Ecosystem Profiles
Six worlds stacked on one mountain range
The Andes span 7,000 km and rise from sea level to 6,900 m. Along the way, they contain some of the most distinct and biodiverse ecosystems on Earth — each one a world unto itself.
In Depth
Ecosystem profiles
Click any profile to expand the full research summary, key statistics, and threat assessment.
Despite covering less than 2% of South America, páramo ecosystems supply freshwater to over 40 million people in Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. They are also home to extraordinary endemic flora — including the iconic frailejón (Espeletia), a giant rosette plant that can live for centuries. Cattle grazing, potato farming, and urban expansion are the primary threats.
Key threat: Cattle grazing and agricultural expansion are degrading 30% of remaining páramo.
Area
Water supplied to
Endemic plant genera
Altitude range
Wildlife Spotlight
Species that define the Andes
A selection of the iconic and ecologically critical species found across Andean ecosystems.
Andean Condor
Vultur gryphus
The largest flying bird in the Western Hemisphere, with a wingspan up to 3.3 m. A keystone scavenger and cultural symbol across Andean civilizations.
Spectacled Bear
Tremarctos ornatus
South America's only bear species and the last surviving short-faced bear. A critical seed disperser in cloud forests, it ranges from Venezuela to Bolivia.
Andean Camelids
Vicugna vicugna / Lama guanicoe
Vicuñas and guanacos are the wild ancestors of llamas and alpacas. Vicuña wool is the finest natural fibre in the world; the animals were sacred to the Inca.
Andean Orchids
Family Orchidaceae (4,000+ spp.)
The Andes contain more orchid species than any other region on Earth. Many are found in single valleys or on single mountain slopes — making them acutely vulnerable to habitat loss.
Andean Amphibians
Multiple families
The Andes are a global centre of amphibian diversity and the epicentre of the chytrid fungus crisis that has driven dozens of frog species to extinction since the 1980s.
Understanding the Andes
Why altitude changes everything
Every 1,000 metres of altitude in the Andes is roughly equivalent to travelling 1,000 km toward the poles in terms of temperature and vegetation. This creates a stacking of entirely different ecosystems within a horizontal distance of just a few kilometres.
Nival Zone
> 4,800 m
Permanent snow and ice. Glaciers, bare rock, and extreme cold. Only the hardiest microorganisms and occasional high-altitude birds survive here.
Páramo / Puna
3,000 – 4,800 m
High-altitude grasslands and wetlands. Cold, windy, and misty. Home to giant rosette plants, camelids, and the water systems that supply millions.
Cloud Forest
1,500 – 3,500 m
Perpetually mist-covered montane forest. The most biodiverse zone in the Andes — and the most threatened. Orchids, bears, and tapirs.
Yungas / Montane Forest
500 – 2,500 m
Subtropical and tropical forests on the eastern slopes. Transition zone between the Andes and the Amazon. Extraordinary butterfly and mammal diversity.
Amazon Headwaters
200 – 1,500 m
Where mountain rivers become the Amazon. The richest fish fauna on Earth begins here, along with lowland rainforest species moving upslope.
Dry Inter-Andean Valleys
1,000 – 3,000 m
Rain-shadow valleys between the Andean ridges. Dry, warm, and heavily settled. Home to endemic cacti, reptiles, and the heartland of Andean civilizations.
Go Deeper
Bring these ecosystems into your classroom
Our educational resources include ecosystem-specific lesson plans, species identification guides, and research summaries designed for secondary and university-level students.