Soil moisture and the distribution of giant Andean rosettes on talus slopes of a desert paramo

Abstract

The distribution of giant Andean rosettes and soil moisture content during the dry season were studied in blocky and sandy talus slopes of the high Venezuelan paramo between 4335-4400m. Andean rosettes colonize blocky talus areas, and their roots grow under the stones, because soil there remains moist during the dry season, allowing plants to survive it more readily than in the desiccated bare sandy talus areas. -from Author