Southern Andean steppe
Encyclopedia
The Southern Andean steppe is an montane grasslands and shrublands
ecoregion
occurring along the border of Chile
and Argentina
in the high elevations of the southern Andes
mountain range.
s, and ice field
s. At lower elevations, this ecoregion grades into Chilean matorral
and Valdivian temperate forests to the west and Argentine monte to the east. To the north it transitions to the Central Andean dry puna
and to the south the Patagonian steppe.
, Köppen climate classification
BWk. Precipitation falls mainly in winter.
have evolved endemic species.
The plants on the western side of this ecoregion can be divided into three zones based on their growth forms and elevation. In the lower elevations, 2000 to 2700 m (6,561.7 to 8,858.3 ft), grow large shrubs
such as Chuquiraga oppositifolia and Nassauvia axillaris. In intermediate elevations, 2700 to 3300 m (8,858.3 to 10,826.8 ft), grow small shrubs, tussock grasses, and cushions. These include Azorella madreporica, Laretia acaulis, and Stipa
spp. In the highest elevations, extending to 3900 metres (12,795.3 ft), grow small forbs, rosettes
, and grasses such as Nassauvia lagascae, Oxalis erythrorhiza, Nassauvia pinnigera and Moschopsis leyboldii.
The plants on the eastern side do not grow in distinct zones. In the lower elevations, 1900 to 2700 m (6,233.6 to 8,858.3 ft), grow plants of the genera Stipa, Adesmia
, Mulinum, Nassauvia
, and Chuquiraga
. Higher, from 2700 to 3300 m (8,858.3 to 10,826.8 ft), are shrubs and cusion plants of Oxalis
, Junellia, Adesmia, Laretia and Azorella
. At the highest elevations, 3300 to 4500 m (10,826.8 to 14,763.8 ft), grow Senecio
, Nassauvia
, Chaetanthera
, Draba
, Barneoudia, Leucheria, and Moschopsis.
and the Patagonian steppe. Large mammal
s found here include the puma (Puma concolor), the Andean fox (Lycalopex culpaeus) and the vicuna (Vicugna vicugna) and guanaco (Lama guanicoe).
Montane grasslands and shrublands
Montane grasslands and shrublands is a biome defined by the World Wildlife Fund. The biome includes high altitude grasslands and shrublands around the world....
ecoregion
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
occurring along the border of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
in the high elevations of the southern Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
mountain range.
Setting
This ecoregion is found from 3500 to 5000 m (11,482.9 to 16,404.2 ft) in the north to 1800 to 3000 m (5,905.5 to 9,842.5 ft) in the south. At higher elevations are found permanent snow, glacierGlacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
s, and ice field
Ice field
An ice field is an area less than 50,000 km² of ice often found in the colder climates and higher altitudes of the world where there is sufficient precipitation. It is an extensive area of interconnected valley glaciers from which the higher peaks rise as nunataks...
s. At lower elevations, this ecoregion grades into Chilean matorral
Chilean Matorral
The Chilean Matorral is a terrestrial ecoregion of central Chile, located on the west coast of South America. It is in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, part of the Neotropic ecozone....
and Valdivian temperate forests to the west and Argentine monte to the east. To the north it transitions to the Central Andean dry puna
Central Andean dry puna
The Central Andean dry puna is an ecoregion, in the Montane grasslands and shrublands biome, located in the Andean High plateau, in South America...
and to the south the Patagonian steppe.
Climate
This ecoregion has a cold desert climateDesert climate
A desert climate , also known as an arid climate, is a climate that does not meet the criteria to be classified as a polar climate, and in which precipitation is too low to sustain any vegetation at all, or at most a very scanty scrub.An area that features this climate usually experiences less than...
, Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BWk. Precipitation falls mainly in winter.
Flora
The flora of this ecoregion is adapted to its cold, dry, and windy climate. Many of the plant generaGenera
Genera is a commercial operating system and development environment for Lisp machines developed by Symbolics. It is essentially a fork of an earlier operating system originating on the MIT AI Lab's Lisp machines which Symbolics had used in common with LMI and Texas Instruments...
have evolved endemic species.
The plants on the western side of this ecoregion can be divided into three zones based on their growth forms and elevation. In the lower elevations, 2000 to 2700 m (6,561.7 to 8,858.3 ft), grow large shrubs
such as Chuquiraga oppositifolia and Nassauvia axillaris. In intermediate elevations, 2700 to 3300 m (8,858.3 to 10,826.8 ft), grow small shrubs, tussock grasses, and cushions. These include Azorella madreporica, Laretia acaulis, and Stipa
Stipa
This article is about a type of grass.For Speech Transmission Index for Public Address Systems, see Speech transmission index.For the Italian aircraft designer, see Luigi Stipa...
spp. In the highest elevations, extending to 3900 metres (12,795.3 ft), grow small forbs, rosettes
Rosette (botany)
In botany, a rosette is a circular arrangement of leaves, with all the leaves at a single height.Though rosettes usually sit near the soil, their structure is an example of a modified stem.-Function:...
