El Paramo

The páramo (or desolate territory) is a type of ecosystem. You can find it in the high elevations, between the upper forest line (about 3000 m altitude) and the permanent snow line (about 5000 m). It is very cold, even though it is close to the sun. We went last weekend to two different sites; Antisana and Cayambe-Coca. At each site we had some class, birdwatching, and data collection in order to make a species curves plot. On the way up the first day, we stopped at a point on the side of the street and climbed down to a stream. The trees are all stunted from flavonoids, so it looks like a fairy tale/haunted forest.

 

We took a bus up to the very top, and the plants looked like foreign/underwater plants. The plants there are all really low to the ground due to the height and elevation. Many are called cushion plants, and really do feel like a cushion or mattress. It was fun to walk and sit on. Cushion plants conduct heat, so it is warm and soft to sit on one. We all had to nature pee at certain points, and the cushion plants provided the best place to do so.

It was hailing during our data collection, which was not pleasant. However, afterwards, we went to a hot springs area where we all sat in different temperatures in different pools and relaxed for a bit.

The next day, we went to another Paramo to take more data. In the morning, we went bird watching because many rare and endangered species live up there. There was a sheppard and sheep that I caught through my binoculars.

When we were done collecting data for our projects, we saw a line of four horses, but were not sure if they were wild or not.

This time, we collected data a lot quicker, and had time to take more photos:

The target species we were looking at

My group thought the hills and are were were in reminded them of The Sound of Music. My group skipped around and took photos of each other and of the area itself.