Aphanes cotopaxiensis
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Aphanes cotopaxiensis faces severe pressure from agricultural expansion and livestock grazing in Ecuador's high-altitude páramo ecosystems. The species' restricted range around Cotopaxi Province makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation from potato cultivation and cattle ranching. Climate change poses an additional threat as warming temperatures push suitable habitat to higher elevations, reducing available area for this alpine specialist.
Habitat
This species inhabits high-altitude páramo grasslands and alpine meadows in the Ecuadorian Andes, typically occurring between 3,200-4,000 meters elevation. It grows in moist, well-drained soils among native bunch grasses and cushion plants characteristic of these montane ecosystems.