Plant Functional Type Diversity of High Andean Vegetation Across Biomes and Elevations
- Autores
- Llambí, Luis Daniel; Lencinas, María Vanessa; Carilla, Julieta; Meneses, Rosa Isela; Muriel, Priscilla; Sánchez, Maryam E.; Cuello, Soledad; Gámez, Luis E.; Jaramillo, Ricardo; Tovar, Carolina; Aguirre, Nikolay; Ayala, Emilia; Beck, Stephan; Benítez, Julieta; Bottan, Lucía; Cellini, Juan Manuel; Duchicela, Sisimac; Eguiguren, Paul; Ferrer, Francisco; Grau, Alfredo; Halloy, Stephan; Jácome, Jorge; Martinez Pastur, Guillermo José; Peri, Pablo Luis; Rodríguez‑Souilla, Julián; Salazar, Edison; Viñas, Paul; Yager, Karina; Cuesta, Francisco
- Año de publicación
- 2026
- Idioma
- inglés
- Tipo de recurso
- artículo
- Estado
- versión publicada
- Descripción
- Questions: Plant functional types (PFTs) represent distinct evolutionary solutions to environmental filtering. Although previous studies in specific sites/countries in the high Andes have examined changes in PFT structure along environmental gradients, a comprehensive analysis spanning the entire mountain range is lacking. We asked: (1) How do regional PFT pools and spectra vary among the Páramo, Puna and high Andean Patagonia biomes and across alpine to nival elevation belts? (2) Do PFT richness, diversity and abundance show consistent latitudinal and elevation trends, linked to climate and substrate conditions? Location: High Andes of South America. Methods: We developed a PFT classification system based on their general morphological plan, applicable across the entire latitudinal and elevational range of the high Andes. Using this framework, we classified 716 species/morphospecies into 14 PFTs and analysed PFT cover, spectra and diversity for 65 summits in 17 study sites within the GLORIA-Andes network. Results: PFT richness and diversity declined with increasing latitude and elevation. At higher elevations, tussock graminoids decreased in relative cover, whereas shorter PFTs such as cushions, rosette herbs and prostrate shrubs became more important. When cover was weighted by PFT species richness, some groups including erect herbs in the Páramo and rosette herbs in the Puna increased their importance. Convergence in PFT composition and abundance was higher in alpine and subnival belts, whereas nival summits showed greater between-region heterogeneity. These patterns were linked to abiotic factors, with lower PFT richness and diversity associated with higher scree and rock cover and colder air temperatures, and with regional differences in precipitation seasonality. Conclusions: High Andean summits exhibit distinct PFT spectra across latitude and elevation. Functional diversity diminishes under more limiting conditions: higher elevations and further away from the equator, while short-stature, cold-tolerant PFTs gain relative importance. Erect shrubs and erect, rosette and prostrate herbs were the PFTs with the highest number of species, increasing their relative importance in most communities when weighting PFT cover by richness. This study provides a functional baseline for understanding and comparing community responses to climate change across the high Andes.
EEA Santa Cruz
Fil: Llambí, L.D. Universidad de Los Andes. Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Ecológicas; Venezuela.
Fil: Llambí, L.D. Consorcio para el Desarrollo Sostenible de la Ecorregión Andina (CONDESAN); Ecuador
Fil: Llambí, L.D. Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Ecología; Venezuela
Fil: Lencinas, María Vanessa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC); Argentina.
Fil: Carilla, Julieta. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina.
Fil: Carilla, Julieta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina.
Fil: Meneses, R. I. Universidad de Tarapacá. Millenium Nucleus in Andean Peatlands (AndesPeat); Chile
Fil: Meneses, R. I. Universidad Católica del Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones Arqueológicas y Museo; Chile.
Fil: Muriel, P. Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas Laboratorio de Ecofisiología; Ecuador.
Fil: Sánchez, Maryam E. Universidad de Los Andes. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Ambientales. Instituto de Investigaciones Para el Desarrollo Forestal; Venezuela
Fil: Cuello, Soledad. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Bioprospección y Fisiología Vegetal; Argentina
Fil: Cuello, Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Bioprospección y Fisiología Vegetal; Argentina
Fil: Gámez, Luis E. Universidad de Los Andes. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Ambientales. Laboratorio de Dendrología; Venezuela
Fil: Jaramillo, Ricardo. Michigan Technological University. College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science; Estados Unidos
Fil: Tovar, C. Royal Botanical Gardens Kew. Jodrell Laboratory; Reino Unido
Fil: Aguirre, N. Universidad Nacional de Loja. Carrera de Ingeniería Forestal. Centro de Investigaciones Tropicales del Ambiente y Biodiversidad (CITAB); Ecuador.
