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Introduction to Research Topic 1:

Ecosystems in PáramosM.Sc. Camilo Lesmes

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What is a Paramo?

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Páramo in Colombia

• >50% of Paramos are in Colombia

• World Biggest Paramo: Sumapaz

• Countries with natural Paramos: Venezuela and Colombia

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Páramo Climatology

“Summer every day, winter every night”

• Temperature: 17ºC to -8 ºC

• Temperature decreases 0,6ºC / 100 m

• Precipitation: 700 to 6000 mm

• Humidity: >90%

• UV Index: Very high

• Atmospheric pressure: low

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Importance of the Páramo

Water:

• Continuos provision: 1400 mm (66,5 km³ / year

• Bogotá consumption: 27 m³ / second

Soils:• Storage of carbon• High content of organic matter (100 gr /kg)• 40% of C in wet locations• Soils up to 3 m depth

Biodiversity:• 5.000 plant species (60% endemic)• 120 mammals• 87 amphibians• 11 reptiles• 154 birds

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Environmental Problems

Economical Activities:

• 10% of soils are used for potato crops

• Burnings

• Livestock grazing

Tourism:

• Improve local economic development

• Intensification can interfere with the ecosystems

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Potential Risks Related to

Climate Change

Shifts in:

• Ecosystem boundaries

• Agricultural borders

• Soil hydraulic properties

Consequences:

• Biodiversity is affected

• Less production of water

• Releasing of CO2

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Research Questions

Reviewing the available information about paramos:

Which could be an appropiate approach for land use management that includes the protection of natural resources and improvement of the social and economic situations of the local communities?

What can be the role of the government, local authorities and communities, in the improvement of the protection of the paramos?

What are the important issues that should be considered by the scientific community in order to understand the changes in the paramo ecosystems because of the climate change?

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