Plant diversity of the agrarian system of the district of Cajatambo, Lima: agriculture and scrub ecosystems

Abstract

A plant diversity study was conducted in the district of Cajatambo with emphasis on the agricultural and shrubland ecosystems. The records were made during 2015 and 2016 using 44 transects of 30 meters, in 9 plant formations. The alpha diversity in agricultural areas such as Parientana, Urpaycocha and Tizapampa grass were highly variable over time, but with low plant diversity, while the scrublands near the quarry and mine and the grasslands of Tocanca and road to Viconga were less variable and with higher diversity. The results suggest that an important factor for this behavior is the degree of human intervention. Beta diversity showed two large groups separated by altitude: one with agricultural zones and scrublands and the other with high Andean ecosystems. Both the agricultural zones and the scrublands showed that only in the dry periods of each year were some transects again quite similar (more than 80%), although others were less similar (62%). The presence and persistence of species during both dry seasons such as Trifolium repens, Rumex obtusifolius, Plantago lanceolata, Medicago sativa, Medicago polymorpha and Taraxacum officinale in the agricultural areas, as well as Minthostachys mollis, Ophryosporus peruvianus, Austrocylindropuntia subulata, Ribes viscosum, Acaena torilicarpa, Mutisia acuminata and Muehlenbeckia volcanica in the scrublands, is of great importance not only in the dynamics, but also in the management of the system because it includes species that are used by the inhabitants of Cajatambo.