Fil: Ayala, Emilia. Universidad San Francisco de Quito. Decanato de Investigación y Creatividad – Global Research and Solutions Center; Ecuador
Fil: Beck, Stephan. Universidad Mayor de San Andrés. Instituto de Ecología. Herbario Nacional de Bolivia; Bolivia
Fil: Benítez, Julieta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC); Argentina.
Fil: Bottan, Lucía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC); Argentina.
Fil: Cellini, Juan Manuel. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales; Argentina.
Fil: Duchicela, Sisimac. University of Colorado. Department of Geography and Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research; Estados Unidos
Fil: Eguiguren, Paul. Universidad Nacional de Loja. Carrera de Ingeniería Forestal. Centro de Investigaciones Tropicales del Ambiente y Biodiversidad (CITAB); Ecuador.
Fil: Ferrer, Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigación y Transferencia de Santa Cruz; Argentina
Fil: Grau, A. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina.
Fil: Grau, A. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina.
Fil: Grau, A. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; Argentina.
Fil: Halloy, Stephan. Ministry for Primary Industries. Biosecurity New Zealand; Nueva Zelandia
Fil: Jácome, Jorge. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. Departamento de Biología. Unidad de Ecología y Sistemática; Colombia
Fil: Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC); Argentina.
Fil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz; Argentina.
Fil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina.
Fil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral; Argentina.
Fil: Rodríguez‑Souilla, Julián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC); Argentina
Fil: Salazar, Edison. Universidad San Francisco de Quito. Decanato de Investigación y Creatividad – Global Research and Solutions Center; Ecuador
Fil: Viñas, Paul. Independent Researcher; Perú
Fil: Yager, Karina. Stony Brook University. School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences; Estados Unidos
Fil: Cuesta, Francisco. Universidad San Francisco de Quito. Decanato de Investigación y Creatividad – Global Research and Solutions Center; Ecuador - Fuente
- Journal of Vegetation Science 37 (3) : e70159. (May/June 2026)
- Materia
-
Vegetación
Medio Ambiente
Biodiversidad
América del Sur
Vegetation
Environment
Biodiversity
South America
Región Andina
Biomas
Biomes - Nivel de accesibilidad
- acceso restringido
- Condiciones de uso
- http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
- Repositorio
.jpg)
- Institución
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria
- OAI Identificador
- oai:localhost:20.500.12123/26736
Ver los metadatos del registro completo
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Plant Functional Type Diversity of High Andean Vegetation Across Biomes and ElevationsLlambí, Luis DanielLencinas, María VanessaCarilla, JulietaMeneses, Rosa IselaMuriel, PriscillaSánchez, Maryam E.Cuello, SoledadGámez, Luis E.Jaramillo, RicardoTovar, CarolinaAguirre, NikolayAyala, EmiliaBeck, StephanBenítez, JulietaBottan, LucíaCellini, Juan ManuelDuchicela, SisimacEguiguren, PaulFerrer, FranciscoGrau, AlfredoHalloy, StephanJácome, JorgeMartinez Pastur, Guillermo JoséPeri, Pablo LuisRodríguez‑Souilla, JuliánSalazar, EdisonViñas, PaulYager, KarinaCuesta, FranciscoVegetaciónMedio AmbienteBiodiversidadAmérica del SurVegetationEnvironmentBiodiversitySouth AmericaRegión AndinaBiomasBiomesQuestions: Plant functional types (PFTs) represent distinct evolutionary solutions to environmental filtering. Although previous studies in specific sites/countries in the high Andes have examined changes in PFT structure along environmental gradients, a comprehensive analysis spanning the entire mountain range is lacking. We asked: (1) How do regional PFT pools and spectra vary among the Páramo, Puna and high Andean Patagonia biomes and across alpine to nival elevation belts? (2) Do PFT richness, diversity and abundance show consistent latitudinal and elevation trends, linked to climate and substrate conditions? Location: High Andes of South America. Methods: We developed a PFT classification system based on their general morphological plan, applicable across the entire latitudinal and elevational range of the high Andes. Using this framework, we classified 716 species/morphospecies into 14 PFTs and analysed PFT cover, spectra and diversity for 65 summits in 17 study sites within the GLORIA-Andes network. Results: PFT richness and diversity declined with increasing latitude and elevation. At higher elevations, tussock graminoids decreased in relative cover, whereas shorter PFTs such as cushions, rosette herbs and prostrate shrubs became more important. When cover was weighted by PFT species richness, some groups including erect herbs in the Páramo and