Andes, Bofedales, and the Communities of Huascarán National Park, Peru

Huascarán National Park's high-elevation wetlands, particularly its ancient peatlands, store significant carbon comparable to tropical lowland peatlands, with depths up to 11 meters and ages reaching 12,000 years. These ecosystems, occupying ~11% of the park area, are critical in a coupled natural-human system shaped by historical land use and supporting millions downstream dependent on water and energy resources. The study highlights rapid ecological flux due to land cover changes, glacial retreat, and socioeconomic shifts, threatening wetland sustainability while emphasizing their role in biodiversity and endemism across plants, birds, fish, amphibians, and insects.

Chimner, R. (2020). Andes, Bofedales, and the Communities of Huascarán National Park, Peru. Wetland Science & Practice, 37(4), 246–254. https://doi.org/10.1672/ucrt083-205