University of Amsterdam (NL) - Páramo Vegetation Research, Bordoncillo - Nariño, Colombia

Study Extent

The study was done in the Volcanos of Nariño but the data set includes only the data from Bordoncillo Paramo and it was collected in 1987.

Sampling

The vegetation sampling was done by the relevé method following the Braun-Blanquet principles. The relevé is a list of the plants in a delimited plot of vegetation, with information on species cover and on substrate and other abiotic features in the plot to make as complete as possible description in terms of community composition. The community vegetation releve data were converted into species occurrence data.

Quality Control

Only 3 releves were recorded for this area and consisted of a species list with its cover, date, location, altitude, slope. The data remained only in a publication done in the year 2000, and it was digitized in 2011, with the financial suppport of NLBIF using the software TurboVeg version 2.98. TurboVeg is a software design for this type of vegetation information and then exported from community data into species occurrence data. The data stored in TurboVeg was checked to identify errors in the information or gaps needed to be filled. The two main fields identified to be checked/completed were the georeference data and the validation of the taxonomy of each species. Also the gaps in terms of the precision of the georeference data were filled.

Method steps

1. Releve data was stored in the software TurboVeg and then exported into species occurrence data. The species list used in TurboVeg was checked by an expert to confirm the valid taxonomy (taking into account taxonomy changes, synonyms, etc)(Guido van Reenen, paramo species list). This list was cross-checked with The Plant List (http://www.theplantlist.org/), for the period July 2011 until February 2013 (during this time frame the names where the accepted). The original georeference data was completed with a precision of the georeference data and specific habitat indication. The georeference data was completed using Google maps taking into account the altitud data to complete de precision. The precision original values where in Km, this where then converted to meters in order to meet the DarwinCore Archive requirements when exporting the data.

All plants identified to species level. Vegetation including phanerogams, bryophytes and lichens.

1. Plantae
   common name: Phanerogams rank: kingdom
2. Plantae
   common name: Bryophytes rank: kingdom
3. Fungi
   common name: Lichens rank: kingdom

The Bordoncillo Paramo is located in the south of Colombia in the border between the provinces of nariño and Putumayo. Is one of the paramos of the Colombian Massif (Macizo Colombiano)and is part of the Andean - Amazon corridor Páramo de Bordoncillo – Lago de la Cocha – Cerro Patascoy. In this paramo is the source of several rivers, flowing to the Amazon (San Pedro, Putumayo and Guamuéz rivers) and to the Pacific (Juanambú, Rundayaco, Buesaquillo and Pasto rivers). The altitudinal range of the Bordoncillo paramo is from 3000m.a.s.l up to 3600m.a.s.l. including the middle and subparamo biomas. The data for this study were collected at 3200m.a.s.l.