This is an old revision of the document!
The Paramo de Sumapaz is a biodiverse grassland-peatland ecosystem at high altitude in the The Altiplano Cundiboyacense Mountain Range. The Páramo experiences low intensity rainfall and frequent fog, which the vegetation (including particularly representative species, sphagnum moss, tussock grass, and Frejallones) captures and stores.
Soil moisture is also kept high by the hydraulic connectivity of the soil and acts as a key regulator of surface runoff production. At the foot of the hillslopes and the bottom of valleys, organic rich soils and cushion plants maintain saturated conditions. On hillslopes, freely draining soils and tussock grass conduce lateral flow and connectivity with the channel network, as well as both deep soil horizons and shallow groundwater which drain via riparian areas into streams.
Densely populated Bogotá depends on the shallow subsurface and surface water of the Páramo as a main source for human consumption, industrial uses and hydropower generation, using the high altitude of the Páramo and gravity to work as a ‘natural water tower’. The land is used for livelihood, wellbeing, and holds immense spiritual significance, however intensive livestock grazing, cultivation and forest plantations including anthropic introduction of fire, have negatively affected the water availability and quality, and biodiversity. Livestock grazing and exotic species introduction, namely, pine trees, have increased soil density and reduced soil porosity, resulting in increased evaporation, reduced hydrological regulation capacity and subsequent reduced yield. The functional mechanisms of the Páramo are not fully understood and they remain distinctly under researched, leading to sustainability interventions which have been ineffective or detrimental. Citizen science and participatory monitoring has been found to be an effective tool for generating locally relevant knowledge on the function, use, degradation and management of the Páramo, as well as remote sensing.
CONNECTIONS
Framing the Páramo through Latour’s Actor–Network Theory reveals its role within a network of non-human actors that intertwines social, political, and ecological dimensions (Latour,1996). Ecologically, the Páramo functions as a vital hydrological system, capturing mist at high elevations in the The Altiplano Cundiboyacense Mountain Range bordering Bogotá, transforming it into water that feeds the downstream Quebrada Limas River (Baruffol,2020). This process establishes a chain of interconnections that extend beyond ecology into the social and political sphere. The water originating from the Páramo becomes a site of contention, as industrial actors, such as mining and waste management operations, seek to exploit these natural resources under regulatory frameworks, while communities in Bogotá depend on the same waters for sustenance. Thus, the Páramo operates not merely as an ecological entity but as a dynamic network that transcends its physical boundaries, shaping the political and social landscapes it touches.
The Páramo also extends into the spiritual and cultural sphere, where it is regarded as a sacred landscape that sustains both ecological and social life. Within many Andean communities, the Páramo is conceived as a living entity imbued with ancestral and spiritual significance, symbolising balance, renewal, and the interdependence between humans and nature (de la Torre et al., 2018). Its mist and waters are often perceived as gifts from the mountains, reinforcing communal rituals, local cosmologies, and moral responsibilities toward environmental stewardship (Ulloa, 2017; Escobar, 2020). In this sense, the Páramo’s influence transcends its ecological function, becoming a sacred social actor that shapes collective identity, ethical practice, and the cultural continuity of those who inhabit its landscapes (Bastien, 2013).
Bibliography