Effects of the paramization phenomenon on the ecosystem resilience of the Andean páramo in a climate change context

Abstract

The article synthesizes current knowledge on Andean páramo ecosystems, highlighting their ecological importance and their strategic role in providing essential ecosystem services such as water regulation, carbon sequestration, and the maintenance of high biodiversity. These high-mountain systems are fundamental to human well-being due to their capacity to store and regulate water that supplies millions of people. In this context, the process of “paramization” is analyzed as a transformation of high Andean forests into páramo conditions, driven by human activities such as agricultural expansion, grazing, potato cultivation, and burning, along with rising temperatures. This process leads to land-use changes, biodiversity loss, and alterations in key ecological processes such as vegetation regeneration, carbon retention, and hydrological dynamics. It was found that the ecological resilience of these ecosystems is being weakened by local pressures and climate change, increasing their vulnerability and reducing their adaptive capacity. Spatial analysis reveals fragmentation and variability in protection levels, while knowledge gaps persist, underscoring the need to strengthen conservation, restoration, and sustainable management strategies in the face of growing environmental threats.