Climatic, morphometric, and structural characteristics of Polylepis rugulosa Bitter forests on the arid slopes of the southwestern Andes in the Moquegua region-Peru

Saira E.M.R.; Salas J.L.T.F.; Platero V.Y.; Delgado F.D.C.; Silva M.F.C.; Quiroga S.C.L.; De La Cruz K.M.L. · E3 Journal of Economics, Business and Entrepreneurship in the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (2026) · DOI: 10.29073/e3.v12i3.1085

Resumen

The purpose of the study is to characterize the species' preference patterns for physical factors to assist local and regional managers in identifying areas suitable for conservation, management, and restoration. The design of the study is founded on three primary questions: (i)How influential are factors such as slope, valley enclosure, proximity to groundwater resources, and radiation exposure on forest structure variables such as density, distribution patterns, and tree size? (ii) Is it possible to identify regeneration or recruitment patterns that are influenced by altitude, topography, morphometry, or climate? Lastly, (iii) could this disaggregated pattern be a natural characteristic of Polylepis forests in the Moquegua Region? After defining the general characteristics of climate and morphometry, Ripley K analysis was used to identify patterns of structure ordination in 36 plots (50 x 50 m) distributed at six distinct sites throughout the forest distribution. These concentrated patterns were associated with density differences between adult and juvenile plants based on altitude: while total tree abundance decreases with altitude, the abundance of juvenile trees increases. This pattern of turnover at higher altitudes may be influenced by climate change, but additional research is required to confirm or refute this hypothesis.

Instituciones: Universidad Privada de Tacna; Universidad Nacional de Moquegua; Universidad Nacional Jorge Basadre Grohmann