Effect of shade and precipitation on germination and seedling establishment of dominant plant species in an Andean arid region, the Bolivian Prepuna.

Germination and seedling establishment are two critical processes in the life cycle of plants. Seeds and seedlings must pass through a series of abiotic and biotic filters in order to recruit as members of their communities. These processes are part of the regeneration niche of the species.

Genetic diversity and differentiation among (Leguminosae) populations from dry valleys of Bolivia with different levels of human disturbance and altitude.

The fast expansion of human population around La Paz, Bolivia (3,200-4,100 m.a.s.

Enhanced facilitation at the extreme end of the aridity gradient in the Atacama Desert: a community-level approach.

Plant facilitation is now recognized as an important process in severe environments. However, there is still no agreement on how facilitation changes as conditions become increasingly severe. The classic stress gradient hypothesis (SGH) predicts a monotonic increase in facilitation, which rises in frequency as conditions approach the extreme end of the environmental gradient.

Co-occurrence patterns along a regional aridity gradient of the subtropical Andes do not support stress gradient hypotheses.

The stress gradient hypothesis posits that facilitation and stress are positively correlated. The hump-shaped hypothesis, on the contrary, proposes that facilitation is greater at intermediate stress levels. The relationship between facilitation and environmental stress is commonly studied at small spatial scales and/or considering few species; thus, the implications of facilitation at a community level remain poorly understood.

The role of nurse plants in the establishment of shrub seedlings in the semi-arid subtropical Andes.

In the nurse plant syndrome, or nurse association, seedlings (beneficiaries) are associated with adult shrubs/trees (benefactors). This phenomenon has been documented in several regions of the planet. Abiotic stress amelioration (one mechanism of facilitation) is one of the causes of this association.