Monitoring Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Colombia's High Andean Ecosystems: Toward an Integrated Strategy

Mountain Research and Development

article

Luis D. Llambí¹  María Teresa Becerra²  Manuel Peralvo³  Andrés Avella⁴  Martín Baruffol⁴  Liz J. Díaz⁶ 

[1] Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Ecológicas, Universidad de Los Andes;Independent consultant. Calle 23 5-35;Consorcio para el Desarrollo Sostenible de la Ecoregión Andina;Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Alexander von Humboldt;Royal Botanical Garden;Sub-dirección de Ecosistemas e Información Ambiental, Instituto de Hidrología

关键词: Adaptive management;    Andean forests;    carbon;    climate change;    environmental policy;    land use change;    paramo;    ´water.;   

DOI  :  10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-19-00020.1

来源: BioOne

【 摘 要 】

There is growing consensus that biodiversity losses resulting fromglobal change profoundly affects ecosystem services and humanwelfare. However, biodiversity and ecosystem processes arecommonly monitored independently and on spatiotemporalscales inadequate to inform decision-making. The high Andeanecosystems of Colombia, extending from high Andean forests andparamos ´ to glacier ice caps, form dynamic landscapes becauseof the interaction of climate and land use change in a complexsocioeconomic and political context, including new demographicdynamics and policies associated with the peace process andstrict regulations for economic activities in the paramos. ´Moreover, they are part of a global biodiversity hotspot andprovide key ecosystem services, including substantial carbonaccumulation and water regulation and provision for large ruraland urban populations. There is substantial experience inenvironmental monitoring of Colombia’s high mountainecosystems, including programs addressing biodiversity, carbonstocks, hydrology, glaciers, and land use dynamics. However, aconceptual and institutional framework for integrating thesediverse initiatives is required. Here, we present a proposal topromote integrated monitoring of biodiversity and ecosystemservices in high mountain ecosystems in Colombia as acontribution to consolidating a national ecosystem monitoringprogram. We describe the methodology used to design thisintegrated strategy based on an extensive process ofconsultation with monitoring experts in the region. Then, wereview the state of the art of environmental monitoring in theColombian High Andes. Based on the experience accumulated,we propose a multiscale conceptual framework for analyzingdrivers of change and response variables from the local to thenational scale, emphasizing the importance of monitoring alongaltitudinal, land use, and ecosystem restoration gradients.Finally, we describe the expected outcomes and possibleinstitutional arrangements for the strategy, as well as some keynext steps for promoting its implementation.

【 授权许可】

CC BY