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Extremeley biodiverse High altitude, compared to settlements, mean they act as 'natural water towers'- water sourced by gravity
Grassland-peatland biome
Used for livelihoods and wellbeing - intensive livestock, cultivation and land management practices negatively affect Paramos' biodiversity, functional capactiy and water yield.
Spiritual landscapes
Main source of water – crop cultivation, grazing ‘unique source of untapped genetic diversity’ Functioning of paramo is not fully understood – without knowledge, interventions designed for sustainability could be ineffective or detrimental
Capture store atmospheric water
Socio-ecological systems shaped by human populations
Densely populated areas depend on surface and shallow subsurface water for human consumption, industrial uses and hydropower generation – BUYTAERT ET AL 2006
Surface water is particularly succeptible to the potential changes in land use and land cover – leading to lower water availability and quality
HIGH LEVEL OF FRAGMENTATION – historic dynamic landscape, changes in isolation and connectivity defined by complex topography
Surrounded by low intensity rainfall and frequent fog Hydrological response of paramo is strongly related to soil conditions - hydraulic conductivity of soil keeps soil moisture high - Soils are important regulators of runoff production (Harden 2006)
Organic rich soils are at foot of hill slopes and bottom of valleys- covered in cushion plants, saturated conditions Freely drainig soils on hillslopes under cover of tussock grass In periods of heavier rainfall, contributing areas of paramo to run off ecxpands and increases connectivity with lateral flow from hillslopes.
Bibliography
Baruffol, M. (no date) Andean ‘water sponges’: The role of plants in water supply, Kew. Available at: https://www.kew.org/read-and-watch/paramos-andean-water-sponges (Accessed: 07 November 2025).
https://www.ceh.ac.uk/our-science/projects/paraguas
UK CENTRE FOR ECOLOGY AND HYDROLOGY https://www.ceh.ac.uk/our-science/projects/paraguas