rosette herbs in the Puna increased their importance. Convergence in PFT composition and abundance was higher in alpine and subnival belts, whereas nival summits showed greater between-region heterogeneity. These patterns were linked to abiotic factors, with lower PFT richness and diversity associated with higher scree and rock cover and colder air temperatures, and with regional differences in precipitation seasonality. Conclusions: High Andean summits exhibit distinct PFT spectra across latitude and elevation. Functional diversity diminishes under more limiting conditions: higher elevations and further away from the equator, while short-stature, cold-tolerant PFTs gain relative importance. Erect shrubs and erect, rosette and prostrate herbs were the PFTs with the highest number of species, increasing their relative importance in most communities when weighting PFT cover by richness. This study provides a functional baseline for understanding and comparing community responses to climate change across the high Andes.EEA Santa CruzFil: Llambí, L.D. Universidad de Los Andes. Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Ecológicas; Venezuela.Fil: Llambí, L.D. Consorcio para el Desarrollo Sostenible de la Ecorregión Andina (CONDESAN); EcuadorFil: Llambí, L.D. Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Ecología; VenezuelaFil: Lencinas, María Vanessa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC); Argentina.Fil: Carilla, Julieta. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina.Fil: Carilla, Julieta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina.Fil: Meneses, R. I. Universidad de Tarapacá. Millenium Nucleus in Andean Peatlands (AndesPeat); ChileFil: Meneses, R. I. Universidad Católica del Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones Arqueológicas y Museo; Chile.Fil: Muriel, P. Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas Laboratorio de Ecofisiología; Ecuador.Fil: Sánchez, Maryam E. Universidad de Los Andes. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Ambientales. Instituto de Investigaciones Para el Desarrollo Forestal; VenezuelaFil: Cuello, Soledad. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Bioprospección y Fisiología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Cuello, Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Bioprospección y Fisiología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Gámez, Luis E. Universidad de Los Andes. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Ambientales. Laboratorio de Dendrología; VenezuelaFil: Jaramillo, Ricardo. Michigan Technological University. College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science; Estados UnidosFil: Tovar, C. Royal Botanical Gardens Kew. Jodrell Laboratory; Reino UnidoFil: Aguirre, N. Universidad Nacional de Loja. Carrera de Ingeniería Forestal. Centro de Investigaciones Tropicales del Ambiente y Biodiversidad (CITAB); Ecuador.Fil: Ayala, Emilia. Universidad San Francisco de Quito. Decanato de Investigación y Creatividad – Global Research and Solutions Center; EcuadorFil: Beck, Stephan. Universidad Mayor de San Andrés. Instituto de Ecología. Herbario Nacional de Bolivia; BoliviaFil: Benítez, Julieta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC); Argentina.Fil: Bottan, Lucía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC); Argentina.Fil: Cellini, Juan Manuel. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales; Argentina.Fil: Duchicela, Sisimac. University of Colorado. Department of Geography and Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research; Estados UnidosFil: Eguiguren, Paul. Universidad Nacional de Loja. Carrera de Ingeniería Forestal. Centro de Investigaciones Tropicales del Ambiente y Biodiversidad (CITAB); Ecuador.Fil: Ferrer, Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigación y Transferencia de Santa Cruz; ArgentinaFil: Grau, A. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina.Fil: Grau, A. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina.Fil: Grau, A. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; Argentina.Fil: Halloy, Stephan. Ministry for Primary Industries. Biosecurity New Zealand; Nueva ZelandiaFil: Jácome, Jorge. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. Departamento de Biología. Unidad de Ecología y Sistemática; ColombiaFil: Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC); Argentina.Fil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz; Argentina.Fil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina.Fil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral; Argentina.Fil: Rodríguez‑Souilla, Julián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC); ArgentinaFil: Salazar, Edison. Universidad San Francisco de Quito. Decanato de Investigación y Creatividad – Global Research and Solutions Center; EcuadorFil: Viñas, Paul. Independent Researcher; PerúFil: Yager, Karina. Stony Brook University. School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences; Estados UnidosFil: Cuesta, Francisco. Universidad San Francisco de Quito. Decanato de Investigación y Creatividad – Global Research and Solutions Center; EcuadorWiley2026-06-23T11:12:41Z2026-06-23T11:12:41Z2026-06info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/26736https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvs.701591100-92331654-1103https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.70159Journal of Vegetation Science 37 (3) : e70159. 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| dc.title.none.fl_str_mv |
