The ecosystems of Peru They are quite diverse mainly due to the geographic location and physiography of this country. Peru is located in the tropical zone, between the equator and the Tropic of Capricorn in South America and is considered one of the 12 countries with the most ecosystems in the world.
This country has a territory of very varied relief, crossed from south to north by the Andes mountain range, defining two areas. The first is a strip along the Pacific coast on the western Andean slope. For its part, the second corresponds to the Amazon basin on the eastern slope, which drains into the Atlantic Ocean..
The Peruvian Andes establish an altitude variability that ranges from sea level to 6,757 meters above sea level. in the snowy massif El Huascarán. On the Andean slope of the Pacific Ocean, towards the south coast, it is influenced by the cold-water Humboldt current.
In addition, to the north of Peru there are tropical waters with mangrove development due to the Equatorial Countercurrent. On the other hand, the oceanic influence affects the types of ecosystems that develop on this slope, which are generally arid and semi-arid..
For its part, the eastern slope belongs to the Amazon basin that drains into the Atlantic Ocean. This is much more humid and has a variety of Andean and Amazon ecosystems, also being the endorheic basin (closed basin, with no fluvial outlet) of Lake Titicaca.
Peru has numerous rivers, lakes and lagoons, which determine a great variety of freshwater ecosystems. Of the rivers, those of the Amazon River basin stand out, with the Mantaro River being part of its source.
The Amazon River basin covers about 75% of Peru's territory and Titicaca stands out among the country's lakes. This is considered one of the largest in America and the highest navigable lake in the world.
For all this, various terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems have developed in the Peruvian territory. According to the studies of the Peruvian researcher Antonio Brack Egg, in Peru up to 11 ecoregions can be identified.
Ecoregions include marine and terrestrial areas and different types of ecosystems develop in them. On the other hand, the National Ecosystem Map of Peru establishes 5 large regions with 36 ecosystems.
Of these, 11 are from tropical jungle, 3 from yunga, 11 from the High Andes, 9 coastal and 2 aquatic. In addition, marine ecosystems that are not developed in this proposal must be added..
Simplifying the complex diversity of ecosystems that exist in Peru, below are 7 large groups of ecosystems. This according, mainly, to their geographical, climatic, flora and fauna affinities.
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The Peruvian Amazon region includes diverse ecosystems, such as savannas, swamps, low floodplain forests, high forests and mountain forests. The ecosystem that occupies the highest percentage of the Peruvian territory (25%) are the low hill forests.
They are Amazon rainforests of 3 to 4 strata with trees up to 25-30 m and emerging individuals up to 50 m. They have a dense undergrowth and develop in non-floodplain of hills 20-80 m high..
This region consists mainly of undulating plains, hills and terraces ranging from the Andean foothills to the continental interior..
Low flood zones are found here where both swamps and jungles and non-flooded zones with jungles and humid savannahs develop. The Amazon rainforest areas are part of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet, with about 300 species of trees per hectare.
It is a climate without major fluctuations throughout the year, with an average annual temperature of around 25 ºC and high rainfall (1,300-3,000 mm). Although towards the south in the dry season (June-July) the temperatures decrease considerably, calling these periods “cold”.
The diversity of plants in the Amazon is very high given the complexity of its ecosystems. It is estimated that in this region there are around 16,000 species of trees.
On the other hand, there is a great diversity of herbaceous and shrubby plants, both terrestrial and climbing, epiphytic and aquatic. Among the plants that inhabit the Amazon River, the water lily stands out (Victoria amazonica).
The Amazon is one of the most diverse regions on the planet also in fauna. Here you will find animals like the jaguar (Panthera onca), the Anaconda (Eunectes murinus), the tapir (Tapirus terrestris), among many others.
In a geographical sense, the yunga is part of the Andes mountain range, however due to its peculiarities it is considered a particular area. In Peru, an area occupied by Andean rain forests or cloudy rainforests is called yunga..
The maritime yunga is identified on the western slope (western yunga) and the river yunga on the eastern slope (eastern yunga)..
This corresponds to the region located on the western slope of the Andes between 500 and 2,300 meters above sea level, with an arid subtropical climate. Here a mainly xerophilous vegetation develops in the lower parts and as you go up you will find a tall forest.
This ecosystem is located between 600 and 3,200-3,600 meters above sea level, presenting a humid subtropical climate, with rains that can exceed 3,000 mm per year..
In the south and center of the country, the yunga reaches its altitude limit bordering on the puna and the jalca. While in the north of Peru this jungle at its highest limit borders the páramo.
Among the numerous species of trees present in these forests is the cinchona (Cinchona pubescens). This species is the emblematic tree of Peru, especially for its medicinal properties to combat malaria and malaria.
The jungle varies in structure as you ascend and up to 2,500 meters above sea level. the trees reach up to 30 m in height. Above that altitude, the canopy decreases to about 15 m in height on average.
Climbing and epiphytism (orchids, bromeliads) as well as various species of ferns and palm trees are abundant in this type of forest..
The river yunga corresponds to the cloud forest of the tropical Andes. These extend from Venezuela and Colombia to Ecuador and even a small portion of northern Peru..
There is no geographical continuity between the eastern Peruvian yunga and the Andean cloud forest of the tropical Andes. This is because the yunga is interrupted by the presence of the equatorial dry forest or Tumbesian Region..
This forest extends from the Gulf of Guayaquil to the La Libertad region. It penetrates inland into the Marañón valley, reaching 2,800 meters above sea level..
