Ribes austroecuadorense
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Ribes austroecuadorense faces severe pressure from agricultural expansion and cattle ranching in Ecuador's montane regions, which directly destroys its specialized cloud forest habitat. Mining activities and road construction further fragment the remaining populations, while climate change threatens to shift the narrow altitudinal zones where this endemic gooseberry can survive. The species' extremely limited range makes it particularly vulnerable to any habitat disturbance.
Habitat
This endemic Ecuadorian gooseberry inhabits cloud forests and montane scrublands at elevations between 2,800-3,500 meters in the Andes. It requires the specific microclimate conditions found in these high-altitude ecosystems, including consistent moisture from cloud cover and well-drained volcanic soils.
