EcoTour of The Tropical Andes

1
Eco-Tour of The Tropical Andes
Join us on this tour of South America!
Guides Lisa Schneider Annette Danilowski
Dallas Monreal-Berner
2
Tundra
Deciduous Forest
Savanna
Taiga
Chaparral
Rainforest
Grasslands
Major Biomes of the Tropical Andes
Desert
Alpine
Desert-scrub
3
Santiago, Chile

• Capital of Chile
• More than 40 of the Chiles population (In 2002,
  census gave about 5.8 million)
• Due to a recently stable economy, companies are
  starting to set up headquarters in Santiago (Coca
  Cola, HP, Motorola, Intel, Ford, Yahoo).
• The largest concentration of higher-education
  institutions in the country.
• Hand gestures to fight are like in the movies.

We start here!
4
Chile
CLICK

• Climate Temperate, ranges from Desert (North) to
  moderate precipitation (South)
• Terrain Moderate Coastal mountains, Andes to the
  east, higher altitudes. Fertile valleys in
  Southern Chile.
•  Natural resources Copper, Timber, Iron, Ore,
  Nitrate, Precious Metals, Hydro-Power.
•  Natural hazards Severe Earthquakes, Active
  Volcanoes, Tsunamis.
• Environment issues Lack of Laws and Law
  Enforcement (examples raw sewage pollution,
  deforestation, mining, air pollution, poorly
  managed industrial sites, vehicles that are
  rarely regulated)
• Environmental international agreements Party
  to Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
  Whaling signed, but not ratified none of the
  selected agreements

5
Santiagos Biome

• Location 332616S, 703902W
• Climate Cool and temperate
• Temperature hot dry summer, cool and wet winter
• Reason for Climate Ocean current, on the
  downwind side of mountains
• Biome Chaparral
• Terrain bordering desert shrub land
• Natural burning season spurs seed growth.

Chaparral
6

• Marine Otter
• normal otter shape, except tail is short
• populations are very small and isolated
• feed on fish, crabs, mollusks
• found on rocky coasts from Peru down to Chile
  (Pacific Ocean)
• extinction caused by over hunting for fur,
  habitat destroyed because of new settlements,
  homes and water sports, water pollution from
  mines, over fishing of otters prey, and
  contagious diseases from animals.

7
Iquique, Chile

• May 21, Naval Battle of Iquique, celebrate with
  yacht races, festivities, barbeques, parades,
  speeches
• Unofficial capital of Northern Chile
• Largest Commercial Ports in South America
• There has been an attempt at democracy in the
  past 2 years that has ended in disaster, the
  police open fired on workers

Now were here!
8
Iquiques Biome

• Location 2013S, 7010W
• Climate dry climate zone
• Biome Desert
• Climate effected by on the downwind side of
  mountains.
• Temperature is lower in the winter. Drastic
  temperature land at night.

Desert
9
Andean Cat

•  lives in Andean plateaus (northern Chile,
  southern Peru, southwest Bolivia and northwest
  Argentina) in higher altitudes up to 16,500 ft.
• not clear whether rarity of Andean Cat is natural
  phenomenon or result of human actions
• hunting the Andean Cat is possibly carried out to
  protect local cattle
• habitat destruction does not apply because there
  have been no significant change in land
• the extinction of the chinchillas (caused by
  hunting for their furs) has had disastrous
  results on the Andean Cat

10
CLICK
Bolivia
Location- Central South America, southwest of
Brazil Climate humid and tropical to cold and
semiarid (dependent on altitude) Natural
resources tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc,
tungsten, antimony, silver, iron, lead, gold,
timber, hydropower Natural hazards flooding in
the northeast during March-April Environment
issues demand for tropical timber, increase for
agriculture, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity
industrial pollution of water Environmental
international agreements Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber, Wetlands
11
La Paz, Bolivia

• Census of 2001, population of around one million
• Capital in every respect of Bolivia
• Center of the more than 2.3 million Aymarians
  (Natives that later melded with the well known
  Incas)
• Holds the worlds highest golf course, making
  each swing more powerful
• Very strong in superstition, to the point of
  having streets filled with witch peddlers

Now were here!
12
La Pazs Biome

• Location1630S, 688W
• Biome Mountain Alpine Tundra
• Climate highland climate zone
• Climate effect by broad deciduous plateaus
• Temperature Winter average is 59 F, Summer
  average is 72 F
• Dry winters, daily summer rain

Alpine
13

• Vicuna
• Climbs and is found in high altitudes, over
  13,130 ft.
• feeds on roots, grass, lichens and moss
• is rare because indiscriminate hunting by man for
  their beautiful wool to sell to foreign tourists
• hunting started during the Spanish colonial
  period
• during the last century government countries have
  tried to protect it by creating reserves in
  national parks

14
Volcan Misti, Bolivia

• Location 332616S, 703902W
• This volcano has been dormant for many decades.
• If it were to erupt, the country would be
  devastated as it holds the second largest city at
  the bottom.
• There is an extremely fertile valley at the
  bottom of the Volcano.
• This land has been disputed over to the point
  that some internet atlases still list the Volcano
  as being located in Peru.