It is a relatively low forest with some outstanding species such as the ceiba (Ceiba pentandra) and predominance of cacti, legumes, mallow and grasses.
They have a high proportion of deciduous plants in the dry season, a hot and dry period that can last up to 9 months.
This group includes the Andean high mountain ecosystems, that is, the steppe mountains, the puna and the jalca or páramo. Seasonally dry forests develop in intramontane valleys.
It comprises the Pacific slope in an altitudinal range between 1,000 and 3,800 meters above sea level, from La Libertad to the north of Chile. Includes diverse ecosystems, such as semi-deserts, shrubs, mountain steppes and low dry forest.
There are species of grasses, cacti, bromeliads, among many other families of plants. Among the animals, a great diversity of American camelids such as the llama (Lama glama), The guanaco (Lama guanicoe), the alpaca (Vicugna pacos) And the vicuña (Vicugna vicugna).
This ecosystem corresponds to the Andean highlands, located above 3,800 meters above sea level, with high solar radiation and a cold and dry climate. It is the Andean highlands and is dominated by grasslands with a predominance of ichu grass (Stipa ichu).
Among the fauna are the vicuña, the vizcacha (Lagidium viscacia), the Andean fox (Lycalopex culpaeus andinus) and the taruca (Hippocamelus antisensis).
This ecosystem corresponds to the high mountain environment above the tree line in the tropical Andes. In Peru it is found in the extreme north on the border with Ecuador, in the regions of Piura and Cajamarca. They are distributed at altitudes around 3,500 meters above sea level..
Some researchers call them páramo while others state that they are not strictly páramos and call them jalcas. According to this criterion, the jalca is drier than the moor, but more humid than the puna..
They develop in the Andean intramontane valleys between 500 and 2,500 meters above sea level and deciduous species predominate in them. The arboreal layer reaches about 7-8 m in height and arborescent cacti are abundant.
It forms an extensive strip along the entire coast from the Chilean border to the Piura region in the north. On the border with Chile is the continuation of the Atacama desert, one of the driest in the world.
Other emblematic deserts of Peru that are part of this extensive region are Nazca and Sechura. These desert ecosystems are extremely dry and have low biological diversity..
In the Nazca desert are the famous Nazca lines, some geoglyphs that cover 1,000 km². The figures they form can only be appreciated from the air.
It is a tropical ecosystem of trees adapted to conditions of high salinity that develops in coastal marine environments. In Peru it is located on the north coast where the influence of the Equatorial Countercurrent provides warm waters.
Further south they cannot develop due to the influence of the Humboldt Current or Peruvian Current.
Red mangrove species are found Rhizophora mangle Y Rhizophora harrisoni, as well as the jelí or white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa). Also the black or salty mangrove (Avicennia germinans) and the pineapple mangrove (Conocarpus erecta).
It is a deciduous forest formation with a semi-arid climate with a canopy between 8 and 12 m high. Presents an understory of grasses, shrubs and cacti on hills and low mountains.
Although this forest forms a biome that extends from Peru to Costa Rica, in the country it only covers a very small area. This region is located in the extreme northwest in the department of Tumbes.
These are dense and tall evergreen forests with trees up to 50 m high in a hot and humid climate. They are inhabited by various species of Ficus (Moraceae), Cedrela (Meliaceae), Tabebuia (Bignoniaceae).
Other common plants in these ecosystems are legumes as well as a great diversity of palms, orchids and bromeliads..
These forests are the only areas of the Peruvian coast where the howler monkey (Alouatta palliata) and the white monkey (Cebus albifrons). Also featured are the arboreal anteater (Mexican tamandua) and the jaguar (Panthera onca).
In Peru there are about 144 rivers, 60 of them tributaries of the Amazon basin, 64 of the Pacific basin and 20 of the Lake Titicaca basin. The Amazon River basin is born in this country and covers 75% of its territory.
In Peru there are more than 12,000 lakes and lagoons, 61% of them on the Atlantic slope (Amazon basin). Then 32% is on the Pacific slope and the remaining 7% in the Lake Titicaca basin.
The most important lake is Titicaca, one of the largest in South America and the highest navigable lake in the world. An endemic species to this region is the giant frog (Telmatobius culeus), with 14 cm long and 150 g of weight.
The Peruvian marine waters can be divided into two defined zones that are the cold sea and the tropical sea. The cold sea is determined by the effect of the Peruvian Current or Humboldt Current.
For its part, the tropical sea is influenced by the warm waters of the Equatorial Countercurrent.
The cold sea goes from the center of Chile to Piura in Peru, with temperatures between 13-17 ºC. They are waters with abundant nutrients and a great diversity of aquatic life, including about 600 species of fish and species of dolphins, whales and sea lions..
This richness of nutrients is due to the phenomenon of "upwelling" due to the cold Humboldt current moving the nutrients from the seabed to the surface. With more content of nitrates, phosphates and silicates, plankton that is the base of the marine food chain proliferates.
The tropical waters of the American Pacific begin in Piura (Peru) and extend to California in the United States. The Peruvian coasts of this region are warm all year round, with temperatures above 19 ºC..
On the other hand, they have low salinity due to the high rainfall that provides fresh water..
Unlike the cold sea, it is poor in nutrients and has less dissolved oxygen given the higher temperatures. Here are species such as black merlin (Istiompax indicates) and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares). And in the mangrove areas you can find the American or Tumbes crocodile (Crocodylus acutus).
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