Paramo

Paramo is a high-altitude, tropical alpine ecosystem found in the northern Andes. It occupies the zone above the forest line and below the permanent snow or ice limits, typically at elevations around 3,000 to 4,500 meters, depending on latitude. The term is used mainly for the Andean region, where this mosaic of grasslands, shrubs, and peatlands occurs across countries such as Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru.

Climate and vegetation in the páramo are cool and very humid, with frequent mists, high diurnal temperature variation, and substantial precipitation. Soils are often organic-rich and peat-forming, and the landscape supports a community of tussock grasses, cushion plants, and hardy shrubs. The páramo is especially associated with frailejóns (Espeletia), a group of large rosette plants that characterizes many northern Andean páramos. The vegetation facilitates water storage and slow release, contributing to regional hydrology.

Ecology and importance: páramos host a high level of endemism and specialized adaptations to cold, UV, and moisture. They function as watershed ecosystems, capturing and regulating water for lower-lying valleys and communities downstream, particularly during dry periods. The landscape also supports a range of birds, small mammals, amphibians, and invertebrates adapted to its cool, misty environment.

Threats and conservation: key pressures include climate change, which shifts habitat upslope and compresses suitable area; overgrazing, burning, mining, and land conversion; infrastructure development can fragment habitats. Many páramos lie within protected areas or reserves, and conservation efforts focus on protecting hydrological function, biodiversity, and carbon storage through management, restoration, and sustainable use plans.