The Unique Purdiaea nutans Forest of Southern Ecuador — Abiotic Characteristics and Cryptogamic Diversity

Aposematic Coloration of Moths Decreases Strongly along an Elevational Gradient in the Andes

“…were located in evergreen upper montane forest, which in the study area is represented by a unique formation dominated by one single species of small trees, viz. Purdiaea nutans (Clethraceae) [26]. While at the lowest sites the forest has multiple layers and the tallest trees reach 40 m and higher, forest stands become ever lower, with more slender stems, lower basal area, denser herb layer, and increasing canopy openness towards higher elevations [27].…”

Late Holocene environmental change and human impact inferred from three soil monoliths and the Laguna Zurita multi-proxi record in the southeastern Ecuadorian Andes

“…Purdiaea nutans is a rare tree in the northern Andes, but exceptionally frequent in the ECSF research area between 2,150 m and 2,650 m elevation. The Purdiaea forest, with up to about 80% of individuals, is poor in other species (Mandl et al 2008). A separation of Clethra and Purdiaea pollen in fossil archives is not possible.…”

Late Quaternary landscape dynamics in the Podocarpus National Park region in the southeastern Andes of Ecuador

“…Here Purdiaea accounts for up to about 80 % of the individuals, mixed with e.g. Hedyosmum, Melastomataceae, Myrsine and (tree)-ferns (Mandl et al, 2008). The dominance of Purdiaea pollen found between 2300 and 2550 m a.s.l., shows no shift in pollen distribution according to the vegetation data.…”

“…Gradstein SR, Kessler M, Lehnert M, Abiy M, Homeier J,Mandl N, Makeschin F, Richter M (2008) Vegetation, climate, and soil of the unique Purdiaea forest of Southern Ecuador. Ecotropica 14:15-26 P, Mélières MA (2007) High-altitude varve records of abrupt environmental changes and mining activity over the last 4000 years in the Western French Alps (Lake Bramant, Grandes Rousses Massif).…”