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Ecohydrological Gradient in Neotropical Montane Ecosystems: From Tropical Montane Forests to Glacier

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Neotropical Gradients and Their Analysis

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Abstract

Neotropical montane ecosystems are diverse and complex, ranging from glaciers, on top of highest mountains (above 4500 masl), with no vegetation at all, to páramo ecosystems with short vegetation (between 3000 and 4500 masl), mostly herbaceous and shrubs, and to montane forest with larger tree size and abundant epiphytes hanging from tree branches and attached to tree trunks (Tobón et al. 2010). Climate conditions affect these ecosystems in a different manner, which determines their soils (e.g. weathering, physical and chemical composition), vegetation and functioning, notably, the ecohydrological one (Tobón 2023a; Aparecido et al. 2018; Beck et al. 2009; Kottke et al. 2008; Bruijnzeel and Lu 2001). Although Neotropical montane ecosystems are well known for their specific climate conditions, only until the last decades they are recognized by their importance as ecosystem service provider, mainly of fresh water and the large carbon storage in soils (Tobón 2023b; Bruijnzeel and Lu 2001). Albeit several hydrological and climate studies have been carried out in Neotropical regions (Tobón 2023a; Aparecido et al. 2018; Beck et al. 2008; Bendix et al. 2008; Wilcke et al. 2008a, b), they concentrated on a specific individual ecosystem, but almost non comprised all ecosystems in the gradient of tropical montane forest to glaciers, where this gradient is characterized by changes on vegetation and environmental variables connected to the altitudinal decrease in precipitation and temperature, and the increase on air humidity and fog frequency. This environmental stratification may control plant diversity, ecosystem dynamics and functioning, with their partial contribution to water supply.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Forestry Department, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia

    Conrado Tobón

  2. Postgraduate Department, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia

    Erick Castro

  3. Instituto de Hidrología, Meteorología y Estudios Ambientales (IDEAM), Bogotá, Colombia

    Jorge Luís Ceballos

Authors
  1. Conrado Tobón
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  2. Erick Castro
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  3. Jorge Luís Ceballos
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Correspondence to Jorge Luís Ceballos .

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  1. Department of Biology, Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma City, OK, USA

    Randall W. Myster

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© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

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Tobón, C., Castro, E., Ceballos, J.L. (2023). Ecohydrological Gradient in Neotropical Montane Ecosystems: From Tropical Montane Forests to Glacier. In: Myster, R.W. (eds) Neotropical Gradients and Their Analysis. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-22848-3_9

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