Floristic diversity and conservation status of high-Andean ecosystems under different levels of intervention
Keywords:
anthropogenic disturbance, biodiversity, conservation, floristic richness, high-Andean ecosystems, vegetation.Abstract
High-Andean ecosystems are areas of great ecological importance due to their floristic diversity, presence of endemic species, and contribution to water regulation, soil conservation, and the maintenance of different ecosystem services. However, human activities related to grazing, agricultural expansion, resource extraction, and vegetation cover modification can alter the composition and structure of plant communities. The objective of this research was to evaluate floristic diversity and conservation status of high-Andean ecosystems subjected to different levels of anthropogenic disturbance. A quantitative, observational, comparative, and cross-sectional study was conducted by evaluating three areas classified as having low, moderate, and high disturbance levels. Sixty sampling plots were established and equally distributed among the three conditions. Plant species, abundance, cover, richness, diversity, and presence of disturbance indicator species were recorded. Diversity was assessed using the Shannon-Wiener and Simpson indices, while differences among areas were analysed using analysis of variance and Tukey's test at a significance level of p < 0.05. A total of 78 species belonging to 32 botanical families were recorded. The low-disturbance area showed the highest richness, with 65 species and a Shannon index of 3.42, whereas the moderately disturbed area recorded 49 species and an index of 2.81. The highly disturbed area showed the lowest values, with 31 species and a Shannon index of 2.06. Statistical analysis showed significant differences among the evaluated conditions. Furthermore, increasing disturbance was associated with lower vegetation cover, a reduction in native species, and a greater presence of disturbance-tolerant species. It is concluded that increasing levels of anthropogenic disturbance significantly modify floristic diversity and conservation status of high-Andean ecosystems, demonstrating the need to strengthen management, restoration, and conservation strategies.
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