Plant Functional Type Diversity of High Andean Vegetation Across Biomes and Elevations |
| title |
Plant Functional Type Diversity of High Andean Vegetation Across Biomes and Elevations |
| spellingShingle |
Plant Functional Type Diversity of High Andean Vegetation Across Biomes and Elevations Llambí, Luis Daniel Vegetación Medio Ambiente Biodiversidad América del Sur Vegetation Environment Biodiversity South America Región Andina Biomas Biomes |
| title_short |
Plant Functional Type Diversity of High Andean Vegetation Across Biomes and Elevations |
| title_full |
Plant Functional Type Diversity of High Andean Vegetation Across Biomes and Elevations |
| title_fullStr |
Plant Functional Type Diversity of High Andean Vegetation Across Biomes and Elevations |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Plant Functional Type Diversity of High Andean Vegetation Across Biomes and Elevations |
| title_sort |
Plant Functional Type Diversity of High Andean Vegetation Across Biomes and Elevations |
| dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv |
Llambí, Luis Daniel Lencinas, María Vanessa Carilla, Julieta Meneses, Rosa Isela Muriel, Priscilla Sánchez, Maryam E. Cuello, Soledad Gámez, Luis E. Jaramillo, Ricardo Tovar, Carolina Aguirre, Nikolay Ayala, Emilia Beck, Stephan Benítez, Julieta Bottan, Lucía Cellini, Juan Manuel Duchicela, Sisimac Eguiguren, Paul Ferrer, Francisco Grau, Alfredo Halloy, Stephan Jácome, Jorge Martinez Pastur, Guillermo José Peri, Pablo Luis Rodríguez‑Souilla, Julián Salazar, Edison Viñas, Paul Yager, Karina Cuesta, Francisco |
| author |
Llambí, Luis Daniel |
| author_facet |
Llambí, Luis Daniel Lencinas, María Vanessa Carilla, Julieta Meneses, Rosa Isela Muriel, Priscilla Sánchez, Maryam E. Cuello, Soledad Gámez, Luis E. Jaramillo, Ricardo Tovar, Carolina Aguirre, Nikolay Ayala, Emilia Beck, Stephan Benítez, Julieta Bottan, Lucía Cellini, Juan Manuel Duchicela, Sisimac Eguiguren, Paul Ferrer, Francisco Grau, Alfredo Halloy, Stephan Jácome, Jorge Martinez Pastur, Guillermo José Peri, Pablo Luis Rodríguez‑Souilla, Julián Salazar, Edison Viñas, Paul Yager, Karina Cuesta, Francisco |
| author_role |
author |
| author2 |
Lencinas, María Vanessa Carilla, Julieta Meneses, Rosa Isela Muriel, Priscilla Sánchez, Maryam E. Cuello, Soledad Gámez, Luis E. Jaramillo, Ricardo Tovar, Carolina Aguirre, Nikolay Ayala, Emilia Beck, Stephan Benítez, Julieta Bottan, Lucía Cellini, Juan Manuel Duchicela, Sisimac Eguiguren, Paul Ferrer, Francisco Grau, Alfredo Halloy, Stephan Jácome, Jorge Martinez Pastur, Guillermo José Peri, Pablo Luis Rodríguez‑Souilla, Julián Salazar, Edison Viñas, Paul Yager, Karina Cuesta, Francisco |
| author2_role |
author author author author author author author author author author author author author author author author author author author author author author author author author author author author |
| dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv |
Vegetación Medio Ambiente Biodiversidad América del Sur Vegetation Environment Biodiversity South America Región Andina Biomas Biomes |
| topic |
Vegetación Medio Ambiente Biodiversidad América del Sur Vegetation Environment Biodiversity South America Región Andina Biomas Biomes |
| dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv |
Questions: Plant functional types (PFTs) represent distinct evolutionary solutions to environmental filtering. Although previous studies in specific sites/countries in the high Andes have examined changes in PFT structure along environmental gradients, a comprehensive analysis spanning the entire mountain range is lacking. We asked: (1) How do regional PFT pools and spectra vary among the Páramo, Puna and high Andean Patagonia biomes and across alpine to nival elevation belts? (2) Do PFT richness, diversity and abundance show consistent latitudinal and elevation trends, linked to climate and substrate conditions? Location: High Andes of South America. Methods: We developed a PFT classification system based on their general morphological plan, applicable across the entire latitudinal and elevational range of the high Andes. Using this framework, we classified 716 species/morphospecies into 14 PFTs and analysed PFT cover, spectra and diversity