Los páramos ecuatorianos.

In: MORAES R., M. et al. Botánica Económica de los Andes Centrales: 91-109. Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz.

Abstract:

Páramo is a natural ecosystem occurring above the limits of the continuous forest in the Northern Andes. It is dominated by a vegetation of grasses, rosette trees, shrubs, by wetlands and small forests. The climate is cold and the ecosystem is very sensitive to land-use changes; therefore, its productive potential is on the whole very limited. However, many people possessing a rich culture but lacking economic means, are taking direct advantage of this landscape’s resources. At the same time, a large population downstream benefits  from  them  in  an  indirect  albeit  substantial  manner,  especially  through  its  water-related environmental  service.  In  this  article  we  present  the  situation  of  this  ecosystem  in  Ecuador  and  a preliminary analysis of economically sustainable products and environmental services, with an emphasis on plants and vegetation. Their potentialities and problems are presented within the current social and political context. Páramo products usually have restricted markets, which could be drastically affected by the current globalising trends. The ecosystem’s environmental services, such as tourism, carbon storage in soils and especially storage and regulation of water flows to lowlands, could represent interesting, though  frequently  conflict-laden,  alternatives.  Because  of  its  social,  cultural  and  political  aspects,  a detailed analysis of the productivity of páramo calls for a multidisciplinary approach.