:Andean mountain cat
355:("Crespillo"), and
286:Central Andean puna
1113:Grasslands of Peru
1108:Ecoregions of Peru
811:Andrea Michelson.
693:- Montane valleys
448:, and the montane
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963:(2010): 1177-1185
886:978-0-231-11157-7
831:Claudia Locklin.
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687:- Montane valleys
456:(mountain lion),
380:Opuntia corotilla
332:Azorella compacta
200:Cono de Arita in
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470:Spectacled bear
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591:overgrazing
468:, and some
460:, the rare
436:. The rare
346:Jarava ichu
1072:Categories
927:Ecosystems
749:References
658:Selva alta
637:Selva baja
545:, and the
535:giant coot
502:giant coot
466:Andean fox
458:Pampas cat
450:guinea pig
442:chinchilla
393:solanaceae
385:asteraceae
341:asteraceae
189:Ecoregions
183:permafrost
988:1762–1776
947:1432-9840
843:cite book
704:Tree line
699:Tree line
651:Highland
617:Eastside
506:puna teal
274:Polylepis
236:Polylepis
228:Culcitium
210:Argentina
179:snow line
168:Argentina
156:Altiplano
152:snow line
136:Argentina
101:ecoregion
86:Argentina
64:Countries
51:Geography
35:altiplano
765:145-161.
727:See also
630:Lowland
614:Westside
602:Overview
567:potatoes
389:fabaceae
323:Ayacucho
148:treeline
142:Location
691:Quechua
685:Quechua
434:guanaco
408:Mammals
337:poaceae
295:NT1001
292:shrubs.
284:NT1002
279:páramos
267:NT1003
232:Perezia
160:Bolivia
132:Bolivia
76:Bolivia
945:
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879:–294.
579:quinoa
563:barley
541:, the
537:, the
482:miners
438:Taruca
430:vicuña
426:alpaca
397:páramo
325:, Peru
234:, and
818:(PDF)
624:Chala
516:Birds
422:llama
403:Fauna
313:Flora
164:Andes
128:Chile
108:biome
81:Chile
943:ISSN
881:ISBN
849:link
718:Suni
712:Suni
575:wool
571:maca
569:and
508:and
484:and
454:puma
446:paca
432:and
424:and
391:and
377:and
290:tola
223:Peru
175:Suni
124:Peru
96:The
71:Peru
56:Area
935:doi
877:292
676:or
655:or
634:or
122:in
114:of
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