High mountain ecosystems are complex systems with a diversity of habitats that collectively form a highly unique landscape. The Andes mountain range has an extensive distribution in western South America and is characterized by low temperatures, large thermal amplitudes, frozen soils, and snow during several months of the year. Because of its range, the Andes comprises different ecosystems such as natural forests, shrublands, and grasslands, where only plants adapted to such climate and environmental conditions can survive.
One of the most important environments in the Andes is the wetlands, which are widely-distributed micro-habitats supplied by water from the mountains. Due to their spatial heterogeneity, local climate-environment variables, and geographic isolation, species richness and endemism within wetland ecosystems is high. The Andean wetlands provide important economic and ecosystem services, particularly water supply that contributes to the large vegetational diversity, plus economic activities like crop development and livestock support. Plants from this environment play a fundamental role in carbon sequestration, thereby helping mitigate climate change.
The Andes are extremely sensitive to environmental variation, and the wetlands are particularly vulnerable to the effects on water levels and the loss of diversity. Such changes include rainfall and temperature patterns, plus anthropogenic causes like overgrazing and water cycling disturbance. Environmental and anthropic factors may influence the carbon storage of plants as contributors to the global carbon budget. However, the magnitude of these impacts remains difficult to quantify due to limited available information about Andes wetland conservation, carbon sequestration, and the response of highland plants to climate change variables.
This Research Topic aims to collate the current understanding of water resources and the main contributors and drivers of change within Andean ecosystems, plus the effect on resident plant populations. Such information will be required to better understand the global carbon cycle, gather information for future projections, and for planning the conservation of these important ecosystems.
We, therefore, welcome all submission types covering the following subtopics:
· Diversity and dynamics of vegetation in Andean wetlands and forests;
· Carbon sequestration in natural vegetation and crops of the High Andes;
· Climate change and its effects on wetland vegetation and ecosystem dynamics;
· Management practices in wetlands and vegetation of the High Andes;
· Models of future wetland and vegetation distribution in the Andes.
High mountain ecosystems are complex systems with a diversity of habitats that collectively form a highly unique landscape. The Andes mountain range has an extensive distribution in western South America and is characterized by low temperatures, large thermal amplitudes, frozen soils, and snow during several months of the year. Because of its range, the Andes comprises different ecosystems such as natural forests, shrublands, and grasslands, where only plants adapted to such climate and environmental conditions can survive.
One of the most important environments in the Andes is the wetlands, which are widely-distributed micro-habitats supplied by water from the mountains. Due to their spatial heterogeneity, local climate-environment variables, and geographic isolation, species richness and endemism within wetland ecosystems is high. The Andean wetlands provide important economic and ecosystem services, particularly water supply that contributes to the large vegetational diversity, plus economic activities like crop development and livestock support. Plants from this environment play a fundamental role in carbon sequestration, thereby helping mitigate climate change.
The Andes are extremely sensitive to environmental variation, and the wetlands are particularly vulnerable to the effects on water levels and the loss of diversity. Such changes include rainfall and temperature patterns, plus anthropogenic causes like overgrazing and water cycling disturbance. Environmental and anthropic factors may influence the carbon storage of plants as contributors to the global carbon budget. However, the magnitude of these impacts remains difficult to quantify due to limited available information about Andes wetland conservation, carbon sequestration, and the response of highland plants to climate change variables.
This Research Topic aims to collate the current understanding of water resources and the main contributors and drivers of change within Andean ecosystems, plus the effect on resident plant populations. Such information will be required to better understand the global carbon cycle, gather information for future projections, and for planning the conservation of these important ecosystems.
We, therefore, welcome all submission types covering the following subtopics:
· Diversity and dynamics of vegetation in Andean wetlands and forests;
· Carbon sequestration in natural vegetation and crops of the High Andes;
· Climate change and its effects on wetland vegetation and ecosystem dynamics;
· Management practices in wetlands and vegetation of the High Andes;
· Models of future wetland and vegetation distribution in the Andes.
