Polylepis nana
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Polylepis nana faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and livestock grazing in high-altitude Andean ecosystems. Mining activities and infrastructure development further fragment the already limited patches of suitable habitat. Climate change poses an additional threat as rising temperatures force this cold-adapted species to retreat to increasingly restricted elevations with nowhere left to migrate.
Habitat
Polylepis nana inhabits high-altitude Andean forests and woodlands, typically occurring between 3,500-4,500 meters elevation in Peru and Bolivia. This dwarf tree species forms part of the distinctive Polylepis forest ecosystem found on steep slopes and rocky outcrops in the puna and páramo zones.