WHAT AND WHAT ARE THE ECOLOGICAL FLOORS OF BOLIVIA? - GEOGRAPHY - 2025

The ecological zones of Boliva are different ecosystems that can be found in this country. They are characterized above all by being at different altitudes above sea level, which makes their properties different.

The relief, and therefore the height above sea level, is one of the elements that most influences the climate of ecosystems.

For this reason, being Bolivia a country with great differences in altitude, it is also one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity.

In general, ecological floors are classified into six different types, depending on their altitude and the characteristics they present. In Bolivia it is possible to find the six ecological floors in different areas of the country.

The 6 main types of ecological flooring

The most common classification that is usually made of ecological floors is the following: macro-thermal floor or hot zone, subtropical floor, mesothermal floor or temperate zone, cold or microthermal floor, páramo floor and icy floor.

1- Macro-thermal floor or hot zone

This first ecological floor is located between sea level and 900 meters of altitude. It is characterized by having characteristics of the tropical climate, that is to say: warm temperature all year round and abundant rains in general.

In Bolivia this climate can be observed in the Amazon rainforest area. Some of the most representative plants of this ecological floor are cocoa and yucca.

2- Subtropical floor

The subtropical floor, located between the levels of warm and temperate land, is normally between 900 and 1800 meters high. It is characterized above all by having a very stable subtropical climate throughout the year.

In fact, this climate is one of the ones that suffers the least thermal variations throughout the year. In Venezuela it is known as the "coffee floor", since this plant grows very well in this type of ecological floors. In Bolivia it is found mainly in the Chaco area.

2- Mesothermic floor or temperate zone

This third floor is normally between 1800 and 2500 meters above sea level. Temperatures are usually very mild, with an annual average of approximately 18ºC.

The mesothermal floor is one of the ones with the most variability of animal and plant species. It represents one of the most fertile areas in the world, and also one of the most exploited by intensive agriculture.

In Bolivia this ecological floor can be found in the areas of the valleys of the Andes.

3- Cold or microthermal floor

This floor is between 2,500 and 3,400 meters high. Temperatures are much lower, close to 10ºC throughout the year.

In Bolivia this climate is present in the intermediate zones of the Andes. This type of climate can also be found in the highlands.

The most important crop of the microthermal floor is the potato, which grows very well at this temperature. Therefore, it is an important element of the economy of the cities in this area.

4- Paramo floor

The páramo floor is between 3400 and 4800 meters high, and has temperatures ranging from 0ºC to 8ºC.

They are characterized by having vegetation very adapted to the cold. They are located in the high parts of the Andes, below the perpetual snow zones.

Although there are not many farms on this floor, in some areas you can find wheat plantations. It is also common to see livestock farms, especially cattle.

5- cold floor

This floor is characterized by being the zone of perpetual snow: places where temperatures never rise above 0 ºC and, therefore, the snow never melts.

It is also in this area where you can see most of the country's glaciers. In Bolivia the frigid floor is present in the highest peaks of the Andes.

References

1. "Climate of Bolivia" in: Wikipedia. Retrieved on: December 15, 2017 from Wikipedia: es.wikipedia.org
2. "The climate system in Bolivia" in: Agrobolivia. Retrieved on: December 15, 2017 from Agrobolivia: agrobolivia.files.wordpress.com
3. "Thermal floors" in: Wikipedia. Retrieved on: December 15, 2017 from Wikipedia: es.wikipedia.org
4. "Thermal floors" in: La Guía. Retrieved on: December 15, 2017 from La Guía: geografia.laguia2000.com
5. "Climate of Bolivia" in: Bolivia Tourism. Retrieved on: December 15, 2017 from Bolivia Tourism: boliviaturismo.com.bo