for 65 summits in 17 study sites within the GLORIA-Andes network. Results: PFT richness and diversity declined with increasing latitude and elevation. At higher elevations, tussock graminoids decreased in relative cover, whereas shorter PFTs such as cushions, rosette herbs and prostrate shrubs became more important. When cover was weighted by PFT species richness, some groups including erect herbs in the Páramo and rosette herbs in the Puna increased their importance. Convergence in PFT composition and abundance was higher in alpine and subnival belts, whereas nival summits showed greater between-region heterogeneity. These patterns were linked to abiotic factors, with lower PFT richness and diversity associated with higher scree and rock cover and colder air temperatures, and with regional differences in precipitation seasonality. Conclusions: High Andean summits exhibit distinct PFT spectra across latitude and elevation. Functional diversity diminishes under more limiting conditions: higher elevations and further away from the equator, while short-stature, cold-tolerant PFTs gain relative importance. Erect shrubs and erect, rosette and prostrate herbs were the PFTs with the highest number of species, increasing their relative importance in most communities when weighting PFT cover by richness. This study provides a functional baseline for understanding and comparing community responses to climate change across the high Andes. EEA Santa Cruz Fil: Llambí, L.D. Universidad de Los Andes. Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Ecológicas; Venezuela. Fil: Llambí, L.D. Consorcio para el Desarrollo Sostenible de la Ecorregión Andina (CONDESAN); Ecuador Fil: Llambí, L.D. Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Ecología; Venezuela Fil: Lencinas, María Vanessa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC); Argentina. Fil: Carilla, Julieta. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina. Fil: Carilla, Julieta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina. Fil: Meneses, R. I. Universidad de Tarapacá. Millenium Nucleus in Andean Peatlands (AndesPeat); Chile Fil: Meneses, R. I. Universidad Católica del Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones Arqueológicas y Museo; Chile. Fil: Muriel, P. Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas Laboratorio de Ecofisiología; Ecuador. Fil: Sánchez, Maryam E. Universidad de Los Andes. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Ambientales. Instituto de Investigaciones Para el Desarrollo Forestal; Venezuela Fil: Cuello, Soledad. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Bioprospección y Fisiología Vegetal; Argentina Fil: Cuello, Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Bioprospección y Fisiología Vegetal; Argentina Fil: Gámez, Luis E. Universidad de Los Andes. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Ambientales. Laboratorio de Dendrología; Venezuela Fil: Jaramillo, Ricardo. Michigan Technological University. College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science; Estados Unidos Fil: Tovar, C. Royal Botanical Gardens Kew. Jodrell Laboratory; Reino Unido Fil: Aguirre, N. Universidad Nacional de Loja. Carrera de Ingeniería Forestal. Centro de Investigaciones Tropicales del Ambiente y Biodiversidad (CITAB); Ecuador. Fil: Ayala, Emilia. Universidad San Francisco de Quito. Decanato de Investigación y Creatividad – Global Research and Solutions Center; Ecuador Fil: Beck, Stephan. Universidad Mayor de San Andrés. Instituto de Ecología. Herbario Nacional de Bolivia; Bolivia Fil: Benítez, Julieta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC); Argentina. Fil: Bottan, Lucía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC); Argentina. Fil: Cellini, Juan Manuel. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales; Argentina. Fil: Duchicela, Sisimac. University of Colorado. Department of Geography and Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research; Estados Unidos Fil: Eguiguren, Paul. Universidad Nacional de Loja. Carrera de Ingeniería Forestal. Centro de Investigaciones Tropicales del Ambiente y Biodiversidad (CITAB); Ecuador. Fil: Ferrer, Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigación y Transferencia de Santa Cruz; Argentina Fil: Grau, A. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina. Fil: Grau, A. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina. Fil: Grau, A. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; Argentina. Fil: Halloy, Stephan. Ministry for Primary Industries. Biosecurity New Zealand; Nueva Zelandia Fil: Jácome, Jorge. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. Departamento de Biología. Unidad de Ecología y Sistemática; Colombia Fil: Martínez Pastur, Guillermo José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC); Argentina. Fil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz; Argentina. Fil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Fil: Peri, Pablo Luis. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral; Argentina. Fil: Rodríguez‑Souilla, Julián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC); Argentina Fil: Salazar, Edison. Universidad San Francisco de Quito. Decanato de Investigación y Creatividad – Global Research and Solutions Center; Ecuador Fil: Viñas, Paul. Independent Researcher; Perú Fil: Yager, Karina. Stony Brook University. School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences; Estados Unidos Fil: Cuesta, Francisco. Universidad San Francisco de Quito. Decanato de Investigación y Creatividad – Global Research and Solutions Center; Ecuador |
