Ecosystems of the Eastern Andes Mountain Range in Colombia

This map displays 13 types of ecosystems in the Colombian Eastern Andes as interpreted from Landsat Thematic Mapper satellite images covering this area.

Producing the map was part of an Andean ecoregional project, which identified priority areas for conservation in the Colombian Eastern Andes forests. Specifically, the project analyzed the distribution and fragmented state of the Andean ecosystems in the region and tried to identify which ecosystems were inadequately represented in the current network of protected areas. The project also delineated sites for establishing future conservation areas.

The biodiversity of the Andes is particularly vulnerable to loss from human disturbance. More than half (51 percent) of the ecosystems studied were altered because of this. This is the first Colombian Eastern Andes map of natural ecosystems at this level of resolution.

This research was developed with support from The Nature Conservancy, Fundación Natura, and the ESRI conservation program.