HOLDRIDGE LIFE ZONES: WHAT DOES IT CONSIST OF, IN LATIN AMERICA - BIOLOGY - 2025

The Holdrige life zones are a type of ecosystem classification that belongs to a categorization system of the different terrestrial biomes. Biomes are ecosystems on Earth that occupy large areas and have common plant systems.

The method to classify them was developed by the American botanist and climatologist Leslie Holdrige, to whom it owes its name. It was published in 1947, updated with another name and other data in 1971 and its purpose is to classify the areas of the world according to plant associations.

The Holdridge life zones are used to categorize the different biomes that exist on the planet. Source: pixabay.com

The Holdrige life zone system classifies zones according to three factors: temperature, precipitation and evapotranspiration. Its ultimate purpose is to verify places on Earth with common biomes according to these three parameters and thus take advantage of the natural resources of each area more effectively.

What are the Holdrige life zones?

The Holdrige life zone system is made in the shape of a triangle with hexagons inside; and each one of them represents a life zone. Latitude is on the left side of the triangle and altitude is on the right.

The following parameters are used to analyze the life zones according to the Holdrige method.

Temperature

In this case, the biotemperature is analyzed, which is nothing more than a measure of heat related to the growth of the plants. These grow in a temperature range between 0 ° C and 30 ° C, and for the study of life zones, an average of the biotemperature of a whole year is made.

Biotemperature determines the following thermal zones: polar (0 ° C - 1.5 ° C), subpolar (1.5 ° C - 3 ° C), boreal (3 ° C - 6 ° C), cold temperate (6 ° C - 12 ° C), warm temperate (12 ° C - 18 ° C), subtropical (18 ° C - 24 ° C) and tropical (greater than 24 ° C).

Precipitation

Precipitation is nothing more than the annual average of rainfall in an area expressed in millimeters (rain, hail, snow or sleet), all measured on a logarithmic scale.

Evapotranspiration

Evapotranspiration is the relationship between temperature and precipitation that determines the amount of potential moisture in an area.

This climatic factor determines the following zones: super humid or pluvial, perhumid or very humid, humid, sub-humid or dry, semi-arid, arid, per-arid and super-arid.

Life zones in Colombia

Using the Holdrige method, the Colombian ecosystem is divided into the following zones: tropical, subtropical, lower montane and montane.

Tropical

The tropical life zone is subdivided into desert scrub, thorn bush, very dry forest, dry forest, humid forest, very humid forest and rain forest.

Between all they present average precipitations of between 125 mm and 8000 mm. The average temperature is above 24 ° C throughout the year.

In the tropical zone you can see cacti, cují and dividivi. In the area of ​​desert scrub and thorny hills, thorny vegetations are observed; likewise, in very dry forests there are shrubs and small trees. The humid, very humid and rain forests are full of big trees and very green areas.

Subtropical

The subtropical zone is divided into thorn bush, dry forest, humid forest, very humid forest and rain forest. Although many of these areas are called the same as in the tropical zone, they differ by the height at which they are and by the temperature.

Rainfall in this area ranges from 250 mm to 4000 mm and the temperature ranges from 17 ° C to 30 ° C.

In the subtropical zone we find strong winds due to the height. There are long dry seasons in the dry forest, as opposed to in the humid and very humid forests, where there is fog, humidity and moss. On the other hand, in the rain forests we find ferns and lilies.

Low montane

This zone is divided into dry forest, humid forest, very humid forest and rain forest. The precipitations oscillate between 500 mm and more than 4000 mm, and the temperature goes from 18 ° C to 22 ° C.

The lower montane area is more rainy than the subtropical, which allows agriculture to be practiced there (dry forest). In the humid forests we have the best climate for human and animal life; however, it is a sparsely populated area due to the lack of communication routes.

In the humid and pluvial forest there are frosts at some times of the year and large rainy seasons. The vegetation that is evident in this area is composed of ferns and parasitic plants on the trunks of the trees.

Montane

In this area we have humid forests, very humid forests, rain forests, sub-alpine moors, and sub-alpine pluvial moors. Rainfall ranges from 500mm to 2000mm and the temperature ranges from 0 ° C to 12 ° C.

In montane areas frosts are recorded during some times of the year. Specifically in the páramo area, little vegetation is seen, and there the rocky areas predominate due to the freezing temperatures that are reached.

Life zones in Peru

The geographical territory of Peru is divided into 16 life zones, which in turn are divided into 66 sub-biomes.

These sub-biomes are the following: very dry forest, humid forest, dry forest, pluvial forest, very humid forest, steppe, desert, bush and thorny steppe, scrub, snowy forest, thorn forest, very rainy wasteland, humid wasteland, pluvial tundra, very humid tundra and humid tundra.

Temperatures range from 1 ° C to 24 ° C on average, and rainfall is between 500mm and over 4000mm. The predominant life zone on the Atlantic side is the very humid forest, the desert is in the Pacific zone, and the humid páramo is located near Lake Titicaca.

The areas of humid, dry and very humid forest are home to the greatest biodiversity in the country. In the desert, steppe and scrub areas there are corn, pineapple, coffee, cocoa and cane plantations, among others.

In the humid and very rainy moors livestock activity is concentrated, as well as large lakes and lagoons. For its part, the lowest temperatures are concentrated in the snowy zone and snow can be seen.

