Polylepis pallidistigma
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Polylepis pallidistigma faces severe pressure from agricultural expansion and livestock grazing in its high-altitude Andean habitat. Burning of Polylepis woodlands for pasture creation has fragmented remaining populations into isolated patches. Climate change poses an additional threat as warming temperatures force this cold-adapted species to retreat to increasingly limited suitable elevations.
Habitat
This species inhabits high-altitude Polylepis woodlands in the Andes, typically occurring between 3,500-4,200 meters elevation. It grows in cold, humid montane environments where it forms part of the distinctive high-elevation forest ecosystems characteristic of the tropical Andes.
