Currently, there is no precise information on the degree of transformation of Tropical Andes hotspot landscape and native ecosystems due to the intensification of agricultural and urban land-use. Proper knowledge of these changes would provide crucial information for planning conservation strategies. We evaluated the impact of the intensification of agricultural and urban land-use on the Inter-Andean Dry Forest and Tropical Montane Forest, both of which are categorized as Critically Endangered, and the state of the landscape in the High Rio Guayllabamba watershed, Ecuador, during the periods 1991–2005 and 2005–2017. The evaluation was carried out using Landsat satellite images of 30 x 30 m pixels and landscape metrics. We found an advanced state of landscape transformation. Since the 1990s, the loss of both ecosystems was largely caused by the conversion of forest to agriculture, resulting in substantial changes in the spatial configuration of these ecosystems. From 1991 to 2017, 19.8 % and 16.1 % of Inter-Andean Dry Forest and Tropical Montane Forest respectively, were converted to agriculture. The loss of Inter-Andean Dry Forest was 28 % and the number of forest patches increased by more than 150%. The loss of Tropical Montane Forest was 16.5 % and the number of forest patches increased by more than 300 %. The largest loss and fragmentation of forest cover occurred from 1991 to 2005. We suggested planning landscape-scale conservation, using the patch-corridor-matrix model. This model is appropriate given the current configuration of the landscape studied, with Inter-Andean Dry Forest and Tropical Montane Forest restricted to small patches sparsely distributed across the landscape.

The forest landscape of southern Chile, which includes Chilean temperate forest ecosystem, has been designated as a hotspot for biodiversity conservation. However, this landscape has been transformed by land-use change. A proper knowledge about how land-use change impact this ecosystem would provide crucial information for planning conservation strategies. At the commune of Arauco – Chile, the impact of the land-use change on the spatial pattern of native forest ecosystem from 1990 to 2010 was evaluated at the landscape level. This evaluation was carried out using satellite images, landscape metrics and spatially explicit models. The loss of native forest ecosystem was of 40.7% (loss rate of 4.39% per year). Conversely, the exotic species plantations increased more than 150%. The number patches of native forest ecosystem increased more than 130%. The size distribution of patches (<100 ha) increased more than 22%. The aggregation index of native forest ecosystem decreased from 62.5 to 40.1. The loss of native forest ecosystem was caused by the expansion of exotic species plantations, which was associated with substantial changes in the spatial pattern of the forest landscape. As a strategy for conservation of the native forest ecosystem we suggest a landscape approach, using the corridor–patch–matrix model. We recommend that this strategy be complemented with land-use planning. Moreover, this strategy must be supported by a framework of environmental policies. We also recommend strengthening the existing ecological restoration programmes and developing new programmes to restore the native forest ecosystem.

Pérdida y fragmentación de ecosistemas boscosos nativos y su influencia en la diversidad de hábitats en el hotspot Andes tropicales Loss and fragmentation of native forest ecosystems and its influence on habitat diversity in the Tropical Andes hotspot

En orden a proponer estrategias para la restauración del páramo de frailejones perturbado por incendios en el norte de Ecuador, este estudio evaluó la efectividad de tres técnicas que utilizaron tres especies nativas en tres sitios con diferente pendiente del terreno: alta (>30%), media (entre 15% y 30%) y baja (<15%). En cada sitio se establecieron seis ensayos de restauración en los que se implementaron las técnicas: introducción de especie nativa, con plantación de Polylepis incana en dos densidades diferentes; reubicación de plantas y regeneración natural, cada una con las especies Hypericum laricifolium e Hypericum lancioides. Las plantas fueron monitoreadas durante 24 meses. Se evaluó la efectividad de las técnicas en términos del éxito en supervivencia, crecimiento y estado fitosanitario de las plantas, mediante el estimador de Kaplan-Meier, análisis de varianza utilizando el test de comparación de medias Tukey (p<0.05) y prueba de Chi cuadrado, respectivamente. Las estrategias fueron propuestas con base en la efectividad de las técnicas en cada sitio. La estrategia para sitios con pendiente alta debe estar conformada por introducción de especie nativa de P. incana en menor densidad y regeneración natural con H. lancioides; para sitios con pendiente media con introducción de especie nativa de P. incana en ambas densidades, y regeneración natural con H. laricifolium; para sitios con pendiente baja con introducción de especie nativa de P. incana en mayor densidad y reubicación de plantas con H. laricifolium y H. lancioides. Las estrategias propuestas contribuyen en el diseño y planificación de la restauración de este importante ecosistema altoandino.