| description |
Questions: Plant functional types (PFTs) represent distinct evolutionary solutions to environmental filtering. Although previous studies in specific sites/countries in the high Andes have examined changes in PFT structure along environmental gradients, a comprehensive analysis spanning the entire mountain range is lacking. We asked: (1) How do regional PFT pools and spectra vary among the Páramo, Puna and high Andean Patagonia biomes and across alpine to nival elevation belts? (2) Do PFT richness, diversity and abundance show consistent latitudinal and elevation trends, linked to climate and substrate conditions? Location: High Andes of South America. Methods: We developed a PFT classification system based on their general morphological plan, applicable across the entire latitudinal and elevational range of the high Andes. Using this framework, we classified 716 species/morphospecies into 14 PFTs and analysed PFT cover, spectra and diversity for 65 summits in 17 study sites within the GLORIA-Andes network. Results: PFT richness and diversity declined with increasing latitude and elevation. At higher elevations, tussock graminoids decreased in relative cover, whereas shorter PFTs such as cushions, rosette herbs and prostrate shrubs became more important. When cover was weighted by PFT species richness, some groups including erect herbs in the Páramo and rosette herbs in the Puna increased their importance. Convergence in PFT composition and abundance was higher in alpine and subnival belts, whereas nival summits showed greater between-region heterogeneity. These patterns were linked to abiotic factors, with lower PFT richness and diversity associated with higher scree and rock cover and colder air temperatures, and with regional differences in precipitation seasonality. Conclusions: High Andean summits exhibit distinct PFT spectra across latitude and elevation. Functional diversity diminishes under more limiting conditions: higher elevations and further away from the equator, while short-stature, cold-tolerant PFTs gain relative importance. Erect shrubs and erect, rosette and prostrate herbs were the PFTs with the highest number of species, increasing their relative importance in most communities when weighting PFT cover by richness. This study provides a functional baseline for understanding and comparing community responses to climate change across the high Andes. |
| publishDate |
2026 |
| dc.date.none.fl_str_mv |
2026-06-23T11:12:41Z 2026-06-23T11:12:41Z 2026-06 |
| dc.type.none.fl_str_mv |
info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501 info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo |
| format |
article |
| status_str |
publishedVersion |
| dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv |
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/26736 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvs.70159 1100-9233 1654-1103 https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.70159 |
| url |
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/26736 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvs.70159 https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.70159 |
| identifier_str_mv |
1100-9233 1654-1103 |
| dc.language.none.fl_str_mv |
eng |
| language |
eng |
| dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) |
| eu_rights_str_mv |
restrictedAccess |
| rights_invalid_str_mv |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) |
| dc.format.none.fl_str_mv |
application/pdf |
| dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv |
Wiley |
| publisher.none.fl_str_mv |
Wiley |
| dc.source.none.fl_str_mv |
Journal of Vegetation Science 37 (3) : e70159. (May/June 2026) reponame:INTA Digital (INTA) instname:Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria |
| reponame_str |
INTA Digital (INTA) |
| collection |
INTA Digital (INTA) |
| instname_str |
Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria |
| repository.name.fl_str_mv |
INTA Digital (INTA) - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria |
| repository.mail.fl_str_mv |
tripaldi.nicolas@inta.gob.ar |
| _version_ |
1877227348510638080 |
| score |
12.754232 |