Composición florística asociada a frailejones Espeletia spp afectados por Oidaematophorus espeletiae en el PNN Chingaza

Abstract

Colombia is one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity worldwide, most of it concentrated in mountain biomes; ecosystems present there, are highly sensitive to climate change and alterations in soil uses, increasing the possibility that indicator species to their conservation status, such as Espeletia spp., will be affected by phytophagous insects, especially the feather moth (Oidaematophorus espeletiae), which attacks meristems and rosettes in taxa of E. grandiflora and E. argéntea, mainly those that drawing up in association with other plants representative plant communities of paramo ecosystem. Searching to determinate the relationship between affectations of O. espeletiae on Espeletia spp and the floristic composition for different altitudinal gradients in the Calostros microbasin Chingaza´s Natural Park. Were registered a total of 42 taxa of vascular plants grouped in 2 genera and 2 families of pteridophytes, 20 genera and 9 families in angiosperms. The present study also reported affectations in individuals of Espeletia killipii Cuatrecc and Espeletia grandiflora Bonpl, being more abundant the last taxa mentioned. Characteristics such as dominance, abundance and similarity between altitudinal ranges (3,530-3,765 msnm) showed significant relationship (p≤ 0.05) with damages to frailejones when these indexes decreased, exhibiting values of incidence and affectation between 40% and 53%, where a Increase in diversity, abundance and altitude greatly influenced its decrease (2% -10%). Aspects such as heterogeneity and altitudinal gradient are conditions that reduce the impact generated by the insect on populations of Espeletia sp registered, considering the factors mentioned above an important limitation in reducing damage to frailejones. Keywords: Altitudinal Gradient, Paramo, , Espeletia sp, P.N.N Chingaza, Floristic Composition