The vegetation in the Andes mountains plays a crucial role in the ecology and economy of South America. It supports rich biodiversity, provides water and food resources, and regulates the climate.
However, recent research has revealed that the vegetation in the Pacific slope of Peru, the western side of the Andes facing the ocean, is undergoing some unexpected and alarming changes.
The Pacific slope of Peru is a diverse and complex region that spans different climatic and life zones, from the arid coastal desert to the humid highlands.
The vegetation types vary according to altitude, precipitation, temperature, and soil conditions.
Some of the most characteristic vegetation types include the coastal lomas, dry forests, montane scrub, puna grasslands
These vegetation types are not only important for their ecological value, but also for their cultural and economic significance.
Many of them have been used by humans for centuries for food, medicine, fuel, fiber, and other purposes.
They also have spiritual and aesthetic meanings for many indigenous communities that live in harmony with nature.
However, these vegetation types are also under threat from various factors, such as climate change, land use change, urbanization, mining, agriculture, overgrazing, fire, invasive species, and pollution.
These factors can alter the distribution, composition, structure, function, and diversity of the vegetation, leading to degradation, fragmentation, or loss of habitats.
One of the most striking examples of vegetation change in the Pacific slope of Peru is the phenomenon of greening that has been observed by researchers from the University of Cambridge.
A surprising discovery
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A team of researchers from the University of Cambridge has detected some large-scale changes in the vegetation in the South American Andes that may have serious consequences for the environment and ecosystems of the region, as per Phys.org.
They used satellite data from 2000 to 2020 to discover that a huge section of the West Slope of the Andes, stretching from Northern Peru to Northern Chile, has been becoming greener in the past 20 years.
Greening is a term used to describe positive vegetation growth, while browning refers to negative trends.
The researchers plotted 450 data points, developed a mathematical model to remove artificial variations and seasonality, and used statistical analysis to ensure that they only analyzed areas with a significant trend.
They also conducted field trips to confirm their findings on the ground.
The team spent three years sorting out the methodology and the statistical model, according to Hugo Lepage, a mathematician at the Cavendish laboratory and first author of the study.
They wanted to make sure that they were not mistaken and that something was happening on a massive scale.
The greening trend varies with altitude, with different vegetation types at different elevations. The researchers noticed that some previously barren or sparsely vegetated areas have become more lush and green over time.
The exact cause or resulting consequences of this greening are not known, but any large change (30% to 60% index increase) in vegetation will necessarily have an impact on ecosystems and the environment, as per University of Cambridge.
Eustace Barnes, a geographer in the Cavendish Laboratory's Environmental Physics Group, which ran the research, said that the Pacific slope provides water for two-thirds of the country, and this is where most of the food for Peru is coming from too.
Any change in vegetation will affect water availability and quality, soil erosion, biodiversity, and agriculture.
Some possible factors that could contribute to greening include climate change, increased atmospheric carbon dioxide, changes in precipitation patterns, or human activities such as irrigation or mining.
However, more research is needed to determine this phenomenon's exact drivers and implications.
Lepage said that this is a warning sign, like the canary in the mine. They cannot stop changes on such a large scale, but they can plan better for the future by knowing about it.
The researchers hoped that their study will raise awareness and stimulate further investigation into this unexpected and potentially harmful greening of the Pacific slope of Peru.
