Cordillera de Merida páramo
| Cordillera de Merida páramo (NT1004) | |
|---|---|
Páramo in the Cordillera de Merida
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| Ecology | |
| Realm | Neotropical |
| Biome | Montane grasslands and shrublands |
| Geography | |
| Area | 2,849 km2 |
| Countries | Venezuela |
| Coordinates | 8°50′56″N 70°50′46″W / 8.849°N 70.846°WCoordinates: 8°50′56″N 70°50′46″W / 8.849°N 70.846°W |
| Climate type | Cfb: warm temperate, fully humid, warm summer |
The Cordillera de Merida páramo (NT1004) is an ecoregion containing páramo (high moorland) vegetation above the treeline in the Andes mountain range of Venezuela. The isolated habitat has many endemic species. It is relatively stable and intact.
The Cordillera de Merida páramo is to the south of the Lake Maracaibo in the Cordillera de Mérida massif of northeastern Venezuela. It has an area of 284,898 hectares (704,000 acres). It is surrounded by the Venezuelan Andes montane forests ecoregion.
Páramos in the southwest of the Cordillera de Merida include Batalló at 3,913 metres (12,838 ft) above sea level and Nariño at 3,517 metres (11,539 ft). The highest point in the central section is the Piedras Blancas peak at 4,729 metres (15,515 ft), surrounded by extensive páramos, glaciers and lakes. From the Piedras Blancas páramo the land descends to the Mucuchíes páramo at 4,077 metres (13,376 ft), then continues to gradually descend towards the northeast.
The Köppen climate classification is "Cfb": warm temperate, fully humid, warm summer. Where the Northern Andean páramo is generally humid throughout the year with moisture delivered in the form of rain, clouds and fog as air masses are lifted up over the mountains, the Cordillera de Merida páramo is similar to the Costa Rican páramo and Santa Marta páramo, where the trade winds create a distinct dry season. The dominant winds blow northwest from the Amazon region, with a rainy season from around March to November.
The Cordillera de Merida páramo ecoregion is in the neotropical realm, in the montane grasslands and shrublands biome. The ecoregion is part of the Northern Andean Paramo global ecoregion, which also includes the Cordillera Central páramo, Santa Marta páramo and Northern Andean páramo terrestrial ecoregions. The plants and animals are adapted to the cold, dry conditions of the high peaks. There is a high level of local endemism, particularly on the more isolated peaks.
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Wikipedia