University of Amsterdam (NL) - Páramo vegetation research, Santa Marta and Perijá, Colombia

Study Extent

In the SNSM the sampling sites on the north side included the Cerro Buritaca, Cuchilla Guine, Cuchilla La Cimarrona, La Cumbre. And on the south side San Sebatian de Rabago, Duriameina, Balcon de Bellavista and La Perdida lagoon. The floristic and structural characterization of the vegetation in the high mountians (paramo) of the Serrania de Perija included the localities of Cerro Pintao, El Avion-Casa de Vidrio, San Jose de Oriente, Sabana Rubia, Cerro Tres Tetas, Cuchilla Yipumo.

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 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). All the records are still lacking a georeference with its precision estimation. Also the specific habitat indication needs to be done. But there is a good indication of the locality in the remarks section of the data.

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

Santa Marta is a mountain range located in the north of Colombia (Magdalena province), which is isolated from the rest of the Andes. It is the highest seaboard mountain system of the world, and reaches 5775 meters above sea level and the distance from the Caribbean sea is only 42 km. The surface covers 17000 km2. The Perijá massif goes along the limit between Colombia and Venezuela (Norte de Santander, Cesar, and Guajira provinces). It covers a surface of 2952 km2, with a extension of 310km. The highest point is found at 3750 meters above sea level. The páramo and forest vegetation similarities with Santa Marta suggest a past corridor and biological flux between both mountain ranges.