Thomas van der Hammen Libros

This volume 6 of the series Studies on Tropical Andean Ecosystems presents findings from the Colombian Western Cordillera around latitude 5° N, based on fieldwork conducted in 1983. The transect comprises two sections: one between 500 m and 2150 m altitude, near San José del Palmar, and the other between 2150 and 4200 m, near Santuario and the Tatamá massif. This area was largely unexplored, lacking reliable maps and previous human penetration. The research journey into this pristine region revealed breathtaking landscapes, including glacial valleys at 3500 m, high Andean virgin forests, and marshy valley floors with paramo-type vegetation. The experience was filled with enthusiasm, marked by the discovery of an unblemished altitudinal forest limit, fearless birds, and signs of wildlife such as felines and bears. A small group successfully ascended one of the peaks at approximately 4100 m, naming the valleys with poetic titles like Valle de Las Mirlas and Valle del Oso. Recognizing the area's ecological value, the team advocated for its conservation, leading to the declaration of the Tatamá Area as a National Park in 1986. Additionally, this volume includes studies from other paramos in the Western Cordillera, contributing significantly to the understanding of the region.

The publication of this volume (volume 7) concludes the publication of the study of the transects of Buritaca (Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta), Parque los Nevados (Central Cordillera), Tatamá (Western Cordillera) and Sumapaz (Eastern Cordillera) in the Colombian Andes. The latter three studies represent a West-East transect through the Colombian Andes, from the Pacific to the Llanos Orientales (Eastern plains) at an approximate latitude of 4° North. With this extensive project the authors aim to provide an integral view of the natural environment of one of the most biologically diverse, and moreover, one of the most beautiful regions of the world, from the tropical lowlands to the snowline.

The second volume is dedicated to the complete studies of the Santa Marta transect, and contained a final chapter in which the principle results of the studies were used in an attempt to give an integrated view: „Zonal ecosystems of the northern flank of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta“. The study of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta was carried out under the special sponsorship and responsibility of the Instituto de de Ciencias Naturales, the Instituto Colombiano de Antropologia and of Inderena. The present volume contains chapters and articles in Spanish and English. To achieve a maximum of accessibility an abstract in the other language has always been added, and the titles of the chapters and the captions of figures and photographs are given in the two languages.