Montane grasslands and shrublands are a
biome defined by the
World Wildlife Fund.[1] The biome includes high elevation
grasslands and
shrublands around the world. The term "montane" in the name of the biome refers to "high elevation", rather than the ecological term that denotes the region below the
treeline.
This biome includes high elevation (
montane and
alpine)
grasslands and
shrublands, including the
puna and
páramo in South America,
subalpine heath in New Guinea and East Africa,
steppes of the Tibetan plateaus, as well as other similar subalpine habitats around the world.[1]
The plants and animals of tropical montane páramos display striking adaptations to cool, wet conditions and intense sunlight. Around the world, characteristic plants of these habitats display features such as
rosette structures, waxy surfaces, and abundant
pilosity.[1]
The páramos of the northern
Andes are the most extensive examples of this habitat type. Although ecoregion biotas are most diverse in the Andes, these ecosystems are distinctive wherever they occur in the tropics. The heathlands and moorlands of East Africa (e.g.,
Mount Kilimanjaro,
Mount Kenya,
Rwenzori Mountains),
Mount Kinabalu of Borneo, and the
Central Range of New Guinea are all limited in extent, isolated, and support endemic plants and animals.[1]
The montane grasslands of the
Tibetan Plateau still support relatively intact migrations of Tibetan antelope (Pantholops Hodgsoni) and kiang, or Tibetan wild ass (Equus hemionus). A unique feature of many tropical páramos is the presence of giant rosette plants from a variety of plant families, such as
Lobelia (Africa),
Puya (South America),
Cyathea (New Guinea), and
Argyroxiphium (Hawai’i). These plant forms can reach elevations of 4,500–4,600 metres (14,800–15,100 ft) above sea level.[1]
^Werger, MJA; van Bruggen, AC, eds. (1978). Biogeography and ecology of southern Africa. Springer.
ISBN9789061930839.
^White, F (1983). The vegetation of Africa: A descriptive memoir to accompany the UNESCO/AETFAT/UNSO vegetation map of Africa. Natural Resources Research. Vol. 20. Paris, France: UNESCO.