Distribution And Characterization Of The Communities Of Tillandsia (Bromeliaceae) In Southern Peru And Their Relationship With Altitude, Slope And Orientation.

The xerophytic plant communities where Tillandsia predominates, in the coastal deserts of Peru and Chile, are dependent on the fog coming from the Pacific Ocean, so they present, in turn, unique characteristics that allow the unique ecosystem to survive. The distribution of the Tillandsia communities in southern Peru was evaluated by means of remote sensing techniques, review of herbaria, specialized texts and exhaustive field trips, as well as their presence with respect to altitude, slope and aspect. Six species of Tillandsia have been recorded, the most common being T. purpurea and T. capillaris, while T. latifolia, T. paleacea, T. landbeckii and T. werdermannii are restricted to certain localities. The results show 94 Tillandsia patches, distributed in 10 localities in southern Peru, ranging from 15 degrees 5' S to 18 degrees 0' S, with an extension of approximately 467 km2. Populations are found from 450 to 1400 masl and in terms of slope and orientation, they are located preferably at <8.5 degrees and SW respectively. As for their conservation, these communities are currently threatened mainly by anthropic pressure, habitat modification and climate change.