The Tropical Andes Mountains Basic Information Was 1

The Tropical Andes Mountains

Basic Information • Was 1, 258, 000 km^2, now 314, 500 km^2 • 25% of original land remains! • Unique land characteristics http: //geog 5 theandes. files. wordpress. com/2011/12/tropicalandes. jpg

Why so Important? It’s a Biodiversity Hotspot Taxonomic Group Plants Mammals Birds Reptiles Amphibians Freshwater Fishes • • Species Endemic Species 30, 000 15, 000 570 75 1, 724 579 610 275 981 673 380 131 Diversity & Endemism 30, 000 -35, 000 species 10% of all world’s plant species Of these, 50% endemic % Endemism 50. 0 13. 2 33. 6 45. 1 68. 6 34. 5

Human Impacts on the Tropical Andean Ecosystem 1. In human communities 2. 2. At higher altitudes 3. At lower altitudes 4. Global warming

1. Impacts of Human Communities Humans have lived in the Tropical Andes for thousands of years (ex: Inca Empire) http: //yemar. com/Research. Projects/finite. asp http: //www. marinmagazine. com/images/cache/4 d 94646 dc 8302 f 3 a 1 d 49 ff 314 b 10 fb 2 d. jpeg

Impacts of Human Communities human communities =>massive land degradation • Less than 10% of original habitat remains http: //blog. arkive. org/tag/ climate-change/page/4/ • Only 25% of original vegetation remains intact

2. Human Impacts at Higher Altitudes • • Agriculture, deforestation, dams, road building, seasonal burning, grazing, mining, and fuel-wood collection, nitrogen dispersion All lead to severe land degradation! http: //consulting. oboni. net/extraction_transportation_storage. php

Human Impacts at Higher Altitudes: Cultivation of opium poppy http: //www. latiname ricanstudies. org/col ombia-drugs. htm

Human Impacts at Higher Altitudes: Opium Poppy Cultivation 1. Clearing of forests and spread of chemical herbicides in streams and rivers => threats to plants and animals 2. Guerilla activities => compromises safety of sustained conservation activities http: //www. latinamericanstudies. org/colombia-drugs. htm

3. Human Impacts at Lower Altitudes: Industrial Growth • Oil exploration & development • Industrial & smallscale mining • Roads • Waves of migrants fleeing highlands => LAND DEGRADATION DEFORESTATION & http: //infosurhoy. com/ cocoon/saii/xhtml/en_ GB/features/saii/featur es/main/2010/11/11/fe ature-02

Human Impacts at Lower Altitudes: Invasive Alien Species CAUSES: • Human food • To facilitate agriculture EFFECTS: • Out-compete & eat native plant and animal species “Don’t reforest with nonnative species” - Peru http: //www. tra veljournals. ne t/pictures/229 538. html http: //www. flickr. com/photos/26034413@N 04/3805049497/

Proposed Conservation Efforts and Tactics 1. Land biodiversity protection 2. Education 3. Ecotourism http: //www. biodiversityhotspots. org/xp/Hotspots/andes/Pages/biodiversity. aspx

1. Land Biodiversity Protection • Corridors • Strict protection laws and enforcement • More research on lands that need protection

2. Education • Teach sustainable practices to Indigenous People http: //askville. amazon. com/grow-cocoachocolateplants/Answer. Viewer. do? request. Id=12670 51

3. Ecotourism • Spread Awareness http: //science. kukuchew. com/2010/08/03/ecotourism-ablessing-or-a-curse-for-fragile-ecosystems/