Andes Mountains Stairsteps to the heavens

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

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

Plate tectonics processes, caused by the subduction of the Nazca plate beneath the South American plate produced the Andes.

SUbduction zones The 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

The 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

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

2 nd highest range in the world Run from Panama to Chile Andes Mountains

2 nd highest range

in the world

Run from Panama

to Chile

EL Condor Pasa Traditional Peruvian tune

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

Earthquake-prone Rift valley near Quilotoa, Ecuador

Incas Originally a warlike tribe from the Andes mountains above Cuzco. Around 1000 CE this tribe successfully conquered neighboring tribes and began moving down into the valley of Cuzco.

Originally a warlike tribe from the Andes mountains above Cuzco.

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

Peruvian Andes

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

Macchu Picchu Ruins on ridge northwest of Cuzco.

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

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

Located in the Peruvian Andes as part of the Cordillera Blanca mountain range

Has a 60 ° almost symmetrical pyramid shape

it reaches a peak of 5,947 m

El Paramo - Venezuelan Andes

Paramo A neotropical Andean ecosystem located in the high Andes region, between the upper forest line and the permanent snow line. Typical páramo vegetation around L ake Caricocha, Mojanda, Ecuador. Espeletia (Frailejón) plant in the Venezuelan páramo.

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

Cock of the Rock A male Andean Cock-of-the-rock , a species found in humid Andean forests

Altiplano Refers to much of Andean Bolivia which is on this high plateau

Altiplano - where the Andes are at their widest

Contemporary reed boats and boatmen on Lake Chad, Chad, Africa. Aymara reed boat builders at Lake Titicaca, Bolivia, South America.

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

Atacama - world’s driest desert It is virtually sterile of plant or animal life.

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

Dry climatic conditions are a result of this current, also known as the Humboldt Current.

This system contains cold, low salinity waters that flow in the direction of the Equator and can extend 1,000 kilometers offshore.

Chile to Argentina The Andes of Chile and Argentina can be divided in two climatic and glaciological zones: Dry Andes and Wet Andes .

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

Dry Andes and

Wet Andes .

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

Chilean steppes

Chile National Park

Patagonia Ice fields

A lake in Neuquén, Argentine portion of Patagonia

Lago, Argentina

Cerro Aconcagua is the highest mountain in the Americas

Links Patagonian icefields http://www.thelastboat.co.uk/Chile/chilemain/torres.htm Wikipedia.org/Image:Andes_Chile_Argentina.jpg http://www.ancientperu.com/content/map/index.html http://www.gfz-potsdam.de/pb2/pb22/staff/SSobolev/boundaries.html http://www.answers.com/topic/andes?cat=travel Arizona.edu/geo527/Andes/intro Blue Planet Biomes.org/andes_climate