Flora of high mountain tropical peatlands: threats and management measures, Talamanca Range, Costa Rica

Tropical peatlands in the Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves, particularly those outside protected areas, exhibit significantly lower biological diversity due to edge effects and proximity to agro-productive activities or the Inter-American Highway. In contrast, peatlands within protected zones like Salsipuedes and Cerro Paramillo show higher diversity, featuring genera such as Blechnum, Puya, Chusquea, Myrsine, Vaccinium, and Sphagnum. The study, which analyzed five peat bogs at altitudes of 2,400–3,100 meters using field sampling and a Floristic Value Index (IVF), highlights these ecosystems as critical components of the Mesoamerican hotspot, not only for biodiversity but also as sensitive indicators of human impact and climate change. The research underscores the vulnerability of these fragile formations to anthropogenic pressures.

González, F., León-Alfaro, Y., & López-Estébanez, N. (2025). Flora de las turberas tropicales de alta montaña: amenazas y medidas de manejo, Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica. Revista de Biología Tropical, 73(1), e58505. https://doi.org/10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v73i1.58505