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Map of Tropical Andes |
History
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Venezuela |
According to the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, the tropical Andes is the "global epicenter of biodiversity." It is the richest region for biodiversity in the world, making it an important spot for conservation biology. Nearly half of the species of plants in the region are endemic, they only occur in this area and nowhere else in the world.
The evolution of how this rock formation is shown in the table below. In general, the tropical Andes was formed around the late Jurassic period.
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| Time-Space Table of Andes Tectonic Evolution http://www.geo.arizona.edu/geo5xx/geo527/Andes/geology.html |
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| 'Vital Signs' of the Tropical Andes http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/andes/Pages/default.aspx |
Human Impacts
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| Deforestation in tropical Andes http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/ SiteCollectionImages/00012009.jpg |
Human impacts can also include global warming, which causes temperature increases. Hotter temperatures have led to the melting of glaciers in the region. For example, in Peru, ten glaciers have been observed since 1932, and many of them have significantly retreated more than half of their sizes.
In Northwest Ecuador, the change in the way the land is used has greatly increased in terms of agriculture, which takes nutrients out of the soil. And the amount of deforestation in the region has greatly increased over the span of just ten years.
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| Parrot in tropical Andes http://www.cepf.net/SiteCollectionImages/506x180/506x180_parrrot.jpg |
According to Conservation International, the same Inter-Andean valleys that are considered the best suited for people are also the most negatively affected parts of the region. To be exact, less than 10% of the original habit remains. In terms of the vegetation, less than 25% of the original amount remains.
Using the data from the previous tables, one can predict that without improvements to human activity, an increase in the amount of instinct species, especially because so many are endemic, will occur.
Also, the previously mentioned glaciers are said to be at risk of disappearing completely within the next fifty years if climate does not improve.
How We Can Improve
We can improve the degradation of the region by enacting preservation laws for at least a portion of the South American region. Limits on how much land can be use for human benefit would improve conditions in the region.
But the most important thing is education. Educating people about the importance of the regions rich diversity, including rare species only found in this special region, will make the population aware and encourage a larger group of people to participate in the preservation of this important ecosystem.
More general things that can be done related to global warming and improving the climate change. This will improve the fates of the glaciers in the region. Small things such as recycling, turning lights off when not in use, conserving water, and other things will be a small help, but help nonetheless, toward the goal of slowing climate change.
But the most important thing is education. Educating people about the importance of the regions rich diversity, including rare species only found in this special region, will make the population aware and encourage a larger group of people to participate in the preservation of this important ecosystem.
More general things that can be done related to global warming and improving the climate change. This will improve the fates of the glaciers in the region. Small things such as recycling, turning lights off when not in use, conserving water, and other things will be a small help, but help nonetheless, toward the goal of slowing climate change.
A company in Ecuador called Intelifuel is looking to make vast improvements to help save this region. They collect and filter used vegetable oil from restaurants and turned it into biodiesel or alternative fuel.
"It is easily possible to protect the environment and preserve ecosystems without a detrimental human cost. Education of the population is the challenge, not the task of preservation itself." - Jeremy McGowan, Vice President, Intelifuel®
References
Kasey Angsioco
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506x180_parrrot.jpg. Photograph. Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund. Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund. Web. 25 Nov. 2011. <http://www.cepf.net/SiteCollectionImages/506x180/506x180_parrrot.jpg>.
Benders-Hyd, Elisabeth. "Andes Mountain Range." Blue Planet Biomes. 23 Sept. 2010. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. <http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/andes.htm>.
"Biodiesel, Used Cooking Oil, Alternative Fuel, Biofuels, Organic Fertilizer = Intelifuel® Cia Ltda, Ecuador's Primere Environmental Energy Company & Alternative Fuels Producer." Intelifuel. Intelifuel. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. <http://www.intelifuel.com/indexec.php>.
Current Efforts to Protect Biodiversity in the Tropical Andes. Photograph. SAAA Deforestation. 16 Nov. 2008. Web. 25 Nov. 2011 <http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/SiteCollectionImages/00012009.jpg>.
Photograph. Venezuelan Adventures. Venezuelan Tourism Association. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. <http://www.venezuelanadventures.com/images/TropicalAndes.jpg>.
Protect & Preserve Ecuadorian Ecosystems - Intelifuel Project. Dir. Landmanbuck. YouTube. YouTube, 11 Mar. 2011. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. <http://youtu.be/bRLzKXI24qw>.
Protect & Preserve Ecuadorian Ecosystems - Intelifuel Project. Dir. Landmanbuck. YouTube. YouTube, 11 Mar. 2011. Web. 29 Nov. 2011. <http://youtu.be/bRLzKXI24qw>.
Sierra, Rodrigo, and Jody Stallings. "The Dynamics and Social Organization of Tropical Deforestation in Northwest Ecuador, 1983-1995." Human Ecology 26.1 (1998): 135-61. Springerlink. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. <http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1018753018631>.
Vuille, Mathias, Raymond S. Bradley, and Frank Keimig. "20th Century Climate Change in the Tropical Andes: Observations and Model Results." Climate Change 59.1 (2003): 75-99. SpringerLink. Springer Netherlands. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. <http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1024406427519>.
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