VU

Puya alpicola

Unknown

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Puya alpicola faces significant pressure from livestock grazing, particularly by cattle and sheep, which damages the slow-growing rosettes and prevents successful reproduction. Climate change poses an additional threat as rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns affect the specialized high-altitude páramo ecosystems where this bromeliad occurs. Mining activities and infrastructure development in the Andes further fragment and degrade its limited habitat range.

Threat summary

Habitat

Puya alpicola inhabits high-altitude páramo grasslands and rocky slopes in the Andes, typically occurring between 3,000-4,200 meters elevation. This terrestrial bromeliad grows in well-drained soils among bunch grasses and cushion plants in the cold, wind-swept alpine environments of Ecuador and southern Colombia.

Other threatened species in Bromeliaceae

Puya clava-herculisVU

Puya clava-herculis

Unknown
Greigia sanctae-martaeCR

Greigia sanctae-martae

Unknown
CR

Pitcairnia similis

Unknown
EN

Greigia exserta

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Puya alpicola classified as Vulnerable?
Puya alpicola is classified as Vulnerable because the population is declining and the species faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term future if current pressures continue. Puya alpicola faces significant pressure from livestock grazing, particularly by cattle and sheep, which damages the slow-growing rosettes and prevents successful reproduction. Climate change poses an additional threat as rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns affect the specialized high-altitude páramo ecosystems where this bromeliad occurs. Mining activities and infrastructure development in the Andes further fragment and degrade its limited habitat range.
Where does Puya alpicola live?
Puya alpicola occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Puya alpicola?
The main threats to Puya alpicola are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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