University of Amsterdam (NL) - Páramo vegetation research, Western Andean Cordillera

Study Extent

The study was done in the paramo of the volcanoes of Cumbal, Chiles, Azufral and Galeras. For the Tatama area, it includes the paramo located on the upper part of the Tatama massif (4100m) which is placed in the central part of the western cordillera. It includes the Tatama Cerro, El Encanato, Las Brisas, Las Mirlas, Don Pepe, Valle de los Lagos, Pantano rojo and San Francisco. The area is part of the National Natural Park Tatamá. The vegetation study in the Cauca province, had a focus in the Cerro Plateado in the municipality of Argelia. Particularly in the high watershed of the San Juan de Micay river which is Plateado river. The sampling campaigns for studies were done between 1977 and 1992.

Sampling

The vegetation sampling was done by the relevé method following the Braun-Blanquet principles. The relevé is a list of the plants in a delimited plot of vegetation, with information on species cover and on substrate and other abiotic features in the plot to make as complete as possible description in terms of community composition. Different releves were done at different altitudes in the Paramo.
The community vegetation releve data were converted into species occurrence data.

Quality Control

The data stored in TurboVeg was checked to identify errors in the information or gaps needed to be filled. The two main fields identified to be checked/completed were the georeference data (including precision) and the validation of the taxonomy of each species. The georeference information still needs to be completed.

Method steps

1. Releve data was stored in the software TurboVeg and then exported into species occurrence data. The species list used in TurboVeg was checked by an expert to confirm the valid taxonomy (taking into account taxonomy changes, synonyms, etc)(Guido van Reenen, paramo species list). This list was cross-checked with The Plant List (http://www.theplantlist.org/), for the period July 2011 until February 2013 (during this time frame the names where the accepted). A big part of the records are still lacking a georeference with its precision estimation. Also the specific habitat indication needs to be done.

All plants identified to species level. Vegetation including phanerogams, bryophytes and lichens.

1. Plantae
   common name: Phanerogams rank: kingdom
2. Plantae
   common name: Bryophytes rank: kingdom
3. Fungi
   common name: Lichens rank: kingdom

The western cordillera starts at Nudo de los Pastos (Nariño) and it goes along the Pacific coast and ends up splitting at three small mountains called from west to east Abibe, San Jerónimo, and Ayapel (Antioquia). It is the shortest cordillera and the second in extension with 1095 km, the surface covers 76000 km2. The highest point is found in the south of the mountain range at Cumbal Volcano that reaches 4764 meters above sea level. At west, it delimits with the Pacific plain and at east with the valley of Cauca River. The data was collected in the municipalities of Nariño, Cauca, Risaralda and Choco. the It includes the Tatama-Frontino complex as well as the volcanos of Chiles, Cumbal and Galeras. The altitudinal range of the data varies from 2860 m.a.s.l. up to 4100 m.a.s.l.