Evaluación florística del ecosistema herbazal de páramo (hssn02), para proponer estrategias de conservación en la parroquia Santiago de Quimiag, cantón Riobamba, provincia de Chimborazo

Abstract

The present research was performed in Santiago de Quimiag parish, whose objective was to evaluate the floristic composition of the paramo grassland ecosystem (HsSn02) and promote conservation strategies, for this, the methodology implemented had a qualitative and quantitative approach, where an inventory was accomplished through linear transects of 50 x 2 m distributed at every 500 meters of altitude from 2800 meters above sea level for tree and shrub strata; On the other hand, for the grassland stratum, 2 x 2m quadrants were used. In addition, the collected samples were identified in the herbarium of the Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo, after that, an analysis of the ethnobotanical uses of those species was carried out and parameters of conservation were proposed for the ecosystem; identifying 69 plant species distributed in 36 families where the most representative was the Poaceae family with 53.15%, where the most important species was Calamagrostis intermedia. According to Margalef, the area has a diversity of 9.55, which corresponds to a high diversity; of the registered species, 46.81% have medicinal use, 12.77% as forage, 10.64% in gastronomy and the remaining 29.8% are used for food, ornamentation and pest control; as a relevant strategy, it was determined to guide agricultural activity towards the production of food, useful native species and traditional commercial crops with good agricultural practices.