Puna grassland

The Puna ( from Aymara or Quechua identical ) is a height level of the Andes from about 4,000 to 4,800 meters above sea level (after Javier Pulgar Vidal ), and this typical grass vegetation.

The Altiplano of Bolivia, as well as large parts of Peru, especially in the South, and some smaller parts in northern Argentina are mostly covered by Puna vegetation.

The climate is cold with changeable, total low rainfall. The surface relief is very versatile, usually wavy. In the Puna, there are many lakes and plateaus.

The main form of economy is grazing ( llamas, alpacas ). For wild fauna among others include guanacos and vicuna.

Potatoes thrive in this climate still and are therefore the main crop. Furthermore, even barley ( Hordeum vulgare ) and the tuber are grown Maka ( Lepidium meyenii ).

Large parts of the Puna are dominated by puna grass Stipa ichu. Other grass species Festuca are orthophylla, Festuca dolichophylla, Calamagrostis species and Tutura ( Scirpus californicus ).

For woody flora include, among other Puya raimondii, Polylepis species, Opuntia ( Opuntia floccosa, Opuntia lagopus, Opuntia ignescens ), Baccharis species, Buddleja coriacea and Azorella yareta.

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