Life zones in Panama

Panama is a totally tropical country. It presents the following life zones according to the Holdrige classification:

Tropical

Very humid, dry and humid forests.

Premontanos

Humid, dry, very humid and pluvial forests.

Montanos

Rain forests.

Lower montanes

Very humid and pluvial forests.

General characteristics

The tropical humid forest is the most extensive life zone in the territory of Panama. It occupies 32% of the country's surface and most of the species that are traded nationally and internationally are in this area.

The tropical and premontane dry forests, together with the premontane humid forest, only occupy 9% of the three within the national territory.

The premontane humid forest is the second largest life zone in Panama and occupies 18% of the country's territory. It is located towards the Pacific side and has an average annual temperature of 17.5 ° C.

The very humid tropical forest occupies 13% of the surface. It is the area with the best forest climate and where you can find a great variety of tree species, heliconia and woody shrubs, among others.

The premontane and lower montane rain forests are very similar. The forest formation rises between 400 m and 1400 m above sea level and is mainly composed of virgin forests.

Life zones in Guatemala

Like Panama, Guatemala is a tropical country. According to the classification of life zones of Holdrige, the country is divided into 13 zones that we list below:

Tropical

Dry, very dry, very humid and humid forests.

Tropical foothills

Dry, very humid, humid and rain forests.

Tropical low montanes

Very humid and humid forests.

Tropical sub-Andean

Rain forests.

Tropical montanes

Very humid and pluvial forests.

General characteristics

Very dry, dry, humid and very humid tropical forests are found in the life zone of the basal floor. Rainfall ranges from 577mm to 4000mm and the temperature ranges from 23 ° C to 28 ° C. In this area we can find shrubs, agriculture, livestock and forests.

The tropical humid forest represents 37% of the country's territory, which makes it the largest life zone in the country. This area is mostly covered by forests, but there is also cattle ranching and cultivation of sugar cane and African palm.

The tropical premontane dry, humid, very humid and pluvial forests, as well as the tropical low montane humid and very humid forests, have very similar characteristics. Most of the territory is covered by forests and small coffee plantations.

The tropical sub-Andean rain forest is the coldest life zone, and that is why most of its territory is occupied by rock formations and a small portion of shrubs, bushes and forests.

Life zones in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is divided into 12 life zones according to the Holdrige classification:

Tropical

Humid, dry and very humid forests.

Premontanos

Very humid, humid and pluvial forests.

Lower montanes

Very humid, humid and pluvial forests.

Subalpine

Rain forests, montane rain forests and very humid.

General characteristics

In the tropics we can find a great variety of plant and animal species, such as guanacastes, cenízaros, oaks, ferns, monkeys, sloths, toads, frogs, rats and mice, among others.

In the premontane areas there is great rainfall, the soil is fertile and therefore there is a great plant diversity. The forests are dense, you can see very green and tall trees.

In the lower montane area, the forests are not very high and there is a great presence of fog; because of this there is a lot of humidity. In the lower montane rain forest is the highest part of the country's mountain range.

The subalpine pluvial moor is the area with the highest altitude and lowest temperatures. In this area we can find dwarf vegetation, moss, lakes and glaciers.

References

1. Gutiérrez Rey, Hilda. "Approach to a model for the evaluation of the vulnerability of Colombian vegetation cover to a possible climate change using GIS Geographic Information Systems with emphasis on the vulnerability of the snow and páramo cover of Colombia". In Institute of hydrology, meteorology and environmental studies. Retrieved on June 15, 2019 from: ideam.gov.co
2. Guerra Alecio, Mariella Marbeth. “Current situation and proposal of management areas for the life zones of Guatemala” (2015). Retrieved on June 15, 2019 from: edu.gt
3. "The environment in Colombia" (2001). In IDEAM. Retrieved on June 15, 2019 from: documentation.ideam.gov.co
4. Aybar-Camacho, C.; Lavado-Casimiro, W.; Sabino, E.; Ramírez, S.; Huerta, J. & Felipe-Obando, O. "Atlas of life zones of Peru - Explanatory Guide" (2017). In the National Meteorology and Hydrology Service of Peru (SENAMHI). Directorate of Hydrology. Retrieved on June 15, 2019 from: senamhi.gob.pe
5. Holdrige, Leslie. "Life zone ecology". Retrieved on June 15, 2019 from: reddcr.go.cr
6. Zamora, Carlos. "Bioclimatic diagram of life zones of the Holdrige system, adapted and interpreted to the geography of Peru" (2009). Recovered at: sinia.minam.gob.pe
7. Alfaro Murillo, A.; Aymerich Uhlenhaut, N.; Blanco Laurito, G.; Bolaños Álvarez, L.; Campos Monteros, A.; Matarrita Ortiz, R. "Guide to bioclimatic design according to the Holdrige life zone classification" (2013). Retrieved on June 15, 2019 from: ucr.ac.cr
8. Pérez Irungaray, G.; Rosito Monzón, J.; Maas Ibarra, R.; Gándara Cabrera, G. "Ecosystems of Guatemala based on the life zone classification system" (2018). At the Institute for Research and Projection on Natural Environment and Society of the Rafael Landívar University. Retrieved on June 15, 2019 from: infoiarna.org.gt