, and grasses such as Nassauvia lagascae, Oxalis erythrorhiza, Nassauvia pinnigera and Moschopsis leyboldii.
The plants on the eastern side do not grow in distinct zones. In the lower elevations, 1900 to 2700 m (6,233.6 to 8,858.3 ft), grow plants of the genera Stipa, Adesmia
Adesmia
Adesmia is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It belongs to the sub family Faboideae and is the only genus found in the Tribe Adesmieae. Species in this genus include Adesmia balsamica and Adesmia resinosa....
, Mulinum, Nassauvia
Nassauvia
Nassauvia is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is said to be chocolate scented.It consists of 39 species and is native to Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and the Falkland Islands.- Selected species :...
, and Chuquiraga
Chuquiraga
Chuquiraga is a genus of flowering plant in the Asteraceae family, containing 23 species.Species include:* Chuquiraga arcuata* Chuquiraga jussieui* Chuquiraga oppositifolia* Chuquiraga spinosa...
. Higher, from 2700 to 3300 m (8,858.3 to 10,826.8 ft), are shrubs and cusion plants of Oxalis
Oxalis
Oxalis is by far the largest genus in the wood-sorrel family Oxalidaceae: of the approximately 900 known species in the Oxalidaceae, 800 belong here...
, Junellia, Adesmia, Laretia and Azorella
Azorella
Azorella is a genus of about 70 species of flowering plants in the family Araliaceae, native to South America, New Zealand and the islands of the Southern Ocean...
. At the highest elevations, 3300 to 4500 m (10,826.8 to 14,763.8 ft), grow Senecio
Senecio
Senecio is a genus of the daisy family that includes ragworts and groundsels. The flower heads are normally rayed, completely yellow, and the heads are borne in branched clusters...
, Nassauvia
Nassauvia
Nassauvia is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is said to be chocolate scented.It consists of 39 species and is native to Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and the Falkland Islands.- Selected species :...
, Chaetanthera
Chaetanthera
Chaetanthera is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family....
, Draba
Draba
Draba is a large genus of cruciferous plants, commonly known as whitlow-grasses. There are over 400 species:*Draba abajoensis Windham & Al-Shehbaz*Draba × abiskoensis O.E.Schulz*Draba × abiskojokkensis O.E.Schulz...
, Barneoudia, Leucheria, and Moschopsis.
Fauna
The fauna is similar to that of the Central Andean dry punaCentral Andean dry puna
The Central Andean dry puna is an ecoregion, in the Montane grasslands and shrublands biome, located in the Andean High plateau, in South America...
and the Patagonian steppe. Large mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
s found here include the puma (Puma concolor), the Andean fox (Lycalopex culpaeus) and the vicuna (Vicugna vicugna) and guanaco (Lama guanicoe).
Contemporary land use
This ecoregion's high elevations and harsh climate make it unsuitable for development or farming, so it has experienced little habitat loss.Remaining habitat
Areas of remaining habitat include:- Nevado Tres Cruces National ParkNevado Tres Cruces National ParkLocated in the Atacama Region of Chile at 93.2 miles from Copiapó. Nevado Tres Cruces National Park includes Laguna Santa Rosa, Laguna del Negro Francisco, and a part of the Salar de Maricunga. The park is divided into two zones, the northern zone encompasing the southern portion of Salar de...
- Yerba Loca Nature Sanctuary
- Río Clarillo National Reserve
- El Morado Natural MonumentEl Morado Natural MonumentEl Morado Natural Monument is a Chilean Natural Monument located in the Cajón del Maipo, Santiago Metropolitan Region. The monument is a glacial cirque and is part of the El Volcán River basin. Cerro El Morado dominates the landscape of this protected area. It is home to the San Francisco...
- Río de los Cipreses National ReserveRío de Los Cipreses National ReserveRío de Los Cipreses National Reserve is a nature reserve located in Machalí, O'Higgins Region, Chile. It is named after Río de Los Cipreses, a tributary of Cachapoal River and lies in one of the most glaciated areas of the Central Chile Andes....
- Laguna del Laja National ParkLaguna del Laja National ParkLaguna del Laja National Park is a national park of Chile located in the Andes, between 37°22’ and 37°28’ south latitude and 71°16’ and 71°26’ west longitude.-Geography:...
- San Guillermo National ParkSan Guillermo National ParkSan Guillermo National Park is a national park in Argentina, in the Iglesia Department of San Juan Province. It was established in 1998....
- El Leoncito National ParkEl Leoncito National ParkThe El Leoncito National Park is a national park of Argentina, located at the Calingasta Department, in the southwest of the province of San Juan. It has an area of 760 km²...