Andes Mts

Andes Andes MountainsMountains

Stairsteps to the heavens

Andes MountainsAndes MountainsThe Andes run the entire length The Andes run the entire length of South America, from the of South America, from the humid tropics of the Caribbean humid tropics of the Caribbean to the ice fields of Patagonia. The to the ice fields of Patagonia. The longest north-south mountain longest north-south mountain range in the world, the Andes range in the world, the Andes encompass a tremendous range encompass a tremendous range of ecosystems and are home to a of ecosystems and are home to a rich variety of plant and animal rich variety of plant and animal species and human species and human communities.communities.

subductionsubduction

In this cross section of the Earth in the Southern In this cross section of the Earth in the Southern Hemisphere, the map shows a subduction zone Hemisphere, the map shows a subduction zone that has created the Peru-Chile Trench at the that has created the Peru-Chile Trench at the western edge of South America and the Andes western edge of South America and the Andes Mountains along the west coast of South Mountains along the west coast of South America.America.

Plate Plate tectonics tectonics processes, processes, caused by caused by the the subduction subduction of the of the Nazca plate Nazca plate beneath beneath the South the South

American American plate plate

produced produced the the Andes.Andes.

SUbduction zonesSUbduction zonesThe North Volcanic Zone (NVZ) that includes the volcanoes of northern Colombia, Ecuador and northern Peru.

The Central Volcanic Zone (CVZ) compromising the volcanoes of southern Peru, Bolivia, and northern Chile and Argentina The South Volcanic Zone (SVZ), spanning from Central Chile to the Chile Triple Junction The Austral Volcanic Zone (AVZ) begins south of the Chile Triple Junction and is caused by the subduction of the Antarctic Plate

VolcanoesVolcanoes

At 19,350 feet, At 19,350 feet, Ecuador’s Ecuador’s Cotopaxi is the Cotopaxi is the world's tallest world's tallest active volcanoactive volcano

22ndnd highest range highest range

in the worldin the world

Run from Panama Run from Panama

to Chileto Chile

Andes MountainsAndes Mountains

EL Condor PasaEL Condor PasaTraditional Peruvian tuneTraditional Peruvian tune

highlandshighlands

As the As the elevation elevation changes changes in the in the Andes, so Andes, so does the does the climate. climate. While it While it may be may be 90°and 90°and raining at raining at the base, the base, it can be it can be dry and dry and below below zero at zero at the the summit.summit.

Earthquake-Earthquake-prone Rift valley prone Rift valley near Quilotoa, near Quilotoa, EcuadorEcuador

IncasIncas Originally a Originally a

warlike tribe from warlike tribe from the Andes the Andes mountains above mountains above Cuzco. Cuzco.

Around 1000 CE Around 1000 CE this tribe this tribe successfully successfully conquered conquered neighboring tribes neighboring tribes and began moving and began moving down into the valley down into the valley of Cuzco. of Cuzco.

Peruvian AndesPeruvian Andes

The finely crafted Inca walls of The finely crafted Inca walls of Sacsayhuaman,Sacsayhuaman, built built onon a hill above Cuzcoa hill above Cuzco..

Macchu Macchu PicchuPicchu

Ruins on Ruins on ridgeridge northwest of northwest of Cuzco.Cuzco.

These salt pans were built by the Incas and are These salt pans were built by the Incas and are still being used (by a local co-operative) more still being used (by a local co-operative) more than 6 centuries later. than 6 centuries later.

Mt. AlpamayoMt. AlpamayoLocated in the Peruvian Located in the Peruvian Andes as part of the Andes as part of the Cordillera Blanca Cordillera Blanca mountain range mountain range Has a 60Has a 60°° almost almost symmetrical pyramid symmetrical pyramid shape shape it reaches a peak of it reaches a peak of 5,947 m5,947 m

El Paramo

- Venezuelan Andes

ParamParamoo

A neotropical Andean A neotropical Andean ecosystem located in the high ecosystem located in the high Andes region, between the Andes region, between the upper forest line and the upper forest line and the permanent snow line.permanent snow line.

Typical páramoTypical páramo vegetation aroundvegetation around LLakeake Caricocha, Mojanda,Caricocha, Mojanda, Ecuador.Ecuador.

Espeletia (Frailejón) Espeletia (Frailejón) plant in the Venezuelan plant in the Venezuelan páramo. páramo.

Cordillera Oriental Montane Cordillera Oriental Montane forestsforests

tamanduatamandua

Lush forests of this semi-tropical ecoregion Lush forests of this semi-tropical ecoregion carpet the middle-to-high elevations of the carpet the middle-to-high elevations of the northern Andes and surrounding foothills.northern Andes and surrounding foothills.

Cock of the RockCock of the RockA male Andean Cock-of-the-rock, a species found in humid Andean forests

AltiplanAltiplanoo Refers to much of Andean

Bolivia which is on this high plateau

Altiplano Altiplano - - where the Andes are at their where the Andes are at their widestwidest

Contemporary reed Contemporary reed boats and boatmen on boats and boatmen on Lake Chad, Chad, Lake Chad, Chad, Africa.Africa.

Aymara reed Aymara reed boat builders at boat builders at Lake Titicaca, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia, South Bolivia, South America.America.

Lake Lake TiticacaTiticaca

the highest commerciallythe highest commercially navigable lake in the world, navigable lake in the world, at 12,507 feet above sea at 12,507 feet above sea level.level.

Atacama -Atacama - world’s driest desertworld’s driest desert

It is virtually sterile of plant or animal life.

Peru Peru CurrentCurrentDry climatic Dry climatic

conditions are a conditions are a result of this result of this current, also current, also known as the known as the Humboldt Current.Humboldt Current.This system This system contains cold, low contains cold, low salinity waters that salinity waters that flow in the flow in the direction of the direction of the Equator and can Equator and can extend 1,000 extend 1,000 kilometers kilometers offshore.offshore.

Chile to Chile to ArgentinaArgentina

The Andes of The Andes of Chile and Chile and Argentina can Argentina can be divided in be divided in two climatic two climatic and and glaciological glaciological zones:zones:

1. Dry Andes and2. Wet Andes.

The Andes as seen from a plane flying from The Andes as seen from a plane flying from Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aires, Argentina Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aires, Argentina

Chilean Chilean steppessteppes

Chile National Chile National ParkPark

PatagoniaPatagonia

Ice fieldsIce fields

A lake in Neuquén, Argentine portion of A lake in Neuquén, Argentine portion of PatagoniaPatagonia

Lago, ArgentinaLago, Argentina

Cerro Aconcagua is the Cerro Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the highest mountain in the AmericasAmericas

LinksLinksPatagonian icefieldshttp://www.thelastboat.co.uk/Chile/chilemain/torres.htmWikipedia.org/Image:Andes_Chile_Argentina.jpghttp://www.ancientperu.com/content/map/index.htmlhttp://www.gfz-potsdam.de/pb2/pb22/staff/SSobolev/boundaries.htmlhttp://www.answers.com/topic/andes?cat=travelArizona.edu/geo527/Andes/introBlue Planet Biomes.org/andes_climate