Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Human impact on tropical-alpine plant diversity in the northern Andes. / Vasquez, Diana L. A.; Balslev, Henrik; Sklenar, Petr.
In: Biodiversity and Conservation, Vol. 24, No. 11, 10.2015, p. 2673-2683.Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Human impact on tropical-alpine plant diversity in the northern Andes
AU - Vasquez, Diana L. A.
AU - Balslev, Henrik
AU - Sklenar, Petr
PY - 2015/10
Y1 - 2015/10
N2 - Conserving paramo diversity and ecosystem services in the northern Andes is urgent, and understanding factors that control vegetation changes is therefore crucial. Although anthropogenic activities have been common in the Andean highlands for centuries, the role of human influence in shaping paramo vegetation remains unclear. To assess the relative importance of human disturbance associated with cattle farming and cultivation for plant species diversity and composition, we analyzed variables driven by both natural and human impact in the Santurban paramo, Colombia. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that the main gradient in plant species composition is related to the gradient of human impact. Partial CCA showed that the pure effect of the variables driven by human impact on floristic composition is twice the size of the pure effect of the variables driven by natural impact. Forward selection procedure indicated that the impact of human disturbance on floristic composition is determined by the level of accessibility. Vegetation patterns are driven by a complex set of elevation-related environmental factors, and human disturbance plays a primary role. Strict protection should be granted to remote and upper sites of the paramo. Restriction of fire and agriculture along steep slopes may counteract negative effects of human disturbance on plant species diversity.
AB - Conserving paramo diversity and ecosystem services in the northern Andes is urgent, and understanding factors that control vegetation changes is therefore crucial. Although anthropogenic activities have been common in the Andean highlands for centuries, the role of human influence in shaping paramo vegetation remains unclear. To assess the relative importance of human disturbance associated with cattle farming and cultivation for plant species diversity and composition, we analyzed variables driven by both natural and human impact in the Santurban paramo, Colombia. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that the main gradient in plant species composition is related to the gradient of human impact. Partial CCA showed that the pure effect of the variables driven by human impact on floristic composition is twice the size of the pure effect of the variables driven by natural impact. Forward selection procedure indicated that the impact of human disturbance on floristic composition is determined by the level of accessibility. Vegetation patterns are driven by a complex set of elevation-related environmental factors, and human disturbance plays a primary role. Strict protection should be granted to remote and upper sites of the paramo. Restriction of fire and agriculture along steep slopes may counteract negative effects of human disturbance on plant species diversity.
KW - Conservation
KW - Floristic composition
KW - Human disturbance
KW - Paramo
KW - Santurban
KW - Species richness
KW - SOUTHERN ECUADOR
KW - PARAMO VEGETATION
KW - SOIL PROPERTIES
KW - GRADIENT
U2 - 10.1007/s10531-015-0954-0
DO - 10.1007/s10531-015-0954-0
M3 - Journal article
VL - 24
SP - 2673
EP - 2683
JO - Biodiversity and Conservation
JF - Biodiversity and Conservation
SN - 0960-3115
IS - 11
ER -