The characteristics of shrub and grass paramo communities were examined at
a site in Podocarpus National Park, southern Ecuador. Forty-one 3 X 2 m plo
ts were established within these montane communities (3250-3385 m elevation
) to determine how the composition and structure of the vegetation vary alo
ng an elevation gradient. Detrended Correspondence Analysis was used to exa
mine plant community patterns and the environmental factors associated with
them. Three vegetation communities were recognized in the ordination analy
ses: grass paramo, shrub paramo, and high-elevation patches of shrubs. Alth
ough the majority of herbaceous species occurred in a wide range of habitat
s, the distribution of woody species varied markedly with elevation. Becaus
e this site is located further south than paramo communities described prev
iously, it contains an unusual combination of species. Nearly 120 species o
f vascular plants occurred, the majority of which are locally rare. Many of
the families and genera, however, are common throughout the Neotropical hi
ghlands.