15
Alerce Tree

• found in southern Chile, on coastal mountain
  range
• found in temperate forests in a high seasonal
  rainfall
• wood of the tree is valuable because it is
  durable but light
• can be used to make many things such as furniture
  and ship masts
• lumbering caused tree to become endangered
• Cutting trees was prohibited, however still
  declining on the coast
• so the direct cause is unclear
• research is being done for ways to restore trees

16
CLICK
Peru
Climate tropical on east, desert on west
Natural resources copper, silver, gold, iron,
petroleum, timber, fish, coal, hydropower,
natural gas Natural hazards earthquakes,
tsunamis, flooding, landslides, small
volcanoes Environment issues deforestation,
overgrazing, soil erosion, desertification, air
and water pollution Environmental international
agreements Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber, Wetlands, Whaling
17
Lima, Peru

• As with other major cities in South America, this
  city is having problems dealing with the rapid
  increase in its urban centers.
• Lima is an extraordinary place to be a tourist as
  it has been a major urban center since January
  18, 1535
• Lima has more than five institutions that have
  been recognized by the UNESCO World Heritage site
  

Now were here!
18
Limas Biome

• Location 332616S, 703902W
• Biome Temperate Deciduous Forest
• Climate spring-like year round
• Temperature Avg. temp in June is 65 F, January
  73 F. Humidity reaches 90 percent from June to
  November.

Deciduous Forest
19
Mountain Tapir

• lives in moist mountainous forest at 6,600 to
  14,800 ft.
• feed on plant shoots, small shrubs and fern
  leaves
• vulnerable because of habitat destruction, has
  been hunted for meat and sport
• majority found in Ecuador but also in Colombia
  and Peru
• protection include restriction of exports from
  countries where animals live

20
CLICK
Ecuador
Climate tropical along coast, temperature cools
as altitudes rises. Natural resources
petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower Environment
issues deforestation, soil erosion,
desertification, water pollution Environmental
international agreements Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber, Wetlands
21
Guayaquil, Ecuador

• Muy Noble y Muy Leal Ciudad de Santiago de
  Guayaquil is the official name, shortened to
  Guayaquil
• Founded by the Spanish
• Devote Christians
• Holidays such as Christmas and Easter become
  national holidays
• Known for its art and the institutions which hold
  the famous pieces.

Now were here!
22
Guayaquils Biome

• Location 325S, 7996W
• Biome Tropical Deciduous Forest
• Climate December to April, is hot and humid up
  to 35º C. Rest of year, cooler with temp 20-25 C.

Deciduous Forest
23

• Toucan Barbet
• often captured in wild
• difficult to observe because lives deep in forest
• lives in western Andes, Colombia and northwest
  Ecuador (forests of subtropical and temperate
  zones)
• size of population is unknown
• declining in distribution areas that are also
  reachable to humans
• rarely protected, however small part of
  distribution fall within nature reserves or
  national parks

24
CLICK
Venezuela
Climate tropical, hot, humid, moderate highlands
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, iron
ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals, hydropower,
diamonds Natural Hazards floods, rockslides,
mudslides periodic droughts Environment issues
sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia oil and
urban pollution of Lago de Maracaibo
deforestation soil degradation urban and
industrial pollution Environmental
international agreements Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands
25
Maracaibo, Venezuela

• Capital of Venezuela
• Second largest population center
• At first it was isolated as it was too swampy to
  use land transportation.
• Developed separate holidays and customs than the
  rest of the country
• Extremely stable economically and politically
  despite the vast amounts of oil present in the
  area
• Although Venezuela is a dictatorship, Maracaibo
  tends to have less harsh laws based on still
  being fairly isolated.

Now were here!
26
Maracaibos Biome

• Location 1056N, 7173W
• Biome Tropical Savanna (areas of open grassland
  with very few trees)
• Climate In the dry season temp are either hot or
  cool. In the wet season temp are warm.
• Up to 50 inches of rain in wet season

Savanna
27

• Spectacled Caiman
• lives in pools, lakes, springs, swamps
• skin color change serves to camouflage from
  predators and help approach prey, also for
  thermal defense
• feed on aquatic animals, snakes, lizards
• humans are its main enemy because eggs are sent
  to US for as pets
• protected from hunting and capturing in Peru,
  Colombia

28
Human Impacts

• Increasing populations in developing countries
  push urbanization into natural areas.
• Farming
• Cattle raising
• Infringes on animals habitat

• Primary causes of biodiversity loss
• Rapid population growth
• Poverty
• Industrialization
• Exploit of government policies
• Exports to developed countries
• Failure to include ecological services
• Secondary causes of biodiversity loss
• Roads
• Logging
• Unsustainable farming techniques
• Cattle ranching
• Tree plantations
• Flooding (dams)
• Mining
• Oil drilling