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The plants on the western side of this ecoregion can be divided into three zones based on their growth forms and elevation. In the lower elevations, 2,000 to 2,700 metres (6,600 to 8,900 ft), grow large shrubs such as
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This ecoregion is found from 3,500 to 5,000 metres (11,500 to 16,400 ft) in the north to 1,800 to 3,000 metres (5,900 to 9,800 ft) in the south. At higher elevations are found permanent snow,
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The plants on the eastern side do not grow in distinct zones. In the lower elevations, 1,900 to 2,700 metres (6,200 to 8,900 ft), grow plants of the genera
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This ecoregion's high elevations and harsh climate make it unsuitable for development or farming, so it has experienced little habitat loss.
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spp. In the highest elevations, extending to 3,900 metres (12,800 ft), grow small forbs,
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The flora of this ecoregion is adapted to its cold, dry, and windy climate. Many of the plant
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21.165% of the ecoregion is in protected areas. Protected areas include:
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586:"Southern Andean steppe". DOPA Explorer. Accessed 6 April 2022.
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217:. At lower elevations, this ecoregion grades into
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229:to the east. To the north it transitions to the
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256:. Precipitation falls mainly in winter.
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196:in the high elevations of the southern
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550:Río de los Cipreses National Reserve
505:Caverna de las Brujas Nature Reserve
443:The fauna is similar to that of the
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525:Laguna del Diamante Nature Reserve
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663:Montane grasslands and shrublands
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183:montane grasslands and shrublands
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560:Volcán Tupungato Provincial Park
540:Puente del Inca Natural Monument
535:Nevado Tres Cruces National Park
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510:Cerro Aconcagua Provincial Park
48:Ecoregion territory (in purple)
500:Abra del Acay Natural Monument
188:occurring along the border of
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545:Río Clarillo National Reserve
530:Laguna del Laja National Park
455:found here include the puma (
251:Köppen climate classification
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693:Grasslands of South America
565:Yerba Loca Nature Sanctuary
555:San Guillermo National Park
223:Valdivian temperate forests
100:Valdivian temperate forests
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520:El Morado Natural Monument
245:This ecoregion has a cold
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515:El Leoncito National Park
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610:"Southern Andean steppe"
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279:Chuquiraga oppositifolia
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683:Grasslands of Argentina
668:Ecoregions of Argentina
653:Ecoregions of the Andes
445:Central Andean dry puna
231:Central Andean dry puna
120:Central Andean dry puna
698:Neotropical ecoregions
637:Southern Andean steppe
616:. World Wildlife Fund.
614:Terrestrial Ecoregions
310:, and grasses such as
179:Southern Andean steppe
19:Southern Andean steppe
483:Contemporary land use
233:and to the south the
658:Ecology of Patagonia
639:at Wikimedia Commons
331:Moschopsis leyboldii
291:Azorella madreporica
688:Grasslands of Chile
673:Ecoregions of Chile
461:), the Andean fox (
325:Nassauvia pinnigera
319:Oxalis erythrorhiza
285:Nassauvia axillaris
115:Central Andean puna
678:Flora of the Andes
467:) and the vicuna (
464:Lycalopex culpaeus
313:Nassauvia lagascae
635:Media related to
449:Patagonian steppe
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163:Conservation
31:Lo Barnechea
65:Neotropical
647:Categories
571:References
432:Moschopsis
420:Barneoudia
362:Chuquiraga
227:High Monte
215:ice fields
110:High Monte
426:Leucheria
402:Nassauvia
356:Nassauvia
194:Argentina
186:ecoregion
168:Protected
154:Argentina
142:Countries
129:Geography
451:. Large
447:and the
390:Azorella
374:Junellia
308:rosettes
211:glaciers
453:mammals
396:Senecio
384:Laretia
379:Adesmia
350:Mulinum
344:Adesmia
241:Climate
204:Setting
171:21.165%
83:Borders
54:Ecology
429:, and
368:Oxalis
359:, and
300:, and
266:genera
213:, and
439:Fauna
414:Draba
339:Stipa
303:Stipa
260:Flora
198:Andes
190:Chile
181:is a
149:Chile
72:Biome
60:Realm
35:Chile
387:and
328:and
282:and
221:and
192:and
177:The
134:Area
89:List
479:).
254:BWk
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