Hiking and livestock favor non-native plants in the high Andes

Hikers and livestock using mountain trails damage native vegetation act as seed vectors, thus favouring the spread of non-native plants. We evaluated effect abundance on success plants in arid central Andes Argentina. surveyed six trails, covering elevations between 2400 3570 m a.s.l. recorded transects distributed along elevational gradient spanning distances up to 22 from trail. assessed how occurrence, richness cover varied with distance trail, intensity use by livestock, plant community composition elevation. found that favoured but did not influence cover, while cover. Non-native decreased elevation composition. In addition, was positively correlated shrub suggesting possible facilitative interactions. Our results show despite strong environmental filtering leads decreasing increasing elevation, non-natives occur upper limits vegetation, favour these mountains. Second Abstract language.