67366451 biodiversity hotspot

8/22/2019 67366451 Biodiversity Hotspot

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BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS:Chilean Winter Rainfall-

Valdivian ForestsBy Natalie SummaAnd fish


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What Is A Hotspot?

For a region to qualify as a biodiversity hotspot, twomain criteria must be met:

At least 70% of the regions original habitat must

have been lost The region must have over 1,500 endemic species

of vascular plants, which is greater than 5% of theworlds total vegetation

http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/
http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/chilean_forests/Pages/default.aspxhttp://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/chilean_forests/Pages/default.aspx


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Chilean Winter Rainfall-ValdivianForests: Is It A Hotspot?

-There are 1,957 endemic plant species (greater than 1,500)-Remaining area is 119,143 square km of the original 397,142square km (greater than 70% decrease)Conclusion: YES.

http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/chilean_forests/Pages/default.aspx


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Where In the World Is This

Hotspot?Climate: Humid and foggy conditions year-round near the coast-Moist winds from the west create heavy rainfall in the mountains-Temperature stays relatively constant all year, varying from high of 62 F in summer to45 F in the cooler winter months


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Types of Ecosystems

Four types of forest ecosystems: Deciduous forests- climate similar to Mediterranean climate

Nothofagus alpina, N.obliqua

Laurel-leaved forests- contains a variety of broadleafevergreen trees

Laureliopsis philippiana, Alextoxicon punctatum, Euricyphiacordifolia, Myceugenia

Patagonian Andean forests- Found along the Andesmountain front, dominated by conifers

Araucaria araucana, Fitzroya cupressoider

Northern Patagonian forests- dominate the southern half ofthe region, vegetation includes broadleaf and conifer

Nothofagus dombeyi, Drimys winteri, Podocarpus nubigenus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valdivian_temperate_rain_forests


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Socio-EconomicConditions


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AndeanMountain Cat

-None are currently held incaptivity

-They are believed to exist only inthe Andes Mountains in South

America

-Fewer than 2,500 are known tosurvive today

-Efforts to preserve the cat:CONAF, a Chilean government

agency responsible for themanagement of both national

parks and forest production, hasagreed to let the SCCA(Small CatConservation Alliance) renovate a

building for the Andean CatConservation and Monitoring

Center in San Pedro de Atacamain Chile

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andean_mountain_cat


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Endemic Plant

Species-The forest of Coastal Central

Chile is the only refuge forthe endemic trees Gomortega

keule and Nothofagus alessandri-The narrow strip of land isonly 100km long and is

disappearing at the rate of 8%per year

-This loss is due to the native

vegetation that is cleared forMonteray Pine plantations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flora_of_Chile


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Whats Happening?

Causes:

Overgrazing, urbanization, invasivespecies

Technology advancements (hydro-electricdams)

Construction and developmentimplemented to coastal areas to increasetourist activity

Man-made forests made for the purpose

of slowing erosion/soil stabilization,which fragments stands of nativevegetationslows the gene flow amongplant species

Also acts as a barrier to many animalsspecific to the habitat

Whats Being Done?

12.8% of original land space isofficially protected, including:national parks, reserves,monument sanctuaries

the rare Araucaria trees areprotected as a national monument

Coastal regions are leftunprotected

A majority of unprotectedland is privately owned, and istherefore both expensive and

difficult to purchase In 2003, the government

succeeded in purchasing60,000km of land in an openauctionmore cooperationbetwen the government andthe private sector is needed

http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/chilean_forests/Pages/default.aspx http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/chilean_fore

sts/Pages/conservation.aspx
http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/chilean_forests/Pages/default.aspxhttp://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/chilean_forests/Pages/default.aspxhttp://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/chilean_forests/Pages/conservation.aspxhttp://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/chilean_forests/Pages/conservation.aspxhttp://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/chilean_forests/Pages/conservation.aspxhttp://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/chilean_forests/Pages/conservation.aspxhttp://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/chilean_forests/Pages/default.aspxhttp://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/chilean_forests/Pages/default.aspx

67366451 biodiversity hotspot

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