Threats to the Vegetation of the Colombian Orinoquia: A Novel Approach for Its Assessment

In the Colombian Orinoquia, the principal threats to flora and vegetation stem from selec-tive logging and land-use changes. To assess these threats, an ordinal classification was performed based on the conservation urgency of phytosociological alliances and their characteristic flora. A multicriteria model was developed using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), incorporating data from IUCN Threatened Species lists, field surveys de-tailing local plant species uses, species geographical distribution, and habitat quality ob-servations. A total of 281 vegetation surveys were carried out in grasslands and 178 in forests. In the grasslands, 258 angiosperm species were recorded, with 13 classified as highly threatened, and one phytosociological alliance categorized as critically threatened. In the forest plots, 546 angiosperm species were identified, with three phytosociological alliances considered highly threatened. Although the use of IUCN categories aids in comparing species’ conservation statuses, these categories do not explicitly reflect the spe-cific threats faced by vegetation types. Therefore, we propose that multicriteria models for threat assessment provide a more nuanced understanding of the threat and conservation status of each vegetation type, offering a more comprehensive framework for conservation efforts.